Arthur J. Gutman Collection of Menckeniana
Abstract
Arthur J. Gutman, an expert on the life and work of H. L. Mencken , has spent virtually all of his life in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was born in 1911. From 1979 to1999, Gutman served as president of the Mencken Society, an organization founded to encourage the reading of and research into the writings of Henry L. Mencken. The Arthur J. Gutman collection contains books, serials, correspondence, manuscripts, newsletters, pamphlets, photographs, audio-visual materials, and a listing of clippings related to both H. L. Mencken and the Mencken Society. A large portion of the collection consists of first editions of H. L. Mencken's works as well as a number of the most significant secondary works on the writer. The collection contains a considerable amount of correspondence between Gutman and noted Mencken scholars, manuscripts of works on Mencken, and a nearly complete series of Mencken Society newsletters. It also includes a number of rare pieces of Mencken's writing that appeared in pamphlet form as well as original Mencken correspondence. The entire collection spans the period from 1882 to 2006 with the majority of the materials falling between 1979 and 1999.
Important Information for Users of the Collection
This collection is open for research.
Arthur J. Gutman Collection of Menckeniana, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries.
Photocopies of original materials may be provided for a fee and at the discretion of the curator. Please see our Duplication of Materials policy for more information. Queries regarding publication rights and copyright status of materials within this collection should be directed to the appropriate curator.
This collection is PROCESSED.
Historical Note
Arthur J. Gutman was born in 1911. A native Baltimorean, he graduated from Baltimore City College High School in 1928 and subsequently attended the University of Baltimore. He served in the United States Air Force from 1942 to 1945, in the Air Force Reserve from 1947 to 1949, and as Chief Warrant Officer on the staff of the 29th Infantry Division from 1949 to 1955. At the time of his retirement, Gutman was the Vice President of the insurance firm, Warfield Dorsey Company, Inc.
From 1979 to 1999, Gutman held the position of president of the Mencken Society, an organization founded to encourage the reading of and research into the writings of Henry L. Mencken. Gutman averred that he was drawn to Mencken because "Mencken gives me joy," and, as president of the Mencken Society, he sought to share this joy with others, including collectors and scholars, who enjoyed at good laugh at the American scene. In his December 15, 1989, letter to the Accent Department of the Baltimore Evening Sun, Gutman explained how his passion for Mencken's writing was renewed during World War II.
One miserable rainy, cold day in January 1944, in Italy, an Air Force sergeant with a couple of leisure hours stopped in a Red Cross Club for a cup of coffee... The sergeant was a Baltimorean, one of those who loved his City. He was a third generation born Baltimorean, of German Jewish stock, from a dry goods family who had been badly hurt in the Depression. He had grown up believing there was only one set of newspapers worth reading, The Sun, The Evening Sun and The Sunday Sun. And in The Evening Sun, you looked for the Monday night articles by Mencken. You laughed with him, you groaned with him... The sergeant, waiting for his coffee to cool and his feet to dry, looked over the Armed Forces Library of paper backs. And lo and behold there was one with Mencken's name, called "Heathen Days." He leafed through it and then sat and read it, and it brought Baltimore back to him as the words flowed by. (From Gutman's letter to the editor, source and date unknown, in Series II, Box 5, Folder 1)
Upon his return to Baltimore Mr. Gutman began reading and collecting Mencken's work. Through a life-long engagement with the work of H.L. Mencken he established one of the finest collections of Menckeniana and maintained correspondence with many of the leading scholars and writers on Mencken's work.
Henry Louis Mencken (1880-1956) has been described as the most influential critic in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century. Beginning as a newspaper reporter in his native Baltimore, H.L. Mencken's interests quickly broadened to include political, social and literary commentary. As editor with George Jean Nathan of the influential Jazz Age magazines, Smart Set and American Mercury, Mencken promoted modernism in literature, championing the causes of Theodore Dreiser, Sinclair Lewis, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dashiell Hammett and James M. Cain among others. In newspaper columns and books, H.L. Mencken lampooned many social conventions and political icons. His targets included bigotry, intellectual posturing and corruption by public servants. His writings often provoked a violent reaction in those offended by his views. However, rather than shrinking from controversy, Mencken enjoyed verbal combat with his opponents, referring to it as "stirring up the animals." With the advent of the Depression in the 1930's, the popularity of Mencken's social commentary waned and he became better know for his more scholarly work, The American Language , which was a celebration of the written and spoken word.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The Arthur J. Gutman collection contains books, serials, correspondence, manuscripts, newsletters, pamphlets, photographs, audio-visual materials, and a listing of clippings related to both H. L. Mencken and the Mencken Society. A large portion of the collection consists of first editions of H. L. Mencken's works as well as a number of the most significant secondary works on the writer. The collection contains a considerable amount of correspondence between Gutman and noted Mencken scholars, manuscripts of works on Mencken, and a nearly complete series of Mencken Society newsletters. There are also a number of rare pieces of Mencken's writing that appeared in pamphlet form, as well as some original Mencken correspondence. The entire collection spans the period from 1882 to 2006, with the majority of the materials falling between 1979 and 1999.
Custodial History and Acquisition Information
The University of Maryland Libraries received the collection as a gift from Arthur J. Gutman in December 2001. Additional materials donated by Gutman or located in copies of his books were incorporated into the collection between 2003 and 2009.
Processing Information
Processed and guide completed by Joanne Archer, July 2003. Revised by Mike Yates, January 2005. Revised by Lara D'Agaro, July 2007. Revised by Ruth M. Alvarez, June 2008, March 2009. Revised by Maureen Cech, August 2009. Revised by Ruth M. Alvarez, December 2009, April 2010.
When the collection arrived at the University of Maryland, the correspondence was arranged by author. Articles and clippings were also grouped together. During processing, the books and serials for which there were significant holdings were incorporated into the rare books holdings of Hornbake Library. The remaining materials were organized into eleven series. Series 11, Clippings, consists of a list generated from a database. The titles of articles, authors, publications, and dates of publication for the newspaper clippings were recorded in this database, after which the original clippings were discarded.
Staples and paperclips were removed and replaced with plastic paperclips. Fragile items were placed in Mylar sleeves. Photographs were separated from other materials and housed in archival sleeves. All materials were placed in acid-free folders and acid-free boxes or oversize storage.
EAD markup created using EAD database in Microsoft Access. Markup completed by Lara D'Agaro, July 2007.
