Ralph Adimari Papers
Call Number
Dates
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Ralph T. Adimari (1902-1970) was an editor, researcher, and historian of the dime novel, a class of popular fiction that thrived in the mid to late nineteenth century and into the early twentieth. The Ralph Adimari Papers contain records of Adimari's research, including correspondence, notebooks, clippings, photographs, and ephemera.
Biographical Note
Ralph T. Adimari (1902-1970) was an editor, researcher, and historian of the dime novel, a class of popular fiction that thrived in the mid to late nineteenth century and into the twentieth. The term "dime novels" refers to inexpensive, cheaply produced paperbacks and serials, often romance, adventure, westerns, or detective stories. A prodigious collector, Adimari did extensive research on dime novels, and published many articles in Dime Novel Round-Upbefore 1940, and at least 20 articles between 1954 and 1964. He also wrote a piece titled "Saga of a Dime Novelist" which appeared in American Book Collectorin early 1935. Through correspondence with fellow dime novel historian and DNRUeditor Ralph F. Cummings, Adimari acquired the letters and notebooks of William J. Benners (1863-1940), a dime novel historian, author, and agent, and wrote a biography of Benners for the DNRU. Building upon Benners's work identifying dime novel authors, Adimari compiled detailed lists of authors and pseudonyms, titles, and publishers, definitively solving several mysteries about dime novel authorship.
Adimari was born Raphael Adimare on October 19, 1902. He lived in the New York City area for most of his life, including Mount Vernon and Suffolk. In addition to his work on dime novels, he co-edited a 1936 collection of Walt Whitman's essays, titled New York Dissected. Adimari died November 1970 in Suffolk, New York.
Arrangement
Series IA consists of correspondence. Material is arranged into folders alphabetically by correspondent; within each folder the letters are arranged chronologically. Series IB consists of notebooks, manuscripts, clippings, photographs, and other miscellany.
Missing Title
- Series I A: Correspondence, 1931-1970
- Series I B: Notebooks, Loose Notes, Lists, Manuscripts, Photos, Victoriana, Printed Materials
Scope and Content Note
The Ralph Adimari Papers contain correspondence from fellow dime novel collectors and historians, including Edward G. Levy, Dr. Albert Johannsen, Dime Novel Round-Upeditors Edward T. LeBlanc and Ralph Cummings, the latter from whom Adimari acquired William Benners's papers, and writers including Col. Charles D. Randolph, aka "Buckskin Bill," known for his dime-novel and Western themed poetry. Also included are notebooks of research, manuscripts, newspaper clippings related to dime novel authors, photographs, and Victoriana. The William J. Benners Papers, also housed in Fales, includes several of Benners's notebooks that were subsequently used and annotated by Adimari.
Subjects
Genres
People
Access Restrictions
Open to researchers. Appointments are necessary to consult archive and manuscript materials.
Use Restrictions
Collection use is subject to all copyright laws. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Director of Fales Library and Special Collections. Please contact fales.library@nyu.edu. or call 212 998 2596.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Ralph Adimari Papers; MSS 550; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University Libraries.
Location of Materials
Provenance
Ralph Adimari sold parts of his collection of dime novels and research material, including the William J. Benners Papers, to Edward G. Levy beginning in 1964. Levy, the dime novel collector and historian, donated the Ralph Adimari Papers to Fales in 1965-1966.
About this Guide
Revisions to this Guide
Edition of this Guide
Repository
Series I A: Correspondence, 1931-1970.
Scope and Contents note
Correspondence to and from individuals, including authors, relating to Adimari's dime novel research.
Cummings, Ralph G., 1957-1963
General note
Includes 1962 letter from Cummings on Benners's stationary.
Guinon, J.P., 1961-1963
Johannsen, Albert, 1950-1962
LeBlanc, Edward T., 1956-1963
Leithead, J. Edward, 1958-1963
Levy, Edward G., 1964-1970
General note
Includes letters from Adimari to Levy and biographical information about Levy.
Randolph, Charles D. aka "Buckskin Bill", 1962
Van Devier, Roy B., 1955-1961
Willson, Frank C., 1958-1960
Miscellaneous, 1931-1961
Series I B: Notebooks, loose notes, lists, manuscripts, photos, Victoriana, printed material.
Scope and Contents note
Extensive notes on the history of dime novels; lists of dime novel titles, authors, pseudonyms, and publishers; printed material and other ephemera related to Adimari's research; Adimari's biography of William J. Benners in Dime Novel Round-up.
Notes, undated
General note
A collection of loose notes on Dime Novel authors.
Notebook, undated
General note
Marble composition book "I" contains bibliographical lists and notes on various publications.
Notes, undated
General note
A collection of notes transcribed "from the William James Benners Jr. collection owned by Ralph F. Cummings."
Notebook, "Cushing -- Pseudonyms + More Notes", undated
General note
Composition book contains notes on William Cushing's Initials and Pseudonyms: A Dictionary of Literary Disguises.
Notebook, "Dime Novel Notes", undated
General note
Memorandum book contains notes on Dime Novels and authors, arranged alphabetically.
Notebook, "Literary Notes + Alger Notes", undated
General note
Notebook contains author and pseudonym lists, notes by William Benners, and other research.
Notebook and loose notes, undated
General note
Marble composition book "II" contains notes on various publications, especially the New York Dramatic Mirrorand notes labeled "Miscellaneous." Two newspaper clippings are pasted in the book. Loose pages include notes on the Mirror"continued from composition book," various publication checklists, and other research.
Non-Dime Novel Notes, undated
General note
A collection of loose notes.
Notebook, undated
General note
"Penmark" marble composition book labeled "Ledger Serials" contains miscellaneous notes on serials and authors.
Notebook, undated
General note
"Giant" composition book contains notes on various publications.
Notebook, undated
General note
"Penmark" marble composition book labeled "Book Reviews."
Loose notes, undated
General note
A collection of notes labeled "Dime Novel Notes + Boys' Serials."
Notebook, undated
General note
Memo book labeled "First Notes" on one cover, and "Miscellaneous" on the other.
Notebook, undated
General note
Memo book labeled "Miscellany / Not Dime Novel" contains miscellaneous notes.
Manuscripts, undated
Photographs, undated
Victoriana, undated
General note
Calling cards, Christmas cards, etc.
Notes, undated
General note
Miscellaneous notes, some on legal-size paper.
Lists, undated
General note
Type- and handwritten lists of: William Benners's correspondents; Benners's works; publications; pseudonym identifications.
Newspaper clippings, 1922-1962
General note
Photocopies of newspaper clippings re: authors A-K, including Benners.
Newspaper clippings, 1926-1962
General note
Photocopies of newspaper clippings re: authors L-Z.
Newspaper clippings, 1963, n.d.
General note
Newspaper clippings, including lists of the Pinkerton Detective Series (Laird and Lee), Ten- and Twenty-Cent Novelettes, Threepenny Novels, and Beadle's Dime Library.
Printed materials, undated
General note
Three pieces of printed material: (1) flyer for upcoming serials in National Farmer and Home Magazine; (2) flyer for Mrs. George Sheldon Downs' "Love and Beauty, or, the Heiress of Dunleigh," published by William Benners for his Constance Library imprint, including blurbs by Benners; (3) folder for Dime Novel Club facsimile reprint no. 6A, 1945.
Printed material: Dime Novel Round-Up, Vol. 26, No. 9, 1958
General note
Features Adimari's biography of William J. Benners.
