Collecting Pacific Northwest Americana

Seattle: University of Washington, 1939. 25x17cm, 67-76pp. Signed and inscribed by Smith on the front cover to Thomas W. Streeter. Stapled self wrappers show light foxing and are slightly musty, otherwise very good.

An offprint of Smith's article from the Pacific Northwest Quarterly, volume 30, No. 1, January, 1939, which was originally a speech given at the Sixtieth Annual Conference of the American Library Association the year prior.  Wonderful association copy inscribed to the preeminent Americana collector, Thomas W. Streeter, "Mr. Streeter, with regards from C.W. Smith."  


The great librarian, Charles W. Smith (1877-1956) is perhaps best known for his important reference work, Pacific Northwest Americana: A Checklist of Books and Pamphlets Relating to the History of the Pacific Northwest, which he compiled while an associate librarian at the University of Washington.  Streeter had been collecting at a young age while practicing law in Boston and as a businessman in New York.  At the time of this publication in 1939, Streeter retired from business to dedicate himself to his collection.  Streeter and Smith were frequent correspondents during the latter's time as head librarian at UW, from 1929-1947.    .