Arrangement of Collection
The collection is organized as eleven series:
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series 1: Correspondence, 1956-2006 and undated (1.50 linear feet)
Series I contains correspondence exchanged by Arthur J. Gutman with a number of correspondents, including Mencken Society members, Mencken collectors, and Mencken scholars. These documents cover topics related to H. L. Mencken, recent articles and publications on Mencken, and book collecting. Clippings were separated from letters, salient information from them recorded in a database attached as an appendix, and the originals discarded. Occasionally, photocopies of related clippings were filed with the letters in which they were originally enclosed. Manuscripts of articles and speeches were separated from the correspondence and arranged in Series III. Also separated were serial publications, which were arranged in Series IV. Correspondence relating to the purchase and restoration of the Mencken House in Baltimore is housed with related materials in Series VI, Mencken Society. The arrangement is alphabetical by correspondent and chronological within individual correspondents.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abhau, Harriet, 1996 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Aiuto, Russell, 1982, 1985 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| [?], Al, 1990 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| Amrhine, Ken -- Richard K. Amrhine, William Kessel, 1976, 1980, 1988 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| Appelfeld Gallery -- Louis Appelfeld, 1968 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| Ayd, Joseph D., 1980, 1982 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| Babe Ruth Birthplace -- Mike Gibbons, 1984 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| Bart, Robert , 1996 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| Bell, George, 1981, 1990 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
| Berteau, Marvin -- Mencken House -- Kurt Schmoke, 1996 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| Betz, Frederick, 1992, 1996-1997 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
| Bode, Carl, 1976 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 12 | |
| Bond, Jack, 1987 and undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 13 | |
| Brackett, Boone -- Averil Kadis, 1994, 1996 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 14 | |
| Brager, A Stanley, Jr., 1994 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 15 | |
| Brunetto, Frank, 1994-2000 and undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 16 | |
| Byers, Donna -- Maryland Humanities, 1995 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 17 | |
| Byron, Gilbert, 1980 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 18 | |
| Chalberg, John C., 1996 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 19 | |
| Cochrane, Robert -- Jack Bond, 1990-1991 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 20 | |
| Cooke, Alistair, 1998 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 21 | |
| Cunningham, Shawn, 1986-1988 and undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 22 | |
| Daniels, Milton, 1994 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 23 | |
| Dieli, Robert, 1985 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 24 | |
| Dorbin, Jerry, 1996 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 25 | |
| Doyle, S. Madeleine, 1990 and undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 26 | |
| Enoch Pratt Free Library -- Felicia Diggs, Ernest Siegel, 1966, 1979, 1981, 1995-1997, 1999 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 27 | |
| Epstein, Joseph -- American Scholar, 1981, 1990 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 28 | |
| Fink, Bernie and Doris, undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 29 | |
| Fitzpatrick, Vince, 1980, 1984-1985, 1987-1999 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 30 | |
| Flugel, Mabel , undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 31 | |
| Flynn Low, Bernadette -- Dundalk Community College, 1983 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 32 | |
| Fortenbaugh, Johnson, 1994 and undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 33 | |
| Foster, David H., 1994 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 34 | |
| Frewin, Anthony, 1990, 1992-1993, 1995, 1997 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 35 | |
| Frost, Randy, 1995 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 36 | |
| Garrett, Lewis, 1994, 1996 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 37 | |
| Geiger, Robert, 1981 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 38 | |
| Hanson, J.B., 1985 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 39 | |
| [?], Harris, 1984 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 40 | |
| Harrison, Stan, 1996-1999, 2002 and undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 41 | |
| Harriss, Robin -- Margery Harriss, 1988-1989 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 42 | |
| Hatchett, Louis Jr. -- Jack Bond, 1993 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 43 | |
| Hayden, Carla, 1996 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 44 | |
| Hecht, Duvall Y., 1986-1987, 1989, 1991-1994 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 45 | |
| Heitman, Danny, 1987, 1989-1990, 1992-1993, 1997-1998 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 46 | |
| Herpel, Stefan, 1996 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 47 | |
| Hobson, Fred, 1987-1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1998-1999, 2005 | series 1 | box 1 | folder 48 | |
| Holley, Val, 1987-1993 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 1 | |
| Holley, Val, 1993-1997 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 2 | |
| Hormats, Saul, 1990 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 3 | |
| Horowitz, E. David, 1984 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 4 | |
| Jay, Peter, 1997 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 5 | |
| Johns Hopkins University Press -- Robert Anthony, Sandra Dzija, 1983, 1994 and undated | series 1 | box 2 | folder 6 | |
| Johnson, Marvin, 1982, 1994 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 7 | |
| Johnston, Smith, 1984 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 8 | |
| Kadis, Averil, 1989, 1996-1997 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 9 | |
| Katz, Joseph -- Harry Green, 1956 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 10 | |
| Kearney, James, 1996 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 11 | |
| Kessel, William -- Ken Amrhine, 1985 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 12 | |
| Klotz, Steven, 1992 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 13 | |
| Knopf, Alfred, 1981 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 14 | |
| Kugler, Bill, 1989 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 15 | |
| Lafferty, G. Raymond -- Jack Bond, 1990 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 16 | |
| Lapham, Lewis -- Jonathan Yardley, 1996 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 17 | |
| Lasco, R.B. -- Baltimore City Community College, 1990 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 18 | |
| [?], Leo, 1998 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 19 | |
| Levin, Harold, 1994 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 20 | |
| [Longsdorf?], Kenneth, undated | series 1 | box 2 | folder 21 | |
| MacDade, Arthur, 1996 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 22 | |
| Machen, Arthur W. Jr., 1989, 1995 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 23 | |
| Manheim, Bettina, 1980, 1990 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 24 | |
| [?], Mark, 1996 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 25 | |
| Markel, Howard, 1990, 1995 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 26 | |
