Selected Special Collections

Bruce Rogers Collection

Books designed by Bruce Rogers and his personal papers

In 1959 bookdealer S. R. Shapiro presented to the Library a collection of trade books that had been designed under the supervision of Bruce Rogers (1870-1957) during his years at the Riverside Press in Cambridge, Massachusetts (1895-1912). In 1973 Mr. Shapiro added to the collection letters, proofcuts, financial papers, and ephemera relating to the work of this important American book designer. The papers (790 manuscripts items) include transcripts of Rogers' letters to his friend Harry Watson Kent, secretary of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; a collection entitled "E-pistolery Letter's to My Co-respondents Written on my tipewriter by Gess Whoo?" which Rogers had intended for publication; material pertaining to the preparation and distribution of his anthology, Pi (1953); and Mr. Shapiro's personal correspondence with Rogers. There are 226 volumes in the collection.