A. S. W. Rosenbach
Encyclopedia
Abraham Simon Wolf Rosenbach ( July 22, 1876 — July 1, 1952, in Philadelphia) was an avid American collector, scholar, and seller of rare books and manuscripts.
Abraham was the youngest of the eight children of Morris Rosenbach (May 14, 1820 — May 8, 1885) and Isabella H. Polock (November 26, 1834 — July 25, 1906), who were married on November 11, 1857. As a child, Abraham spent much time in the shop of his maternal uncle, Moses Polock (May 14, 1817 — August 16, 1903), a well-known and somewhat eccentric antiquarian bookseller. Polock's famous shop was located at 406 Commerce Street in Philadelphia. Abraham got his start collecting while a freshman in college at the University of Pennsylvania
. His company, simply called the Rosenbach Company, went on to help assemble the extensive collections of the Huntington Library and the Folger Shakespeare Library
. He also worked for private clients such as J. P. Morgan
, Lessing Rosenwald, and Harry Elkins Widener
. He published several articles and even books in order to reinforce the interest in rare books and manuscripts.
Rosenbach is credited with popularizing the collecting of American literature
at a time when only European literature
was considered collectable. He also advanced the idea of book collecting
as a means of investment.
. A lifelong Philadelphian, Dr. Rosenbach lived on Delancey Place, the small, residential street where the museum is located, from 1926 to 1952. He was a collector and scholar who parlayed his passion for books and manuscripts into a successful business, becoming the most famous dealer in rare books and manuscripts in the first half of the 20th century, who helped to build some of this country's most important private collections, always urging their transformation into public libraries.
Dr. Rosenbach also kept many treasures for his own collection, such as James Joyce
's manuscript of Ulysses
and the earliest known letter by George Washington
. Together with his brother and business partner Philip Hyman Rosenbach (September 29, 1863 — March 5, 1953 ), he established the Rosenbach Museum & Library by testamentary gift in 1954 to share these and other treasures with the public. The museum, which includes his original libraries and residential areas, provides an intimate setting for visitors to explore the brothers' collections of rare books, manuscripts, furniture, silver, paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture.
The Rosenbach Museum & Library seeks to inspire curiosity, inquiry, and creativity by engaging broad audiences in exhibitions, programs, and research based on its remarkable and expanding collections. With an outstanding collection of rare books, manuscripts, furniture, and art, the Rosenbach is a museum and world-renowned research library, set within two historic 1865 townhouses, that reflects an age when great collectors lived among their treasures.
in recognition of the lasting contributions of museum co-founder, Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach. The commission commemorated Dr. Rosenbach’s legacy as one of America’s greatest rare book dealers and his lasting contributions to Philadelphia and beyond with a marker in front of the museum, located at 2008-2010 Delancey Place in Philadelphia’s historic Rittenhouse Square
neighborhood.
Abraham was the youngest of the eight children of Morris Rosenbach (May 14, 1820 — May 8, 1885) and Isabella H. Polock (November 26, 1834 — July 25, 1906), who were married on November 11, 1857. As a child, Abraham spent much time in the shop of his maternal uncle, Moses Polock (May 14, 1817 — August 16, 1903), a well-known and somewhat eccentric antiquarian bookseller. Polock's famous shop was located at 406 Commerce Street in Philadelphia. Abraham got his start collecting while a freshman in college at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. His company, simply called the Rosenbach Company, went on to help assemble the extensive collections of the Huntington Library and the Folger Shakespeare Library
Folger Shakespeare Library
The Folger Shakespeare Library is an independent research library on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in the United States. It has the world's largest collection of the printed works of William Shakespeare, and is a primary repository for rare materials from the early modern period...
. He also worked for private clients such as J. P. Morgan
J. P. Morgan
John Pierpont Morgan was an American financier, banker and art collector who dominated corporate finance and industrial consolidation during his time. In 1892 Morgan arranged the merger of Edison General Electric and Thomson-Houston Electric Company to form General Electric...
, Lessing Rosenwald, and Harry Elkins Widener
Harry Elkins Widener
Harry Elkins Widener was a businessman and book collector from the United States.-Biography:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was the son of George Dunton Widener and Eleanor Elkins Widener, and the grandson of the extremely wealthy entrepreneur, Peter A. B...
