Two collections bear the names of Mary and Mavis P. Kelsey: the Americana Collection and the Illustrators Collection (which eclipsed and absorbed the Western Illustrators Collection already extant at Cushing Library). Each bears the strong influence of the Kelseys’ individual interests and areas of expertise. While ongoing collecting has expanded the scope of what is included therein, the collectors’ original vision nevertheless provides continued guidance for the direction of the collections’ growth.
The collections are particularly rich in illustrated newspapers, such as Harper’s Monthly, Century, Scribners, and Appleton’s Journal as well as landmark volumes of book illustration, such as the works of Thomas Bewick, John James Audubon, and Prideaux John Selby, just to name a few. Likewise, a cornerstone of the collection is represented by books and prints related to Texas and the American West, with particularly rich holdings related to nineteenth-century American expansion into the Western frontier and cultural encounters between Native Americans and these explorers. Of note among these many holdings are those by McKenney & Hall and by George Catlin, which richly marry together the Kelseys’ interests in American history and developments in book illustration and fine printing.
Given Dr. Kelsey’s lifetime devotion to science and medicine, it is unsurprising that illustrated volumes related to the flora and fauna of the Americas are well represented in the collection, including the impressive Natural History by Mark Catesby. More surprising, perhaps, are the rich holdings in nineteenth-century English literature, including rich examples by notable authors such as Jane Austen, which are represented in the collection on account of Mrs. Kelsey’s personal interests.
The Kelsey Collections are predominantly books, periodicals, and printed illustrations from the late eighteenth through the twentieth centuries, with a majority being produced around the mid- to late-nineteenth century. Also included are significant holdings of original artwork, such as paintings, lithographs, and sculpture. In addition, archives related to the life and work of the Kelseys round out the collection.
See above.
Nineteenth-century book illustration; Western expansion in North America; Texas and the American West.
None Known.
Rare; Texas; Maps; Lowman; Dykes; Dawson; University Archives; Laughlin.
Curator: Kevin M. O’Sullivan
Created 7/24/2020
Mailing Address:
Cushing Memorial Library & Archives
TAMU 5000
College Station, TX 77843-5000
Physical Address:
400 Spence St.
Main Campus near the Central Campus Garage
Phone:
979-845-1951