| Martin, Edward A., 1995-1997 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 27 | |
| Maryland Historical Magazine -- Christine Bateman, Jessica Pigza, 1993, 1994-1995 and undated | series 1 | box 2 | folder 28 | |
| Mason, Franklin, 1980 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 29 | |
| Mather, Bryant, 1995-1997 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 30 | |
| McLaurin, King, 1990 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 31 | |
| Mears, Marie, 1996 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 32 | |
| Mercantile Safe Deposit and Trust Company -- Alan and Manfred Guttmacher, Henry Meledin, 1979 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 33 | |
| Mysak, Joe, 1984, 1990 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 34 | |
| Nemickas, Vidas, 1993 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 35 | |
| Newell, J. David, 1995 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 36 | |
| Niehaus, Dan, 1990 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 37 | |
| Payton, Thomas -- University of Georgia Press, ca. 1996 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 38 | |
| Peebles, Harmon, 1995 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 39 | |
| Pentz, John, 1984 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 40 | |
| Poitras, Jean-Maurice, 1979 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 41 | |
| Potter, John -- Charles Fecher, William Nolte, 1994 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 42 | |
| Proctor, Margaret, undated | series 1 | box 2 | folder 43 | |
| Reep, Erland, 1990 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 44 | |
| Rochester, Junius, 1984, 1994 | series 1 | box 2 | folder 45 | |
| Rodgers, Marion Elizabeth, 1984-1987, 1989, 1991 and undated | series 1 | box 2 | folder 46 | |
| Rodgers, Marion Elizabeth, 1994-1997, 1998-2006 and undated | series 1 | box 2 | folder 47 | |
| Rome, Morton, 1984 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 1 | |
| Rotchford, Tom, 1991 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 2 | |
| [?], Ruth, 1992 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 3 | |
| Sachs, David, 1989 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 4 | |
| Sanders, Jack, 1989-1992 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 5 | |
| Sanders, Jack, 1992-1993 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 6 | |
| Sanders, Jack, 1994-1996, 1998-2000 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 7 | |
| Scarecrow Press -- Aya Betensky, 1990 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 8 | |
| Scheideman, Warren, 1980 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 9 | |
| Schrader, Richard, 1983, 1989-1990, 1992-1993 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 10 | |
| Schrader, Richard, 1994-1999, 2001 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 11 | |
| Scott, Ernest -- Maryland Historical Society, 1996 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 12 | |
| Servies, James -- University of West Florida, 1980, 1990 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 13 | |
| Sharp, Bob, 2005 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 14 | |
| Shea, William , undated | series 1 | box 3 | folder 15 | |
| Smith, James, 1995 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 16 | |
| Snyder, William -- Baltimore Rotary Club, 1980 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 17 | |
| Stevens, Ray, 1993, 2000-2001 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 18 | |
| Stratton, Steve and Kay -- [?], Francis, undated [1990] | series 1 | box 3 | folder 19 | |
| Svahn, David, 1988 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 20 | |
| Swaim, Donald, 1989 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 21 | |
| Swing, William, 1995-1997 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 22 | |
| Thaler, D.S., 1983-1984 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 23 | |
| Thimmesch, Nick, 1984 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 24 | |
| Vagabond Players -- Herman C. Bainder, 1981 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 25 | |
| Van Fleet, Robert, 1990 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 26 | |
| Vickers, F. Norman, 1979-1980, 1982-1986, 1988-1997 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 27 | |
| Wallen, Charles Jr -- Mayo Dubasky, 1986, 1989-1990 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 28 | |
| Weinberg, Robert, 1982, 1986, 1994 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 29 | |
| Wilcke, Richard William, 1989, 1995, 1997 and undated | series 1 | box 3 | folder 30 | |
| Wilder Books -- Bob Fiene, 1992 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 31 | |
| Wilson, William, 1990 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 32 | |
| Yardley, Jonathan -- Daniel Rosen, 1992-1993 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 33 | |
| Yosseloff, Julien, 1982 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 34 | |
| Young, Steve, 1980 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 35 | |
| Zion Church of the City of Baltimore -- Margareta M. Breden, 1992 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 36 | |
| Zlotoff, Roland, 1996 | series 1 | box 3 | folder 37 | |
Series 2: Gutman Manuscripts, 1980-1998 and undated (0.25 linear feet)
This series consists of Gutman's drafts of reviews, speeches, society newsletter text, and a letter to the editor, primarily in his capacity as President of the Mencken Society. The material is arranged alphabetically by file title and chronologically within files.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | Item | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter to the Editors of the Accent Department, Baltimore Sun -- [AG's experiences reading Mencken] -- Evening Sun [Baltimore], December 15,1989 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 1 | ||
| Newsletter Text -- [The Mencken Society], circa 1980-1998 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 2 | ||
| Reviews | series 2 | box 1 | folder 3 | ||
| [Review of My Life as Author and Editor edited by Jonathan Yardley], undated [circa 1994] | series 2 | box 1 | folder 3 | item 1 | |
| [Review of Mencken: a Biography by Fred Hobson, undated [circa 1994] | series 2 | box 1 | folder 3 | item 2 | |
| [Review of Thirty Five Years of Newspaper Work: a Memoir by H.L. Mencken], undated [circa 1996] | series 2 | box 1 | folder 3 | item 3 | |
| [Review of In Defense of Marion by Edward Martin], undated [circa 1996] | series 2 | box 1 | folder 3 | item 4 | |
| [Notes for a review of an unidentified book], undated | series 2 | box 1 | folder 3 | item 5 | |
| Speeches | series 2 | box 1 | folder 4 | ||
| [On Mencken and racism], undated [circa 1989] | series 2 | box 1 | folder 4 | item 1 | |
| [On the 20th anniversary of the Mencken Society], undated [1996] | series 2 | box 1 | folder 4 | item 2 | |
Series 3: Manuscripts of Other Individuals, 1971-2003 and undated (1.75 linear feet)
This series contains of manuscripts, uncorrected page proofs, and galley proofs of published works about Mencken. It also includes articles, reminiscences, and drafts of speeches that may never have been published. The materials are arranged alphabetically by author's surname. Related correspondence is filed in Series I.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | Item | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiuto, Russell -- "Mencken and Sara: a Play in Two Acts Based on the Writings of H. L. Mencken and Sarah Powell Haardt Mencken" -- for manuscript, see Crupi, Charles and Russell Aiuto, 1979 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 1 | ||
| Ayd, Joseph D. | series 3 | box 1 | folder 2 | ||
| H.L., Where Are You?: a Mencken Memorial, undated | series 3 | box 1 | folder 2 | item 1 | |
| Preacher of the Word, undated | series 3 | box 1 | folder 2 | item 2 | |
