Owning and Collecting

Our case explores how books are physically shaped by ownership and collection. The way books are treated differs depending on who holds it, what they use it for, and why it is kept. The three objects in this case, The Dance of Death (1933), Seasonable Thoughts on the State of Religion in New England (1743), and Indago Monocerotis (1658) have passed through multiple hands and bear distinct material evidence of their history. These marks include annotations, signatures, stamps, and institutional labels. Though their content ranges from drama to religious critique and allegorical devotion, all three were created to impart knowledge and provoke reflection. These books were collected because each reflected the era of their production, and remain preserved for their content or historical significance.

Each book reflects a different purpose for ownership. The Dance of Death, a socialist verse-play by W. H. Auden, includes handwritten annotations by a reader who responded critically to its performance. Its tone and content critique bourgeois values during the Great Depression. Seasonable Thoughts, written by Charles Chauncy, is a printed treatise critiquing the Great Awakening. Its annotated pages show active engagement by readers who recorded additional biographical information, suggesting it was used to reflect on religious figures. Indago Monocerotis, a Jesuit devotional text printed in Prague, features Latin allegory that blends Christian and classical imagery. In this copy, inscriptions trace its movement from a Bohemian church, to a school library, then to the Oates family, and finally to academic institutions.

The presence of bookplates, library stamps, and marginal notes across these objects shows how ownership leaves visible, physical traces. These books were read, studied, catalogued, and in some cases, reinterpreted. Together, these objects show how books outlive the moment of their creation; their meaning continues to evolve as they move between owners and institutions. Collecting, whether personal or institutional, is not just about accumulation. It is an act of interpretation, one that determines what is worth keeping and how it will be remembered. These books offer us a glimpse of what resonated with society in the past, and allows us to ponder on the reasons for their preservation.

 

 

The Dance of Death (1933)

The Dance of Death is a play written by W. H. Auden and directed and produced by Rupert Doone, debuting as part of the Group Theatre’s first season in the London Westminster Theatre in 1933. It is a musical propaganda play and the pages of the script are filled with annotations, seemingly director’s notes and edits on stage directions. Interestingly, there is also a handwritten message in pencil from the 13th of October 1958 behind the front cover, quoting, “This copy was shown to Rupert Doone, the producer of the original, who declared that these annotations bore no relation to his original production.” This raises the question of who was the previous owner, and why did he decide on these edits in this play on his own accord?

Indago Monocerotis (1658)

Indago Monocerotis is a devotional book that uses the metaphor of a unicorn hunt to represent the soul’s spiritual pursuit. This copy reveals a layered history of ownership. Inscriptions indicate that it first belonged to a church and was later transferred to a school, elucidating that the book circulated in both religious and educational settings. In the nineteenth century, it entered the private collection of the Oates family, with bookplates from three individuals highlighting its continued preservation within 3 generations. A label then shows its transfer to a university’s Zoology department, possibly linked to the symbolic treatment of animals like the unicorn. The book later enters the Gilbert White Memorial Library. The book’s layered ownership reflects how it has been carefully handled, catalogued, and valued over time. 

Seasonable Thoughts on the State of Religion in New England: A Treatise in Five Parts (1743)

In this copy of Charles Chauncy’s Seasonable Thoughts, several writings are indicative of ownership. There are two signatures, which belong to “Henry M. Dexter” and “David B. Kempton” respectively. These signatures suggest a sense of pride in owning the book along with the need to prevent the book from being lost. A cross written in pencil can be found beside the name “The Rev Mr. Thomas Cheney of Brookfield” on a page listing the subscribers. At the bottom of the page, notes about him which are not found in the book are written, such as his year of birth and ordination. Thus, previous owner(s) of the book have read the book and actively engaged with it, through research and annotation. Moreover, their interest in the life and religious background of Thomas Cheney is revealed.