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Martin Robinson letter, to P. Smith Thayer, 1838 April 25 : manuscript.
Kislak Center for Special Collections - Manuscripts Misc Mss Box 24 Folder 40
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- Format:
- Manuscript
- Author/Creator:
- Robinson, Martin, 1792-1852, author.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Libraries--New England--19th century.
- Libraries.
- Genre:
- Manuscripts, American -- 19th century.
- Manuscripts, English -- 19th century.
- correspondence.
- Business correspondence.
- Penn Provenance:
- Sold by Rulon-Miller Books (St. Paul, MN), 2020.
- Physical Description:
- 1 item (1 bifolium) : paper ; 25 x 20 cm
- Production:
- Providence, Rhode Island : 1838 April 25.
- Contained In:
- Miscellaneous Manuscripts. Box 24 Folder 40
- Biography/History:
- Martin Robinson was a bookseller and partner in business with Benjamin Russell Howland (1793-1827), selling books and stationery in Providence, Rhode Island under the name Robinson & Howland. Robinson and Howland also started the monthly magazine, The Rhode-Island literary repository, that was published from April 1814 to March 1815. Robinson was involved with the Providence Library Company, first formed in 1753, and the precursor to the Providence Athenaeum which moved into its Benefit Street location after 1837.
- Summary:
- In this letter of 1838, Robinson indicates to P. Smith Thayer (probably Preserved Smith Thayer 1808-1874) of Millville, Massachusetts that he is interested in selling him 1,700 volumes "well calculated for a circulating library, and have been used as such in this city." The rest of the letter details conditions and proposal for establishing a circulating library. Bottom third of last leaf is missing, affecting end of text.
- Local Notes:
- Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Zachs-Adam Rare Book Fund.
- Cited as:
- Martin Robinson letter, to P. Smith Thayer, 1838 April 25 (Misc Mss Box 24 Folder 40). Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania.
- OCLC:
- 1346384568
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