| Bennett, Mabel -- "The Day Henry L. Mencken Feted Countee Cullen", undated | series 3 | box 1 | folder 3 | ||
| Bode, Carl | series 3 | box 1 | folder 4 | ||
| [Review of The Diary of H.L. Mencken], undated [circa 1989] | series 3 | box 1 | folder 4 | item 1 | |
| "The Mencken House", undated | series 3 | box 1 | folder 4 | item 2 | |
| "Mencken in His Letters", undated | series 3 | box 1 | folder 4 | item 3 | |
| Brackett, Boone -- "What Mencken Means to Me", 1994 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 5 | ||
| Cooke, Alistair and Gwin Owens -- "H. L. Mencken" [photocopy], undated | series 3 | box 1 | folder 6 | ||
| Crupi, Charles and Russell Aiuto -- "Mencken and Sara: a Play in Two Acts Based on the Writings of H. L. Mencken and Sarah Powell Haardt Mencken" -- also included is the program for A Mencken Celebration, 3-5 October 1980, circa 1980-1981 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 7 | ||
| Cunningham, Shawn -- "H. L. Mencken: Stirring Up the Animals" -- also included is a cover sheet describing the project, and curriculum vitaes for select collaborators, 1988 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 8 | ||
| Doyle, James, Jr. | series 3 | box 1 | folder 9 | ||
| "Etchings and Pen Sketches, 1880-1952, Part I", 1986 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 9 | item 1 | |
| "Etchings and Pen Sketches, 1880-1952, Baltimore Artist, Part 2", 1986 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 9 | item 2 | |
| Elliot, Leo -- "Mencken and the Oral Tradition", 1995 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 10 | ||
| Fitzpatrick, Vince -- "Mencken and Dreiser: Two Beasts in the Parlor", undated [1993] | series 3 | box 1 | folder 11 | ||
| Forman, Frank | series 3 | box 1 | folder 12 | ||
| "The Master Really Does Not Contradict Himself", 1992 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 12 | item 1 | |
| "The Metaphysics of Liberty", 1984 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 12 | item 2 | |
| Garrett, Lewis | series 3 | box 1 | folder 13 | ||
| "The Skeptics' Book of Outrageous Quotations, Lyrics, and Other Memorable Words," proposal; also included is curriculum vitae for LG, undated [circa late 1990s] | series 3 | box 1 | folder 13 | item 1 | |
| "Skeptics Book of Outrageous Quotations, Lyrics, and Other Memorable Words," collected by Bart Reynolds, undated | series 3 | box 1 | folder 13 | item 2 | |
| Garrett, Lewis | series 3 | box 1 | folder 14 | ||
| "The Skeptics' Book of Outrageous Quotations, Lyrics, and Other Memorable Words," draft one; collected by Bart Reynolds, undated | series 3 | box 1 | folder 14 | item 1 | |
| "The Skeptics' Book of Outrageous Quotations, Lyrics, and Other Memorable Words," draft two; collected by Bart Reynolds, 1997 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 14 | item 2 | |
| Harrison, Stan L. | series 3 | box 1 | folder 15 | ||
| "Anatomy of the Scopes Trial: Mencken's Media Event," paper presented at the Annual Summer Meeting of the Mencken Society, 1995 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 15 | item 1 | |
| "Mencken's Pseudonymous Writings", 2003 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 15 | item 2 | |
| Hecht, Ben -- "Hecht on Mencken", 2002 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 16 | ||
| Hobson, Fred -- Mencken: a Life, page proofs -- New York: Random House, 1994, 1994 | series 3 | box 1 | folder 17 | ||
| Hobson, Fred -- Mencken: a Life, page proofs -- New York: Random House, 1994, 1994 | series 3 | box 2 | folder 1 | ||
| Hobson, Fred -- Mencken: a Biography, proofs -- New York: Random House, 1994, 1993 | series 3 | box 2 | folder 2 | ||
| Hobson, Fred -- Mencken: a Biography, proofs -- New York: Random House, 1994, 1993 | series 3 | box 2 | folder 3 | ||
| Hobson, Fred -- Mencken: a Biography, proofs -- New York: Random House, 1994, 1993 | series 3 | box 2 | folder 4 | ||
| Hobson, Fred -- Mencken: a Biography, proofs -- New York: Random House, 1994, 1993 | series 3 | box 2 | folder 5 | ||
| Hobson, Fred -- Mencken: a Biography, proofs -- New York: Random House, 1994, 1993 | series 3 | box 2 | folder 6 | ||
| Hobson, Fred, Vincent Fitzpatrick, and Bradford McE. Jacobs, eds. -- Thirty-five Years of Newspaper Work -- Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press (oversize), 1994 | series 3 | box 2 | folder 7 | ||
| Holley, Val | series 3 | box 3 | folder 1 | ||
| "Mencken, Dreiser, and the Indiana Peasant", 1989 | series 3 | box 3 | folder 1 | item 1 | |
| "Mencken on Mormonism", 1992 | series 3 | box 3 | folder 1 | item 2 | |
| "The Sage and the Rabble-Rouser", undated [circa 1995] | series 3 | box 3 | folder 1 | item 3 | |
| Hormats, Saul -- "Mencken Was Not Alone", undated [circa 1990] | series 3 | box 3 | folder 2 | ||
| Martin, Edward, ed. -- In Defense of Marion: the Love of Marion Bloom and H. L. Mencken, page proofs -- Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1996 | series 3 | box 3 | folder 3 | ||
| Montgomery, Claire and Monty -- "Prez: a Musical", 1992 | series 3 | box 3 | folder 4 | ||
| Nathan, Adele Gutman -- "A Mencken Memento", undated | series 3 | box 3 | folder 5 | ||
| Rodgers, Marion -- "The Love Story of Mencken and Sara", 1993 | series 3 | box 3 | folder 6 | ||
| Rubin, Louis, Jr. -- "The Mencken Mystery", [circa 1991] | series 3 | box 3 | folder 7 | ||
| Sanders, Jack R. -- "Philip Goodman and the 'Do You Remember?' Letters", undated | series 3 | box 3 | folder 8 | ||
| Sanders, Jack R. -- "Do You Remember? The letters that almost became a book by H. L. Mencken and Philip Goodman", March 1993 | series 3 | box 3 | folder 9 | ||
| Sanders, Jack R. -- "Extracts from Letters Beween H. L. Mencken and Philip Goodman, 1918, 1920", undated | series 3 | box 3 | folder 10 | ||
| Sanders, Jack R. -- "Do You Remember? The Letters that almost became a book by H. L. Mencken and Philip Goodman", June 1993 | series 3 | box 3 | folder 11 | ||
| Sanders, Jack R. -- Do You Remember? the Whimsical Letters of H. L. Mencken and Philip Goodman, uncorrected second proof, 1996 | series 3 | box 3 | folder 12 | ||
| Sanders, Jack R. -- "Mencken and Goodman:Later Letters, with Ruth Goetz Letters and the Franklin Street Story", 1994 | series 3 | box 3 | folder 13 | ||
| Sanders, Jack R. | series 3 | box 4 | folder 1 | ||
| "Pepper's Wonderful Home", undated | series 3 | box 4 | folder 1 | item 1 | |
| "Stormy Days," for Maryland Humanities, undated [1993] | series 3 | box 4 | folder 1 | item 2 | |
| "Stormy Days," for Maryland Humanities, undated [1993] | series 3 | box 4 | folder 1 | item 3 | |
| "Mencken Signed My Copy", undated | series 3 | box 4 | folder 1 | item 4 | |
| "Mencken Signed My Copy", undated | series 3 | box 4 | folder 1 | item 5 | |
| Sanders, Jack R. | series 3 | box 4 | folder 2 | ||
| "H. L. Mencken Shelf List", undated | series 3 | box 4 | folder 2 | item 1 | |
| "The Reno-Wallen Correspondence, Charles Wallen, Jr. Collection", undated | series 3 | box 4 | folder 2 | item 2 | |
| "Various Correspondence, Charles Wallen, Jr. Collection", undated | series 3 | box 4 | folder 2 | item 3 | |
| Schrader, Richard J. -- "Bibliotheca Menckeniana: the Books of H. L. Mencken," sixth version, 1994 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 3 | ||
| Schrader, Richard J. -- "The Books of H. L. Mencken", undated [circa 1993] | series 3 | box 4 | folder 4 | ||
| Schrader, Richard J. -- "'But Gentlemen Marry Brunettes': Anita Loos and H. L. Mencken", 1983 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 5 | ||
| Schrader, Richard J. -- "Not in Adler: Notes Towards a Descriptive Mencken Bibliography", undated | series 3 | box 4 | folder 6 | ||
| Shyre, Paul -- "An Unpleasant Evening with H. L. Mencken", 1971 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 7 | ||
| Sterling, Harry O. -- "Harry O. Sterling" [reminiscences of HLM by Rennert Hotel valet], undated | series 3 | box 4 | folder 8 | ||
| Stevens, Ray -- "Rattling the Subconscious: the Mencken Controversy and Joseph Conrad's Letter to George Keating of 14 December 1922", undated [circa early 1990's] | series 3 | box 4 | folder 9 | ||
