C. Hermann Berendt correspondence to Philipp J. J. Valentini, ca. 1873-1877.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Author/Creator:

Berendt, C. Hermann (Carl Hermann), 1817-1878.

Contributor:

Valentini, Philipp J. J. (Philipp Johann Josef), 1828-1899.

Westermann, Bernhard, 1814-1889.

Language:

English

German

Spanish

Subjects (All):

Berendt, C. Hermann (Carl Hermann), 1817-1878.

Berendt, C. Hermann.

Indians of Central America--Languages.

Indians of Central America.

Guatemala--Description and travel.

Guatemala.

Central America--Description and travel.

Central America.

Genre:

Drawings (visual works)

Postcards.

Manuscripts, German.

Penn Provenance:

Gift of George Stuart, National Geographic Society (Washington, D.C.), 1999.

Physical Description:

1 box (43 items)

Place of Publication:

ca. 1873-1877.

Language Note:

In German, with one postcard in English, and at least one quotation in Spanish.

Summary:

Correspondence, comprising mostly letters, with some postcards, written by C. Hermann Berendt to his friend and fellow researcher Philipp J.J. Valentini, between 1873 and 1877, with some items undated. Topics primarily concern matters related to their common interests in the languages and cultures of the Indians of Central America. Berendt makes reference to publications or manuscripts, and occasionally comments on particular linguistic issues; some items reflect his meetings with Valentini. The correspondence also contains brief references to fellow researchers, usually concerning Berendt's contact with them and/or their current activities; included are references to E.G. Squier, Hermann A. Schumacher, Alexander von Frantzius, William M. Gabb, and Earl Flint. Postcards show Valentini to be residing in New York City. Berendt's dating of his letters usually includes his location: in 1873 he writes from New York City; in 1875 to 1877 he generally writes from Cobán, Guatemala. One item in 1875 is written from San Cristobal, and two items in 1876 are written from Philadelphia. One undated postcard (ca. 1875-1876), is written from Washington, D.C. There is a gap in Berendt's communications after December 1873; his next letter, in February 1875, from Guatemala, contains information about his past and current activities, and a careful sketch in ink that resembles a mask, apparently an artifact that he had seen, perhaps in Nicaragua, and upon which he comments. An undated letter has a small drawing that he refers to as a Mixcoatl hieroglyphic (resembling what might be termed a cloud serpent, as that Nahuatl name implies). The collection includes 4 items (three postcards and one letter), dated 1874-1876, written by the publisher Bernhard Westermann to Valentini, which contain greetings or a message from Berendt, or news about him. Westermann's first postcard to Valentini, in March 1874, is written in English and is addressed impersonally (Dear Sir), while the other items from him address Valentini as friend. There is also an occasional reference to Westermann in Berendt's letters, related to publishing matters, along with a reference to him as friend. A note by Westermann on one of Berendt's letters (March 1876), as well as a reference made by Berendt in another letter, seem to indicate that when Berendt was in Guatemala he sent letters to Valentini via Westermann.

Related Collections:

The Berendt-Brinton Linguistic Collection, Ms. Coll. 700, also held at the University of Pennsylvania, contains several items that reflect interactions between, and the common interests of C. Hermann Berendt and Philipp J. J. Valentini; in particular, Items 153, 154, and 156 in that collection are transcriptions made by Berendt of vocabulary of Indian languages of Costa Rica that he indicates were collected by Valentini in Costa Rica in the 1860s.

OCLC:

794226950