The Special Collections at Boston University’s Mugar Library now has the largest collection of acclaimed author W. Somerset Maugham’s work in the world, thanks to papers and memorabilia recently acquired from Loren and Frances Rothschild.
New York Times book critic Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, collector Loren Rothschild, Maugham’s biographer Lady Selina Hastings and Provost Dennis Berkey spoke about Maugham and the collection during a crowded reception last night.
‘The tip of the iceberg,’ was what several speakers called the glass-covered letters and books available for public view at Mugar, indicating the public display was only a small fraction of the collection.
According to Hastings, Maugham was the most famous English author during the 1950s and a prolific writer who wrote 78 books, as well as many short stories and plays. He is most famous for ‘Liza of Lambeth’ (1897), ‘Of Human Bondage'(1915), and ‘The Razor’s Edge’ (1944) and was especially popular in the 1920s and 1930s.
The collection of Maugham’s papers and memorabilia in the Special Collections was acquired in two parts, beginning several years ago when papers from Maugham’s home in southern France were purchased at auction.
The second part came recently when the rest of the material was acquired from the Rothschilds’ personal collection.
The collection includes first editions and first American editions of all 78 books, uncorrected galleys from various editions of the books and other memorabilia such as photographs of the author. Other memorabilia include handwritten and marked-up manuscripts from speeches he gave and 800 letters written mainly by Maugham.
‘Different aspects of [Maugham’s] personality come out through different people [he wrote to],’ said exhibition coordinator Perry Barton.
Maugham’s letters to people such as T.S. Eliot and H.G. Wells are in the collection. The letters are on display in the Special Collections and show humor and emotion scribbled on both sides of various stationery.
The Rothschilds are connoisseur collectors, according to Director of Media Relations for the Special Collections Clementine Brown. Brown said the Rothschilds’ collection featured only the best works, including documents that cover the entirety and depth of Maugham’s life and work.
Charles Folcke, a book collector from California who specializes in Maugham’s work, came to Boston to see the exhibition. He noted how Maugham is not as popular in younger generations as he was for older generations.
‘[He was] a popular writer for his time,’ Folcke said. ‘He has been transcended by new and different things.’
Folcke estimated that 90 percent of Maugham’s books are currently out of print.
Lehmann-Haupt, the chief daily book reviewer for The New York Times since 1969, said when he was a student Maugham’s ‘Of Human Bondage’ was common in high school classes.
Many of the works in his later years, including his short stories, were made into movies.
Dr. Howard Gotlieb, who founded the Special Collections 40 years ago and has directed it ever since, said the W. Somerset Maugham collection at BU is massive.
‘[It is] one of the most complete collections of [the documents of] any 20th century author,’ he said, noting how it includes Maugham’s birth certificate, death certificate and everything in between.
When asked if any of Maugham’s works are on any syllabi in Boston University courses, Gotlieb replied, ‘if not, [the syllabi] are delinquent and should be.’
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