Woman's Home Companion

manoscmr8 Dellah Harris Vail Papers On Robert Browning's Desk, 1861-1934 Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Karen V. Kukil. Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Mortimer Rare Book Room, William Allan Neilson Library, Smith College

Northampton, MA

2003

Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Eric Steven Cartier. 2003-09-10 Finding aid written in English. 2005-09-23 manoscmr8 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02-5c.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Smith CollegeWilliam Allan Neilson LibraryMortimer Rare Book Room Dellah Harris Vail Papers On Robert Browning's Desk, 1861-1934 Finding Aid Manuscript Number 13 Compiled by Karen V. Kukil June 1996 Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Collection Overview Vail, Dellah Harris, d. 1935 Dellah Harris Vail Papers on Robert Browning's Desk1861-1934 MS 13 1 box (0.25 linear ft.) Mortimer Rare Book Room

Smith College Northampton, MA

Woman who owned Robert Browning's writing desk and bequeathed it to Smith College in memory of her daughter. Includes photographs of the desk, Vail's manuscript notes and printed writings, a note in Robert Browning's autograph, memorabilia, and flowers collected from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's grave in Florence and the Browning residence in Venice from a trip to Europe in 1924. English. Biographical Note

Derrick T. Vail was born on October 2, 1864 in Franklin, Ohio. After graduating from Miami Medical College in 1890, he practiced ophthalmology in Cincinnati, Ohio. His discovery of Tularemia-Conjunctivitis in man with Dr. William B. Wherry was his major contribution to medicine.

Dr. Vail married Dellah Harris of Franklin, Ohio, on April 14, 1891. The couple lived at 2219 Park Avenue, Walnut Hills, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Their daughter Charlotte Farrell Vail attended Smith College with the Class of 1923. She died in Northampton, Massachusetts, on March 11, 1923. Dr. Vail died on October 29, 1930. Mrs. Vail died on December 7, 1935. They were survived by their daughter Rosalind Vail Dwight of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Dellah Harris Vail Papers contain Vail's correspondence with scholars and dealers about Robert Browning's writing desk. The papers span the dates 1861 to 1934 and also include photographs of the desk, as well as Vail's manuscript notes and printed writings.

Dr. Derrick T. Vail purchased Robert Browning's writing desk from E. P. Dutton & Company on February 20, 1915 for his wife. Mrs. Vail bequeathed the desk to Smith College in memory of her daughter, Charlotte Farrell Vail, Class of 1923, who died at Smith College on March 11, 1923. When the College received the desk after Mrs. Vail's death on December 7, 1935, her papers and a note in Robert Browning's autograph were stored inside.

While the bulk of Mrs. Vail's papers are about the desk, there are some printed articles about Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Folder 6). Memorabilia from meetings of the Browning Circle of the Cincinnati Woman's Club include a poem by Calvin Dill Wilson entitled "The Writing of Robert Browning" (Folder 5). Mrs. Vail also collected flowers from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's grave in Florence and the Browning residence in Venice during her trip to Europe in 1924 (Folder 5). These papers are arranged in six series.

Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into six series:

I. Correspondence, 1915-1927 II. Writings, 1915-1934 III. Photographs, 1915 IV. Robert Browning Manuscript, n.d. V. Memorabilia, 1912-1924 VI. Articles, 1861-1934 Arrangement of the Collection

These papers are arranged in six series.

Information on Use Terms of Access and Use

The Dellah Harris Vail Papers on Robert Browning's Desk are the physical property of the Mortimer Rare Book Room, Smith College. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors of the works or their legal representatives.

Preferred Citation

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

Dellah Harris Vail Papers On Robert Browning's Desk, Mortimer Rare Book Room, Smith College.

Search Terms Browning, Robert, 1812-1889--Relics. Browning, Elizabeth Barrett, 1806-1861. Vail, Dellah Harris, d. 1935. Series I. Correspondence, 1915-1927 (8 Items)

Arranged alphabetically by correspondent and then chronologically.

Series II. Writings, 1915-1934 (3 items)

Arranged chronologically.

