Collections : [University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.]

University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.

Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400110
170 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Primary Collecting Areas:
American literature, antiquarian and contemporary, American history (Southeastern United States), Virginiana, British literature, Sporting books and manuscripts, World War I, Bibliography, the book arts, history of the book and typography
Fine press and artist’s books, Pop-up books, Victorian publishers bindings, Typography, Archives of the University of Virginia
Description:

The Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library administers over 13 million manuscripts, 3.6 million items in the University archives, and 325,000 rare books, as well as approximately 5,000 maps, over 4,000 broadsides; more than 250,000 photographs and small prints; over 8,000 reels of microfilm; and substantial holdings of audio recordings, motion picture films, and ephemera.

The major emphasis of the Department’s collections are American history and literature, with additional substantive collections in Virginiana, British literature, African-American history, book arts, the history of sporting and World War I, among others. In addition, the library serves as the University Archives, holding records of historic significance to UVA.

POC: Special Collections Public Services & Reference Staff
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968
Start Over Repository University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept. Subjects cabinet photographs
University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.

Isabelle Delano Money with African American caregiver photograph, 1893

0.03 Cubic Feet 1 folder
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University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.

James Conway Farley collection of cabinet card photographs, 1870/1905

.06 Cubic Feet 2 letter folders

This collection contains seventeen albumen photograph cabinet cards on cardstock mount of portraits taken by African American photographer James Conway Farley during his time at Davis Studio in Richmond, Virginia, and later at Jefferson Fine Art Gallery at 528 East Broad Street, Richmond, Va. Eight of the cards are from the Jefferson Fine Art Gallery and eight are from Davis Studio.

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James Conway Farley collection of cabinet card photographs, 1870/1905 .06 Cubic Feet 2 letter folders

Farley, James Conway, 1854-1912

This collection contains seventeen albumen photograph cabinet cards on cardstock mount of portraits taken by African American photographer James Conway Farley during his time at Davis Studio in Richmond, Virginia, and later at Jefferson Fine Art Gallery at 528 East Broad Street, Richmond, Va. Eight of the cards are from the Jefferson Fine Art Gallery and eight are from Davis Studio.

University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.

Materials related to UVA mass shooting, 2022

0.08 Cubic Feet One small oversize folder; one letter size folder. .0186 Gigabytes 1 PDF

This collection features a colored pencil portrait of Lavel Davis Jr., D'Sean Perry, and Devin Chandler, the University of Virginia students and football members killed in a mass shooting on November 13, 2022, at the University of Virginia. After the tragedy, President and Mrs. Ryan opened their home for students to gather. Isabelle Martins, a Univeristy of Virginia architecture student, brought this drawing as a gift to Carr's Hill. The following week, President Ryan asked for the artist to share their full name via social media so that the piece could be archived properly, with credit given appropriately. The portrait appears on Ryan's social media accounts on the same date.

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Materials related to UVA mass shooting, 2022 0.08 Cubic Feet One small oversize folder; one letter size folder. .0186 Gigabytes 1 PDF

University of Virginia. Office of the President

This collection features a colored pencil portrait of Lavel Davis Jr., D'Sean Perry, and Devin Chandler, the University of Virginia students and football members killed in a mass shooting on November 13, 2022, at the University of Virginia. After the tragedy, President and Mrs. Ryan opened their home for students to gather. Isabelle Martins, a Univeristy of Virginia architecture student, brought this drawing as a gift to Carr's Hill. The following week, President Ryan asked for the artist to share their full name via social media so that the piece could be archived properly, with credit given appropriately. The portrait appears on Ryan's social media accounts on the same date.

University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.

May family papers, 1870/1945

0.4 Cubic Feet 1 document box

The May family papers (1870-1945; 0.4 cubic feet) document the lives of a couple generations of the Richmond-based May family. Photograph subjects in the collection include J.A. May in his Confederate Army uniform post-Civil War, J. Howard May, Jr. as an infant, Virgil May, Sr., Phil May with relatives at Virginia Military Institute, and Virgil R. May, Jr. with his wife Ella and children Linda and Billy.

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May family papers, 1870/1945 0.4 Cubic Feet 1 document box

The May family papers (1870-1945; 0.4 cubic feet) document the lives of a couple generations of the Richmond-based May family. Photograph subjects in the collection include J.A. May in his Confederate Army uniform post-Civil War, J. Howard May, Jr. as an infant, Virgil May, Sr., Phil May with relatives at Virginia Military Institute, and Virgil R. May, Jr. with his wife Ella and children Linda and Billy.

University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.

Virginia photography studios photographs

0.18 Cubic Feet 6 folders

The collection contains tintypes, cabinet cards, cartes-de-visite and photographs chiefly from studios in Staunton, Va. Studios in Bridgewater, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, and Richmond are also represented. Among the few identified subjects are Friends at Olivet Church, Staunton, Va.; D[avid] V. Ruckman Home, Long Glade, Va.; William Bedford Campbell, David Van Meter Ruckman, II, children of Uncle Glen Ruckman, Pauline Ruckman, James Buxton Perry, Sam Ruckman, Glen Huston Byrd, Anne Irvine, Mrs. Rod Dudley. Of interest are interiors of an unidentified Victorian home, outdoor scenes of cattle, and a studio portrait of four fashionably dressed girls eating bananas.

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Virginia photography studios photographs 0.18 Cubic Feet 6 folders

The collection contains tintypes, cabinet cards, cartes-de-visite and photographs chiefly from studios in Staunton, Va. Studios in Bridgewater, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, and Richmond are also represented. Among the few identified subjects are Friends at Olivet Church, Staunton, Va.; D[avid] V. Ruckman Home, Long Glade, Va.; William Bedford Campbell, David Van Meter Ruckman, II, children of Uncle Glen Ruckman, Pauline Ruckman, James Buxton Perry, Sam Ruckman, Glen Huston Byrd, Anne Irvine, Mrs. Rod Dudley. Of interest are interiors of an unidentified Victorian home, outdoor scenes of cattle, and a studio portrait of four fashionably dressed girls eating bananas.

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Finding aids may contain historical terms and phrases, reflecting the shared attitudes and values of the community from which they were collected, but are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical or mental ability; religion; sex; and sexual orientation and gender identity.

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