Vincent Starrett Collection, 1935-1938, undated

Collection

Identifier: MSS 952

Staff Only
Not requestable

Scope and Contents

Collection of 254 photographs and postcards taken and/or collected by Vincent Starrett. Most of the photographs were taken during his 1935-1937 stay in China. The photographs include architectural and street views, Chinese laborers and their habitats, market places, sports events, religious processions, beggars, temple statuary, and Americans in China. The collection also includes five photos of Ida Pruit, two of L. C. Arlington, and two Japanese postcards from Frederick Starr.

Dates

Creation: 1935-1938, undated

Creator

Starrett, Vincent, 1886-1974 (Person)

Language of Materials

These materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research use.

Biographical / Historical

Charles Vincent Emerson Starrett was born on October 26, 1886, in Toronto, Canada. When he was three years old, his family moved to Chicago, Illinois. Starrett began his writing career as a reporter for the Chicago Inter-Ocean in 1905, later joining the Chicago Daily News where he was a crime reporter, feature writer, and war correspondent. In addition to journalism, Starrett wrote mystery, supernatural fiction, horror, fantasy, poetry, and bibliographies,including a biography of Sherlock Holmes (Wikipedia). He travelled to Beijing, China in the 1930s, frequenting book shops during the trip in order to acquire expert knowledge of Chinese detective fiction, which became a theme in his later novels.

Starrett was also a self-proclaimed bibliophile (Harry Ransom Center) and wrote a weekly book column in the Chicago Tribune, "Books Alive", for 25 years (Wikipedia). He was married to Rachel Latimer Starrett (1893-1969). Starrett died on January 5, 1974, in Chicago (Find A Grave).

Extent

.21 Linear Feet (1 box)

Additional Description

Abstract

Collection of 254 photographs and postcards taken and/or collected by Vincent Starrett.

Physical Location

Phillips Library Stacks

Provenance

This material was purchased from Carmen D. Valentino on March 7, 2011 (Acc 2011.007).

Bibliography and Related Collections

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/4990/vincent-starrett : accessed 17 August 2021), memorial page for Vincent Starrett (26 Oct 1886–5 Jan 1974), Find a Grave Memorial ID 4990, citing Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA ; Maintained by Searching for Answers (contributor 46881808).

Harry Ransom Center. "The Door: Vincent Starrett." Accessed 17 August 2021. https://norman.hrc.utexas.edu/bookshopdoor/signature.cfm?item=231.

Wikipedia contributors. (2021, August 9). Vincent Starrett. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:33, August 17, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vincent_Starrett&oldid=1037976542.