University Place Bookshop Records
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Dates
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Walter Goldwater (c. 1908-1985) was an antiquarian book collector and bookseller who specialized in African, African American, and Caribbean literature. Goldwater operated the University Place Bookshop in New York City's Book Row from 1932 to 1985, where he sold old and rare books, African diasporic literature, and literature about the left. The University Place Bookshop Records, bulk dated from 1965-1983, documents Goldwater's work related to his publication Radical Periodicals in America, 1890-1950, his book sales, and his work advising Greenwood Press on Africana materials. The collection predominately consists of correspondence and includes University Place Bookshop purchase orders, as well as a small number of writings and other print material related to leftist politics and history.
Biographical Note
Walter Goldwater (c. 1908-1985) was an antiquarian book collector and bookseller who specialized in African, African American and Caribbean literature. Goldwater co-founded the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and was a member of the Appraisers Association of America. Goldwater often acted as an advisor to publishers on Africana publications. Goldwater sold material to and appraised collections for numerous research and university libraries across the U.S. Goldwater operated the University Place Bookshop in New York City's Book Row from 1932 to 1985, where he sold old and rare books, African diasporic literature, and literature about the left.
Arrangement
Materials were minimally arranged into the following groups: "correspondence," "purchase orders," and "writings and other print materials."
Scope and Content Note
The University Place Bookshop Records dated circa 1936-1985, the bulk of the collection dated from 1965-1983, documents Walter Goldwater's work as the owner of the University Place Bookshop. The collection predominantly consists of correspondence between Goldwater and researchers, academics, libraries and publishers pertaining to Goldwater's bibliography Radical Periodicals in America, 1890-1950. The collection contains a manuscript of the bibliography and copies of the published work. The collection also contains correspondence related to Goldwater's work as an advisor to Greenwood Press on Africana literature, and correspondence and purchase orders reflecting Goldwater's book sales and appraisal work for research and university libraries across the U.S. The collection contains a small number of writings and other print materials that mostly pertain to leftist politics and history in the U.S. and internationally.
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archive has no information about copyright ownership for this collection and is not authorized to grant permission to publish or reproduce materials from it. Materials in this collection, which are dated circa 1936-1985, are expected to enter the public domain in 2105.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; University Place Bookshop Records; TAM 301; box number; folder number or item identifier; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials found in collection; there is no documentation concerning the provenance of these materials. The accession number related to this collection is 2002.004.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Decisions regarding arrangement, description, and physical interventions for this collection prior to 2019 are unknown. In 2019, materials were placed in new acid-free folders and boxes, and were physically grouped together as outlined in the arrangement note. Oversize materials were separated out and appropriately housed.