| Van Fleet, Robert S. -- "Mencken's Influence on a Writer", 1990 | series 3 | box 4 | folder 10 | ||
| Westheimer, Julius M. -- [various quotes from Mencken's writings], undated | series 3 | box 4 | folder 11 | ||
Series 4: Serials, 1936-1996 (0.25 linear feet)
This series contains serials whose contents include articles or other information about H. L. Mencken. The serials are arranged in alphabetical order by title. The copies of American Heritage, American Mercury, Magazine Encore, Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly, and Smart Set of the Gutman collection are housed in Hornbake Library's Marylandia Collection.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Journalism -- Harrison, S. L., "Mencken: Magnificent Anachronism" -- v. 13, no. 1, Winter 1996 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Atlantic -- Cooke, Alastair, "The Last Happy Days of H. L. Mencken" -- v. 197, no. 5, May 1956 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Baltimore Engineer -- Thaler, David S., "H. L. Mencken and the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute", December 1983 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| City Past-Time, Winter 1985; Fall 1989 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| Etude -- v. 24, no. 5 (oversize), May 1936 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| LIFE -- v. 40, no. 8 (oversize), 20 February 1956 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| Lobster -- Frewin, Anthony,"Like books we should have so many witnesses? Some recent JFK literature" -- no. 26, December 1993 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| Maryland Humanities -- issue is guest edited by Arthur Gutman, and contains articles by Vince Fitzpatrick, Val Holley, Marion Rodgers, and Jack Sanders, November/December 1994 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| Menckeniana -- Frewin, Anthony, "How One of Her Majesty's Subjects Discovered the Sage of Baltimore, and What Came Next" -- no. 136, Winter 1995 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
| Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America -- Schrader, Richard, "H. L. Mencken's Ventures into Verse: A Revised Description and Census" -- v. 83, no. 3, September 1989 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| Peabody Notes -- v. 18, no. 3, Spring 1965 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
| Program Guide, Maryland Center for Public Broadcasting -- contains description of the program "The Ghost of H. L. Mencken" -- vol. 12, no. 8, August 1980 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 12 | |
| Sun [Baltimore] -- "Mencken's Baltimore", 8 September 1974 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 13 | |
| Sun [Baltimore] (oversize), 7 September 1980 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 14 | |
| Syracuse University Library Associates Courier -- v. 31, 1996 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 15 | |
| Trace of Indiana and Midwestern History -- v. 1, no. 4, Fall 1989 | series 4 | box 1 | folder 16 | |
Series 5: Printed Matter, 1926-2006 and undated (0.50 linear feet)
This series contains printed material related to H. L. Mencken that was collected by Arthur J. Gutman. The material is arranged into the following subgroups: book catalogs, book publicity, event publicity, Mencken Day, off prints and photocopies, and pamphlets. Advertisements for book readings are filed in the event publicity subgroup, while the book publicity subgroup contains only material that advertises the book as a commodity to be purchased. The material in this series excludes items printed to advertise events arranged by the Mencken Society. The arrangement of material within files is chronological.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book Catalogs, 1956, 1973, 1981, 1986, undated [1992], and undated | series 5 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Book Publicity, 1989, 1993-1996, 1999, and undated | series 5 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Event Publicity, 1971, 1978-1981, 1983, 1985, 1987-1990, 1992-1996, 1999, 2006 | series 5 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| Mencken Day, 1956, 1971-1973, 1975, 1977-1980 | series 5 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| Mencken Day, 1981, 1983-1984, 1986-1998, 2005-2006 | series 5 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| Off Prints and Photocopies, 1926, 1967, 1989-1990, 1993, 2003, and undated | series 5 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| Pamphlets, 1926, 1949, 1954, 1956, 1971 | series 5 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
Series 6: Mencken Society, 1978-2001 and undated (0.50 linear feet)
The Mencken Society series contains newsletters, membership rolls, and advertisements for society events. The newsletters consist of a nearly complete run from 1980 to 2001 and constitute a record of the activities of the Mencken Society and its members. The series also includes event publicity, meeting minutes and agenda, materials relating to financial matters, brochures, Mencken House materials, and Mencken House correspondence. Materials and correspondence on the purchase, restoration, and operation of the Mencken House in Baltimore have been included with this series because of Arthur Gutman's role in the stewardship of the house while he served as president of the Mencken Society. The series is arranged alphabetically by file title.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mencken House Materials, 1983-1984, 1997-1998, and undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Mencken House Correspondence, 1982-1984, 1997-1998 | series 6 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Mencken Society Brochures and Envelopes, undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| Mencken Society Event Publicity, 1985, 1989-1991, 1993-1997, 1999, and undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| Mencken Society Financial Matters, 1986, undated [1987?], 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, and undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| Mencken Society Meeting Minutes and Agenda, 1978-1979, 1988, and undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| Mencken Society Membership Rolls, 1983, 1992, and undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| Mencken Society Newsletters, 1980-2001 | series 6 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
Series 7: Photographs, 1976-1995 and undated (1 linear foot)
Series VII contains photographs separated from Series I and Series VI. These photographs primarily document Mencken Society events held at various locations. The items are arranged chronologically.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officers at the founding of the Mencken Society, Baltimore, Maryland -- On verso: "Baltimore Correspondent/Mencken Society/Founded March 13, 1976/officers/Arthur Gutman, treasurer/Mrs. Robert Whitely, secretary/Dr. Carl Bode, president/Neil Jordahl, vice-president, 1976 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| On verso: James Servies, director of libraries, Univ. of West Florida, standing. l to r. (seated) William Coker, prof. of history, UWF; Larry Wheeler newspaperman and CDR Norris Combs, USN, Ret.Combs owns many Mencken letters which came to him through his linguist uncle, one of Menckens many collaborators on Dictionary of Am. Language. Pensacola, Florida, 12 September 1984 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| On verso: James Guest at piano, plays own compositions. (Dr. Guest was a student of Louis Cheslock-never met Mencken himself.) James Servies looks on approvingly. Pensacola, Florida, 12 September 1984 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| On verso: Mencken Group 9-12-1984 (Menckens 104th anniversary) l to r. Lyman Morgan, Bill Coker, Larry Wheeler, Jim Servies, Ed Gillet, Mark O'Brien, Norris Combs, John Axley, Pat Crawford, [F. Norman] Vickers, J. Holliday