“Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman Frontispieces Collected by Charles E. Feinberg
SPEC.RARE.MMS.0439
Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
0.04 Cubic feet
1860-1861, 1876
Walt Whitman (1819-1892) was an American poet and author of the poetry collection,
Leaves of Grass, which he first published in 1855 and continued to expand and revise until his death. Charles E. Feinberg (1899-1988) was a book and manuscript collector who specialized in the works of Whitman. The “Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman Frontispieces Collected by Charles E. Feinberg contains frontispieces for two editions of
Leaves of Grass dated 1860-1861 and 1876 that were collected by Feinberg. A frontispiece is an illustration that faces the title page of a book, and in this collection, both frontispieces are printed portraits of Whitman.
(2) letter file folders
English
Feinberg, Charles E., 1899-1988
Arrangement of Materials
The “Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman Frontispieces Collected by Charles E. Feinberg are arranged chronologically.
Acquisitions Information
Method of acquisition for all contents unknown.
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], “Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman Frontispieces Collected by Charles E. Feinberg, SPEC.RARE.MMS.0439, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University
Access to Materials
Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.
Use of Materials
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.
Processing Information
Processed by: David Mezick, 2026 April; Finding aid written by: David Mezick, 2026 April
Biographical Note
Walter (Walt) Whitman (1819-1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American literature and an originator of free verse, a style of poetry that does not use regular meter or rhyme. Whitman’s most well known poetry collection,
Leaves of Grass, was first published in 1855, and he continued to expand and revise it until his death. Whitman’s work was considered controversial when it was first published due to its style and subject matter.
Charles E. Feinberg (1899-1988) was a businessman from Detroit, Michigan, and a book and manuscript collector who specialized in the works of Walt Whitman.
Scope and Contents
The “Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman Frontispieces Collected by Charles E. Feinberg contains frontispieces for two editions of
Leaves of Grass dated 1860-1861 and 1876. These materials were collected by Charles E. Feinberg and were part of the Walt Whitman Collection of the Feinberg Foundation. A frontispiece is an illustration that faces the title page of a book. Both frontispieces in this collection are printed portraits of Walt Whitman. One frontispiece is from the third edition, which was published by Thayer and Eldridge from 1860-1861. It was created from an engraving by Stephen Alonzo Schoff from an oil painting by Charles Hine. The portrait for the 1876 edition was created from an 1871 wood engraving by William J. Linton from a photograph by George C. Potter. Also included is the proof title page of the 1876 edition.
Feinberg, Charles E., 1899-1988
Whitman, Walt, 1819-1892
American poetry--19th century
Book collecting--Michigan--Detroit--20th century
Book collectors--Michigan--Detroit--20th century
Frontispieces (illustrations)
Leaves of grass
Poets, American--19th century
Title pages
Third edition frontispiece
MMS 19
1
1860-1861
1876 edition frontispiece and proof title page
MMS 19
2
1876