Series III. Photographs, 1915 (7 items) Series IV. Robert Browning Manuscript, n.d. (3 items) Series V. Memorabilia, 1912-1924 (2 items)

Arranged alphabetically.

Series VI. Articles, 1861-1934 (12 items)

Arranged alphabetically by main entry or title.

The articles are about Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Series I. Correspondence, 1915-1927 1 Breed, F. Gordon Feb. 5, 1925 (1 letter and 6 pages of "Browning's Luria") 1 Browning, Fannie 1915-1916 (4 letters) 1 Dodd, Robert H. Apr. 24, 1916 (1 two-page letter and two pages of "Browning Items") 1 Dutton & Company 1915-1916 (3 letters and a card stating the amount for which the desk was sold). 1 Goewey, Kate Feb. 27, 1918 (1 letter) 1 Jackson, Margaret Jan. 30, 1927 (1 letter) 1 Merrill, Bess H. n.d. (1 letter) 1 Stewart & Kidd Co. Feb.-May, 1915 (7 letters) Series II. Writings, 1915-1934 2 Note 1915 2 "Robert Browning's Writing Desk in Cincinnati": typescript & printed articles 1915 (3 items) 2 Bequest information about Robert Browning's desk 1934 Jan 1 Series III. Photographs, 1915 3 Photographs of Robert Browning's writing desk 1915 (7 photographs) Series IV. Robert Browning Manuscript, n.d. 4 A note in Robert Browning's autograph about an 1888 casting of a bust which Pen Browning sculpted of his father in 1882

(original filed with Miscellaneous Manuscripts, Mortimer Rare Book Room)

4 A printed autograph of Robert Browning, annotated by Dr. Derrick T. Vail. 4 A photograph of Browning's note and printed autograph, annotated by Dr. Derrick T. Vail. Series V. Memorabilia, 1912-1924 5 The Browning Circle. The Cincinnati Women's Club, (cards, programs, certificates, and a poem about the writing desk by Calvin Dill Wilson) 1912-1915 5 Flower specimens gathered at E. B. Browning's grave (Florence) and at the Browning home (Venice) 1924 Series VI. Articles, 1861-1934 6 "Addressed to Wimpole Street." Letters edited by William Rose Benét; illustrated by Mario Cooper. From Woman's Home Companion Sep 1935, Oct 1935, Nov 1935, Dec 1935 p. 15-17, 76-80; p. 13-14, 38, 40, 42, 44, 47-48, 50; p. 10-11, 52, 54, 56; p. 22, 36, 38. 6 "The Barretts of Wimpole Street": advertisement for motion picture. From Ladies Home Journal Oct. 1934 p. 58. 6 Bentzon, Th. (Mme. Blan). "A French Friend of Brownings--Joseph Milsand. From Scribner's, vol. 20 Jul. 1896 p. [108] - 120. 6 The Boston Browning Society 1910-1911. Boston: Puritan Press 1911 Pamphlet: 23 p.Inscribed on top: "Compliments F.S.B. Whitaker."

Includes by-laws, programs, list of members.

6 Bronson, Katherine C. "Browning in Asolo." With sketches by Clara Montalba. From The Century Magazine, vol. LIX Apr. 1900 p. 920-931. 6 Bronson, Katherine de Kay. "Browning in Venice." With sketches by Clara Montalba. From The Century Magazine, vol. LXIII, no. 4 Feb. 1902 p. 572-584. 6 Egypt Exploration Fund, 1915 [4]p. 6 "Elizabeth Barrett Browning." From The Atlantic Monthly Sep. 1861 p. 368-376.

Pinned to this article is a notice of the table of contents for the April Atlantic Monthly, vol. VII, no. CII, Apr. 1866, p. [385]-389.

6 Hellman, George S. "Some Unpublished Papers of Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. From Harper's Monthly Magazine. 6 "Last Days of Walter Savage Landor." From The Atlantic Monthly, vol. XVII, no. CII Apr. 1866 p. [385]-395]. 6 "Paraselsus": typescript n.d. 6 Phelps, William Lym. "Robert Browning as Seen By His Son." From The Century Magazine, vol. LXXXV Jan. 1913 p. 417-420.