Veal. Pensacola, Florida, 12 September 1984 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| On verso: 4-17-86 Mencken Lunch/Arthur: Left to Right/Glen Darenbush-PR/Jon Carroll SF Chronicle Columnist/David Belch-Mencken collection/Charles Wollett/Ed Moose-(standing), Bud Johns-author the Omnibus Mencken/Ed Addeo-author/Bob Burger-author/Al Haas-author/Ron Femrite Sport Illustrated Column/Dorothy Anderson-Foothill College, 17 April 1986 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| On verso: The Butterick Building, at Spring and MacDougal Streets, in Greenwich Village. Menckens first visit, April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| On verso: Plaque on the side of the Butterick Building, indicating it was built in 1902. Mencken first met Dreiser there in the spring of 1908. New York City, April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| On verso: The light-gold, 2-story brick building in the foreground stands on 165 W. 10th St., site of what was Dreiser's apartment he shared with Kirah Markham. The two taller row houses on the right would surely have been there in 1916-17, when Mencken was a frequent guest. New York City, April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| On verso: The tallest building here is 274 W. 19th St., where HLM would shack up with Marion Bloom when in New York. I don't know what the apartment number would have been. I was thrilled to find it still standing. New York City, April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
| On verso: The legendary Luchows is still standing at 110 E. 14th Street! New York City, April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| On verso: Carl Van Vechten's apartment was here at 150 W. 55th Street. HLM was a frequent guest at parties, etc. New York City, April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
| On verso: Hotel Chelsea at 222 W. 23rd. HLM often visited literary figures here. New York City, April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 12 | |
| On verso: 750 Fifth Avenue was the permanent home of American Mercury. It was headquartered in the Hecksher Building. The building currently on the site is the Crown Building. I will have to check if it is a different building or whether it was merely renamed. New York City, April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 13 | |
| On verso: 25 W. 45th Street. Final Home of the Smart Set offices. New York City, April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 14 | |
| On verso: 452 Fifth Avenue, first home of Smart Set, when HLM began reviewing books for them in 1909. The small portion of the building in the center of the photo seems to be original. I'll have to check if it housed the Smart Set offices. To the north is the New York Public Library. New York City, April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 15 | |
| Mencken event, n.p. On verso: Jan. 28, 1989., April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 16 | |
| Mencken event, n.p. On verso: Jan. 28, 1989. The audience, April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 17 | |
| Arthur Gutman, Carl Bode, and two unidentified men. On verso: Jan. 28, 1989., April 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 18 | |
| Mencken group. On verso: 9/25/89/to Arthur/from Charles/9/12/89/at Wash Square Bar & Grill/HLM lunch. New York City, September 1989 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 19 | |
| This is a copy of the famous photograph used as the frontispiece for Happy Days. Mencken has signed it and written 'age 8,' or 'at the age of 8.' This copy was made in 1992 by Jack Sanders from a print that was once in the collection of Betty Adler. The copy is slightly larger than the original, and a little clearer and lighter, with better contrast, because of the care taken with making the copy negative, 1992 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 20 | |
| On verso: 5-28-92/George Thompson and his pickelhaube-Stockton CA., 28 May 1992 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 21 | |
| On verso: Chuck Sanders 5-93, May 1993 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 22 | |
| Group of six men and one woman. On verso: F. Norman Vickers/14 W. Jordan Street, 1-H/Pensacola, FL 32501-1734/Please give photo credit/Sept-93., September 1993 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 23 | |
| On verso: L to R/Jerry Dobbin: Junius Rochester (Helen MacLeod's pillow of HLM in the middle) Jerry, of Santa Fe, & Junius, Seattle, convened an emergency meeting of the HLM Society in Santa Fe on New Years Eve, 1993, 31 December 1993 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 24 | |
| Two women and a man. On verso: "July 94", 1994 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 25 | |
| Arthur Gutman and Fred Hobson[?]. On verso: "July 94", 25 June 1994 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 26 | |
| Fred Hobson[?] and Vince Fitzpatrick[?]. On verso: "July 94", 25 June 1994 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 27 | |
| Arthur Gutman. On verso: Meeting June 25, 1994/Speakers/Fred Hobson/Vince Fitzpatrick, 25 June 1994 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 28 | |
| On verso: MENCKEN NIGHT September 24, 1994/ExecutiveClub Pensacola, FL./From left, Holliday and Mary Veal, Betty Vickers, Frances and Willima Coker, John and Frances Harrell, Loretta and Norris Combs, Ray Oldenberg, 24 September 1994 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 29 | |
| On verso: Pensacola, FL 9/24.94/Seated from left, Frances Coker, Mary Veal, Betty Vickers, Frances Harrell, Loretta Combs. Standing, from left, Holliday Veal, Willima Coker, John Harrell, Ray Oldenberg, Norman Vickers and Norris Combs., 24 September 1994 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 30 | |
| On verso: Pensacola, FL 9/24/94/From left, Holiday and Mary Veal, Betty Vikers, Frances and Bill Ciker, John and Frances Harrell, Loretta and Norris Combs, Norman Vickers and Ray Oldenberg, 24 September 1994 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 31 | |
| On verso: Marion Rogers is a new addition to Sanders bookcases. Dec. 1994, December 1994 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 32 | |
| David Foster as H. L. Mencken. On verso: Mar 95, March 1995 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 33 | |
| Audience and David Foster as H. L. Mencken. On verso: Mar 95, March 1995 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 34 | |
| David Foster and Arthur Gutman. On verso: Mar 95, March 1995 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 35 | |
| David Foster and Arthur Gutman. On verso: Mar 95, March 1995 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 36 | |
| Unidentified man at podium, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Maryland. On verso: Mar 95, March 1995 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 37 | |
| Unidentified man on crutches and Arthur Gutman on stage, Enoch Free Public Library, Baltimore, Maryland. On verso: Mar 95, March 1995 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 38 | |
| Arthur Gutman at podium, Enoch Free Public Library, Baltimore, Maryland. On verso: Mar 95, March 1995 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 39 | |
| Unidentified man at podium, Enoch Free Public Library, Baltimore, Maryland. On verso: Mar 95, March 1995 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 40 | |
| Group photograph, Mencken Society, Pensacola, Florida, 1995. On verso: Mencken Celebration 1995/(Front L-R) Millie Gregg, Judith Oldenberg, Diane Mack,/Frances Harrell, Betty Vickers, Dona Usry, Frances Coker,/Loretta Combs, Lana Servies./(Back L-R) Paul Gregg, Ray Oldebnberg, John Harrell,/Norman Vickers, Milton Usry, William Coker,/Norris Combs, Jim Servies, 1995 | series 7 | box 1 | folder 41 | |
| Arthur Gutman and an unidentified man, in front of a book case, undated | series 7 | box 1 | folder 42 | |
