Samuel E. Murray Papers 1961-1989

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Samuel E. Murray Papers 1961-1989

http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/umass/mums568.html

One of the pioneers in the ephemera trade, Samuel E. Murray (1906-1989) was a long time antiquarian bookman, based at his home in Wilbraham, Mass. Born on Christmas Day, 1906, Murray interrupted his college studies to go to sea, but after the Depression left him unemployed, he landed a position as sales representative for McGraw-Hill and, later, G. & C. Merriam and other firms. Always an avid book collector, Murray left the publishing industry in 1970 to become a full time bookseller. Without ever advertising or issuing catalogs, he developed a wide reputation among dealers and collectors for his keen eye and perspicacity with rare and uncommon books. A generalist by trade, Murray had a particular fondness for colorplate books and travel literature, but was renowned both for his extensive reference library and for recognizing early on the value of ephemera. After a lengthy bout with myelofibrosis, Murray died at home on June 4, 1989. The Murray Papers contain correspondence between Murray and a range of his fellow booksellers and clients, as well as his extensive card files on fellow book dealers and wants lists. The collection offers insight into the operations of a well-known antiquarian bookman during the 1970s and 1980s.

14 boxes; (7 linear foot)

eng,

Special Collections and University Archives, UMass Amherst Libraries

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SNAC Resource ID: 6323596

Related Entities

There are 3 Entities related to this resource.

Murray, Samuel E., 1906-1989

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6k93f0q (person)

Samuel Murray, 1966 Samuel Murray was born on December 25, 1906, in Sedalia, Missouri, and spent most of his childhood there until his family moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1916. He attended Columbia University where he studied engineering for four years of a six year program but did not finish as he became interested in other pursuits. After college, Murray went to sea, serving as a yeoman engineer on both passenger and freight ships for various shipping compa...

Ephemera Society of America

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wb077c (corporateBody)

The Ephemera Society of America, Inc. was established in 1980 as a non-profit organization devoted to furthering the study, preservation, and appreciation of ephemera and to serve as a link among collectors, scholars, and dealers. Over the years the society has sponsored fairs, conferences, symposiums, exhibitions, and less formal regional meetings. In addition, the ephemera society maintains an active publishing program, including a quarterly newsletter entitled Ephemera News, a Journal contain...

Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6qp2h1n (corporateBody)

Founded 1949 as a professional association for antiquarian booksellers in the United States. In the years immediately following the end of World War II, antiquarian book dealers in a number of European countries formed national associations and in 1947 came together to establish the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB). In this spirit of cooperation, some fifty members of the antiquarian booktrade met 1949 Feb. 24 at the Grolier Club in New York City an...