. He published several articles and even books in order to reinforce the interest in rare books and manuscripts.
Rosenbach is credited with popularizing the collecting of American literature
American literature
American literature is the written or literary work produced in the area of the United States and its preceding colonies. For more specific discussions of poetry and theater, see Poetry of the United States and Theater in the United States. During its early history, America was a series of British...
at a time when only European literature
European literature
European literature refers to the literature of Europe.European literature includes literature in many languages; among the most important of the modern written works are those in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Polish, German, Italian, Modern Greek, Czech and Russian and works by the...
was considered collectable. He also advanced the idea of book collecting
Book collecting
Book collecting is the collecting of books, including seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining whatever books are of interest to a given individual collector. The love of books is bibliophilia, and someone who loves to read, admire, and collect...
as a means of investment.
Rosenbach Museum & Library
The legacy of Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach is the Rosenbach Museum & LibraryRosenbach Museum & Library
The Rosenbach Museum & Library is located within two 19th-century townhouses at 2008 and 2010 Delancey Place in Philadelphia. The historic houses contain the collections and treasures of Philip Rosenbach and his younger brother Dr. A. S. W. Rosenbach...
. A lifelong Philadelphian, Dr. Rosenbach lived on Delancey Place, the small, residential street where the museum is located, from 1926 to 1952. He was a collector and scholar who parlayed his passion for books and manuscripts into a successful business, becoming the most famous dealer in rare books and manuscripts in the first half of the 20th century, who helped to build some of this country's most important private collections, always urging their transformation into public libraries.
Dr. Rosenbach also kept many treasures for his own collection, such as James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
's manuscript of Ulysses
Ulysses (novel)
Ulysses is a novel by the Irish author James Joyce. It was first serialised in parts in the American journal The Little Review from March 1918 to December 1920, and then published in its entirety by Sylvia Beach on 2 February 1922, in Paris. One of the most important works of Modernist literature,...
and the earliest known letter by George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. Together with his brother and business partner Philip Hyman Rosenbach (September 29, 1863 — March 5, 1953 ), he established the Rosenbach Museum & Library by testamentary gift in 1954 to share these and other treasures with the public. The museum, which includes his original libraries and residential areas, provides an intimate setting for visitors to explore the brothers' collections of rare books, manuscripts, furniture, silver, paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture.
The Rosenbach Museum & Library seeks to inspire curiosity, inquiry, and creativity by engaging broad audiences in exhibitions, programs, and research based on its remarkable and expanding collections. With an outstanding collection of rare books, manuscripts, furniture, and art, the Rosenbach is a museum and world-renowned research library, set within two historic 1865 townhouses, that reflects an age when great collectors lived among their treasures.
State Historical Marker
On April 2, 2008, the Rosenbach Museum & Library received an official State Historical Marker by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum CommissionPennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is the governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania responsible for the collection, conservation and interpretation of Pennsylvania's historic heritage...
in recognition of the lasting contributions of museum co-founder, Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach. The commission commemorated Dr. Rosenbach’s legacy as one of America’s greatest rare book dealers and his lasting contributions to Philadelphia and beyond with a marker in front of the museum, located at 2008-2010 Delancey Place in Philadelphia’s historic Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme during the late 17th century in central Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The park cuts off 19th Street at Walnut Street and also at a half block above Manning Street. Its boundaries are...
neighborhood.
State Historical Marker Text:
"Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach
(1876 – 1952)
Among America’s most influential rare book dealers, he helped build many of the nation’s great libraries. He and his brother Philip established the Rosenbach Museum & Library to share their personal collection with the public. They lived on this block from 1926 to 1952."
External links
- The Rosenbach Museum and Library
- Rosenbach receives historic marker, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
Further reading
- Wolf, Edwin II, 1960. Rosenbach: a biography
- Rosenbach, A. S. W. "Books and Bidders. The Adventures of a Bibliophile"
- Rosenbach, A. S. W. The Unpublishable Memoirs (1924)
- Rosenbach, A. S. W. A Book Hunter's Holiday. Adventures with Books and Manuscripts (1936)