| Arthur Gutman in front of a book case containing a portion of his Mencken collection. On verso: Prudential Insurance Co./Newark, N.J./4 proofs, undated | series 7 | box 1 | folder 43 | |
| Friends of Mencken presentation of 1927 Nikol Schattenstein portrait of Mencken to the Enoch Free Public Library. 2 prints. (negative available), undated | series 7 | box 1 | folder 44 | |
Series 8: H. L. Mencken Materials, 1906-1963 and undated (0.25 linear feet)
This series contains material written by, written to, or autographed by H. L. Mencken. It also includes some Mencken family correspondence and documents. It is arranged alphabetically by file title.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | Item | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertisements | series 8 | box 1 | folder 1 | ||
| Mencken at Fifty, undated [1930?] | series 8 | box 1 | folder 1 | item 1 | |
| Reader's Digest, Mencken's piece entitled "Not An Idea Missing", undated | series 8 | box 1 | folder 1 | item 2 | |
| American Mercury, undated [1925] | series 8 | box 1 | folder 1 | item 3 | |
| American Mercury, undated | series 8 | box 1 | folder 1 | item 4 | |
| Clipping -- "A Great Moral Sport," autographed by HLM, April 25, 1921 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 2 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Aug. Mencken Bros. to Central Savings Bank, 1906 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 3 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Bruno, Mr. [?], 1928 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 4 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Clancy, Mr. [?], 1938, 1947 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 5 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Cole, Mr. [?], 1948 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 6 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- [Craven?], Frank, 1939 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 7 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Duschnes, Philip, 1936, 1945 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 8 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Goldberg, [Isaac?], 1928 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 9 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Johns, Orrick, ca. 1914-1923 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 10 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Johnson, Gerald, 1923, 1934-1936, 1938, 1940, 1944, 1946-1947, and undated | series 8 | box 1 | folder 11 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Kadison, Alexander, 1947 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 12 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Lenrow, Mr. [?], 1932 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 13 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- McCardell, Roy, 1944 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 14 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- McKnight, Mr. [?], undated | series 8 | box 1 | folder 15 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Owens, Hamilton, 1928 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 16 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Seitz, [Don C.?], 1925 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 17 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Semmes, John, 1943 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 18 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Steinberg, Mr. [?], undated | series 8 | box 1 | folder 19 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Stolberg, Charles, 1944-1945 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 20 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Stricker, Father William -- HLM, August Mencken, Rosalind Lohrfinch, 1930, 1934-1935, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1947-1949, 1955-1958, 1963 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 21 | ||
| Correspondence, Original -- Zevin, [B. D.?], 1946-1947 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 22 | ||
| Correspondence -- Photocopies, undated [1916-1941] | series 8 | box 1 | folder 23 | ||
| Correspondence -- Photocopies, undated [1942-1950, and undated] | series 8 | box 1 | folder 24 | ||
| Legal Documents, August Mencken Estate -- Photocopies, undated [1963, 1967, 1982] | series 8 | box 1 | folder 25 | ||
| Mencken Blurb, Silbert Exhibit, Baltimore Museum of Art Catalogue, 1924 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 26 | ||
| Mencken Manuscript -- "'Incog' at the Lyceum: Stock Company's Change of Bill--A Good Company Well Played", undated | series 8 | box 1 | folder 27 | ||
| Mencken Manuscript -- "What Is Ahead, a Bed Time Story" -- original carbon typescript of radio program aired on NBC on April 27, 1934, 1934 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 28 | ||
| Mencken Manuscript (photocopy) -- "The Free City", undated | series 8 | box 1 | folder 29 | ||
| Newsweek -- HLM inscription to Perry Molstad, 5 April 1948 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 30 | ||
| Notes -- [notes by Mencken on his writings written on the back and front of an envelope in ink], undated | series 8 | box 1 | folder 31 | ||
| Off-Prints | series 8 | box 1 | folder 32 | ||
| "Project For a Licensing Act For Baltimore City," from Evening Sun [Baltimore], 1933 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 32 | item 1 | |
| "A Girl From Red Lion, P.A.," from Newspaper Days, 1941 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 32 | item 2 | |
| "Designations for Colored Folk," from American Speech; autographed by Mencken, 1944 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 32 | item 3 | |
| "Spiritual Autopsies" from New York Evening Post; date of publication from H.L. Mencken Shelf List, undated [1931] | series 8 | box 1 | folder 32 | item 4 | |
| "Suggestions to Our Visitors," pamphlet autographed on front cover; date of publication from H.L. Mencken Shelf List, undated [1915] | series 8 | box 1 | folder 32 | item 5 | |
| "Review of the New International Encyclopedia", undated | series 8 | box 1 | folder 32 | item 6 | |
| "A Personal Word," date of publication from H.L. Mencken Shelf List, undated [1914] | series 8 | box 1 | folder 32 | item 7 | |
| Who's Who in America (ORDER) -- vol. 16, 1930-1931, annotated by Mencken, 1929 | series 8 | box 1 | folder 33 | ||
Series 9: Ephemera, 1882-1999 and undated (0.25 linear feet)
This series contains miscellaneous items and ephemera collected by Arthur J. Gutman, some of which relate to Mencken. The items are arranged alpabetically.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Baltimore Oriole Celebration--from a sketch by W. P. Snyder" -- Harper's Weekly (oversize), 22 October 1881 | series 9 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Programme -- (Joel Gutman & Co. Ad, p. 12), 11 February 1916 | series 9 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Cigars/Cigar Box -- ten cigars and three matchbooks in an Uncle Willie cigar box (oversize), undated | series 9 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| Enoch Pratt Free Library, HLM Book Plate, undated | series 9 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| Gutman Book Plates, undated | series 9 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| H. L. Mencken Library and Reference Center, National Press Club, flier, ca. 24 February 1985 | series 9 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| Henry Louis Mencken/His Book -- (framed book plate) (oversize), undated | series 9 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| "Mencken Dinner/Wheezie and Artie" -- memorabilia, undated | series 9 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| Mencken 100, Postcards -- set of six issued for the HLM centennial, 1980 | series 9 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
| Menu/Baltimore Steam Packet Co., undated | series 9 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| Receipts -- Mencken materials purchased by Gutman, 1978-1999 | series 9 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
