A brief account of the origins and purpose of The Chapin Library at Williams College. Published in honor of the Hroswitha Club, May 10th, 1956 [cover title]. A brief account of the origins and purpose of The Chapin Library at Williams College [drop title]

Williamstown, Massachusetts: Chapin Library, 1956. Edition limited to 450 copies (this one of 50 for the Hroswitha Club), small 8vo, pp. 20; in St. Albans decorative wrappers printed in red and green (see below), and with a printed paper label on the front wrapper; wrappers detached, but present, else near fine. From the library of Kim Merker. "Printed by hand, in Poliphilus type on German mould made paper, at the Cummington Press, Rowe, Massachusetts" (colophon). Richmond 61 noting that only this issue of 50 copies was printed by hand at the Cummington Press. The other 400 were printed at the Lane Press, Burlington, Vermont. The copy accompanied by a (truncated) one-page typed letter signed by Thomas R. Adams, on Chapin Library stationery, to a Miss Brayton, dated May 18, 1956: "We were disappointed that you were unable to attend the meeting of the Hroswitha Club which was held here on May 10th, but we hope you will pay us a call next time you are in the Berkshires. The Hroswitha Club, individually and collectively, have a standing invitation to make themselves at home in the Chapin Library. Enclosed is a small brochure printed in honor of the Club's visit. It may interest you to know that it is a special edition of 50 copies. The second edition of 400 copies will have a plain wrapper and a number of typographical changes. The flowered paper used for your edition is part of a stock acquired by the late Daniel Updike and is over 100 years old." Miss Brayton is Alice Brayton of Portsmouth, R.I., known for her estate Green Animals where "there are more than 80 pieces of topiary throughout the gardens, including animals and birds, geometric figures and ornamental designs, sculpted from California privet, yew, and English boxwood" (portsmouthhistorynotes[dot]com). (Inventory #: 63043)