| Sheet music -- "I Am a One Hundred Percent. American" by William W. Woollcott, undated | series 9 | box 1 | folder 12 | |
Series 10: Audio-Visual Materials, 1948-2003 and undated (1.5 linear feet)
This series consists primarily of recorded interviews with friends and associates of Mencken. Many of these interviews were conducted by noted Mencken scholar Carl Bode. Content includes Mencken Society meetings and two films starring Aileen Pringle. Also included is a copy of the only commercial recording of H. L. Mencken and a microfilm reel of book inscriptions to P. J. Cleator. The series is arranged chronologically by the date of the original event, recording, or production.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convicted, "Aileen Pringle plays Claire Norville, an actress avoiding the unwanted attentions of her mentor during a steamship trip. Story of romance and intrigue," 57 min. -- (Video cassette), 1931 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Murder at Midnight, "A. Pringle & Alice White, Aileen Pringle play Mrs. Kennedy, widow of murder victim, in a plot with the usual complications," 67 min. -- (Video cassette), 1931 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| HLM interviewed by Donald Howe Kirkley, Sr. -- (CD), 1999 [30 June 1948] | series 10 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| Interviews of Alfred A. Knopf and Alistair Cooke, interview of Alfred A. Knopf by Eric Goldman in 1965 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Alfred A. Knopf Inc., and Alfred A. Knopf and Alistair Cooke interviewed by Clifton Fadiman upon the publication of The Vintage Mencken in 1955 -- (CD) -- (Additional Audio cassette for The Vintage Mencken), undated [1955, 1965] | series 10 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| The Opening of the Mencken Room, Enoch Pratt Free Library featuring Alistair Cooke and Hamilton Owens -- (CD and Audiocassette), 2000 [17 April 1956] | series 10 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| "Unforgettable H.L. Mencken," narrated by Chet Huntley -- (Audio cassette), 10 July 1956 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| Caustic Genius and Bring on the Angels, Caustic Genius is interviews with friends of HLM narrated by Chet Huntley, and Bring on the Angels is a CBS radio dramatization of HLM's description of his start in newspaper work in Newspaper Days -- (CD) -- (Additional Audio cassette for Bring on the Angels), undated [1956 and 8 June 1956] | series 10 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| H. L. Mencken Speaking, HLM interviewed by Donald Howe Kirkley, Sr. at the Library of Congress -- (Disc), 1957 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| "Biography in Sound, H.L. Mencken, c.1957" -- (Audio cassette), ca. 1957 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
| Carl Bode interviewing Edith Kean, Ruth Goodman Goetz -- (Audio cassette), 19 February 1963, 23 July 1964 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| Carl Bode interviewing Watson Davis, Penny Policek -- (Audio cassette), 30 June 1965, 24 February 1965 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
| Carl Bode interviewing Penny Policek cont. -- (Audio cassette), 24 February 1965 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 12 | |
| "Mencken and the Boobs," Panel at Southern Illinois University, 2 hours -- (Audio cassette), ca. 1970 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 13 | |
| Mencken Diary Discussion, Maryland Historical Society -- (Video cassette), 27 January 1990 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 14 | |
| "My Affinity to H.L Mencken," Panel Meeting -- (Audio cassette), 23 June 1990 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 15 | |
| Mencken Day, Speaker--Bob Tyrrell -- (Video cassette), 12 September 1992 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 16 | |
| Mencken Society Meeting--Walter and Judy Brilhart talk and slides, 1 hour; Paul Fussel talk on "Mencken-The Writer," 1 hour, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Maryland -- (Video cassette), 13 September 1997 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 17 | |
| Mencken Society Meeting--Discussion Panel: Ray Stevens, C.A. Fecher, E.A. Martin, B. Brackett, and V. Fitzpatrick, Westminster College, Maryland -- (Video cassette), 5 April 1997 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 18 | |
| "The Monkey Trial--1 hour--rec'd 11/10/98." Copy of program originally broadcast on the History Channel's "In Search of History" in 1997 -- (Videocassette), 1998 [1997] | series 10 | box 1 | folder 19 | |
| Mencken Society Meeting--Speakers: Jack Seal and Leo Elliott, St. David's Church, Baltimore, Maryland, 1 hour -- (Video cassette) -- (2 copies), 16 January 1999 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 20 | |
| Mencken Society Meeting--Speaker: Judy Cooper, First Christina Church -- (Video cassette), 12 June 1999 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 21 | |
| A Mencken Sampler, 4 discs including: Alastair Cooke, Alfred A. Knopf, Clifton Fadiman, Eric F. Goldman, Carl Bode, Dr. Cabell Green, H. L. Mencken and Murray Kempton -- (Discs), 2003 | series 10 | box 1 | folder 22 | |
| Mencken inscriptions from HLM to P.E. Cleator in various HLM books and articles; also contains a page of advertisements by the Tithers' Tracht League -- (Microfilm), undated | series 10 | box 1 | folder 23 | |
| Carl Bode interviewing Anita Lews and friend, Huntington Cairns, Arthur Krock -- (Audio cassette), undated | series 10 | box 1 | folder 24 | |
| Carl Bode interviewing Bee MacDonald, Ruth Goetz -- (Audio cassette), undated | series 10 | box 1 | folder 25 | |
| Carl Bode interviewing Dwight Curtis, Mary Louise Newcomer Moore -- (Audo cassette), undated | series 10 | box 1 | folder 26 | |
| Carl Bode interviewing George Schuyler -- (Audio cassette), undated | series 10 | box 1 | folder 27 | |
| Carl Bode interviewing Huntington Cairns -- (Audio cassette), undated | series 10 | box 1 | folder 28 | |
| "Mencken's Early Years", undated | series 10 | box 1 | folder 29 | |
Series 11: Clippings, 1917-2002 and undated (null)
Series 11 consists of a listing of the clippings from newspapers and magazines that Gutman collected or were sent to him during the course of his Mencken activities. After the list was compiled, the clippings were destroyed. The items on the list are arranged chronologically.
The box inventory for this series is not currently available online. Please refer to the series description above for a broad description of the materials or contact the department for more information.
Related Material
In 2001 when Gutman donated the materials described in this finding aid, the University of Maryland Libraries also acquired Gutman's collection of Mencken books and historic serials. A list of the books and serial publications in the Arthur J. Gutman collection enumerates the holdings available in the Maryland Room. The catalog records for these items can be located by using the term "Arthur J. Gutman collection" to search the University of Maryland library catalog. H. L. Mencken left the majority of his letters, personal library, and manuscripts to the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore, Maryland. The New York Public Library also has significant holdings of Mencken's correspondence among its collections.
For other related archival and manuscript collections, please see the following subject guides.
Selected Search Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the University of Maryland Libraries' Catalog. Researchers desiring related materials about these topics, names, or places may search the Catalog using these headings.
Subjects
- Authors, American -- 20th century -- Correspondence
- Gutman, Arthur J., b. 1911 -- Correspondence
- Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956 -- Correspondence
- Mencken Society -- Archives
Names (Added Entries)
- Gutman, Arthur J., b. 1911
- Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956
- Mencken Society