M-379: Ruth Bryant Collection

DATE: 1980-2014

CREATOR: Bryant, Ruth

LANGUAGE: English and French

EXTENT: 46 monographs, 1.5 linear feet of archival materials, and 4 oversize items

SCOPE: The Ruth Bryant Collection consists of three series. Series One is books that were donated as part of the collection. These 46 books were largely acquired during Ruth's time on the Literary Award Committee of the Saint Louis Literary Award, and are often inscribed to Ruth and/or signed by the author.

ACCESS: This is collection M-379. This collection is available for on-site use only in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Reading Room. Some of the collection may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, depending on condition. Researchers are advised to call ahead concerning changes in hours due to University intersessions and holidays. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building. More information about conducting research with the archival collections of the Library, including current building hours and reading room policies, can be found on our Research page.

RESTRICTIONS: None

Preferred Citation note: The preferred citation for this collection is “From the Special Collections of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri – St. Louis.”

INVENTORY

Series 1: Books

  • A century of Kate Greenaway / Anne Carroll Moore
  • A Christmas carol : in prose, being a ghost story of Christmas / Charles Dickens. "Cedric Charles Dickens Bless You"
  • A thread in the tapestry / Sarah Churchill. Inscribed "For Mary With best birthday wishes from Mary Soames. London. 11 June 1999."
  • America : sonnets / Glen Levin Siggett; with introduction by Fleix Morley.
  • Catalogue 25 : Literature / The Captain's Bookshelf, Inc.
  • Churchill : a biography / Roy Jenkins. "Inscribed for Ruth Bryant, [signature]."
  • Includes programs from Kemper Lecture, 2002-03-16, and postcards of Churchill speaking at Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri, 1946-03-05, both items removed to archival materials series.
  • Churchill : a life / Martin Gilbert. Signed by author. Includes program for Kemper lecture featuring Sir Martin Gilbert, 2007-03-25, removed to archival materials series.
  • Cuba in war time / Richard Harding Davis; Frederic Remington
  • Faith and treason : the story of the Gunpowder Plot / Antonia Fraser. "To Ruth, Best wishes & thank you. Antonia Fraser."
  • Gladstone : a biography / Roy Jenkins. "Inscribed to Ruth Bryant with the best wishes of 8:xi:97 [signature]."
  • HRH the Prince of Wales watercolours / Charles, Prince of Wales.
  • Hugo Black and the judicial revolution / Gerald T Dunne. Inscribed "For Ruth Bryant with esteem and regards, Gerald T. Dunne St. Louis, Mo. July 2, 1971."
  • John Quincy Adams : "Old man eloquent" / by Bennett Champ Clark. Inscribed "yours very sincerely, Bennett Champ Clark. St. Louis, Mo. Dec. 20, 1932."
  • John Steuart Curry : inventing the Middle West / Patricia Junker ; with contributions by Henry Adams [and others].
  • Justice Joseph Story and the rise of the Supreme Court / [by] Gerald T. Dunne. Inscribed "For Ruth Bryant, Friend and co-worker, Who honors this book by placing it among her own. Gerald T. Dunne, St. Louis, Mo. June 15, 1971."
  • Kate Greenaway, a biography / Rodney Engen.
  • Kate Greenaway's almanack for 1891 / Kate Greenaway
  • Kate Greenaway's alphabet / Kate Greenaway
  • Language of flowers / Kate Greenaway
  • My dog Skip / Willie Morris. Signed by author.
  • New and collected poems / Richard Wilbur. Inscribed "For Ruth Bryant, Richard Wilbur 1989." Included with book and removed to archival materials: St. Louis Literary Award Citation and Presentation.
  • No certain rest : a novel / James Lehrer. Inscribed "To Ruth Bryant - [signature]."
  • Political fictions / Joan Didion. Inscribed "For Ruth - with thanks for giving me the political fiction I'll [signature] October 1 02"
  • Saint Joan: a chronicle play in six scenes and an epilogue / by Bernard Shaw.
  • The Art Deco Murals of Hildreth Meière / Catherine Coleman Brawer and Kathleen Murphy Skolnik ; principal photography by Hildreth Meière Dunn.
  • The bonfire of the vanities / Tom Wolfe. Signed by author. Included with book and removed to archival materials is St. Louis Literary Award Citation and Presentation ephemera.
  • The Downing Street years / Margaret Thatcher. Signed by the author. Included with book and removed to archival materials series are ephemera and photos related to the English-Speaking Union luncheon and discussion of Thatcher's book at The Drake Hotel, New York City.
  • The geography / Claudius Ptolemaeus ; translated and edited by Edward Luther Stevenson ; with an intro.. by Joseph Fischer
  • The intelligent woman's guide to socialism and capitalism / Bernard Shaw
  • The literary Churchill : author, reader, actor / Jonathan Rose. Inscribed "To Ruth - with gratitude and warmest admiration."
  • The making of a maverick monetary policymaker / Thomas C. Melzer
  • The Nagle journal : a diary of the life of Jacob Nagle, sailor, from the year 1775 to 1841 / Jacob Nagle; John C Dann. Inscribed "To Ruth Bryant With best wishes, John C. Dann May 28, 1994"
  • The piano lesson / by August Wilson. Inscribed "To Ruth - many thanks. With all the best wishes August Wilson.".
  • The picture of Dorian Gray / Oscar Wilde; Osbert Burdett; Henry Keen
  • The Sinews of peace / by Winston S. Churchill
  • The spirit level / Seamus Heaney. Inscribed "for Ruth Bryant with great affection and gratitude for your welcome to St. Louis. Seamus Heaney, 7 October 1998."
  • The White House; an historic guide / White House Historical Association.
  • The young Churchill : The early years of Winston Churchill / Celia Sandys. Inscribed "For Ruth Bryant with best wishes Celia Sandys. Fulton 9 March 1996" Included ephemera moved to archival materials series.
  • Undaunted courage : Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the opening of the American West / Stephen E Ambrose. Inscribed "For Ruth With heartfelt thanks for a grand day in St. Louis October 8, 1997. Happy Trails S. E. Ambrose." Includes photographs of Ruth and Stephen Ambrose, removed to archival file.
  • Winston and Clementine : the personal letters of the Churchill's / edited by their daughter Mary Soames. Inscribed "For Ruth Bryant, Mary Soames." Includes program for Racquet Club dinner, 1999-03-19, removed to archival materials series.
  • Winston Churchill : his life as a painter : a memoir by his daughter / Mary Soames ; with a foreword by Derek Hill. Inscribed "For Ruth Bryant, Mary Soames."
  • Winston Churchill : resolution, defiance, magnanimity, good will / R Crosby Kemper, III. Inscribed "For my friend and cultural mentor Ruth Bryant. Crosby Kemper."
  • Winston's war : Churchill, 1940-1945 / Max Hastings. Inscribed from the author.
  • (Woman) writer : occasions and opportunities / Joyce Carol Oates. Signed by author.
  • Vita and Harold : the letters of Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson / edited by Nigel Nicolson. "Inscribed for Ruth by Nigel Nicolson. Sissinghurst 22 July 1992."
  • White columns in Georgia. / Medora Field Perkerson. Signed by author.

Series 2: Archival Materials, 1990-2007 (1.5 Linear feet)

St. Louis Mercantile Library Records

  • Affiliation
  • Affiliation - correspondence
  • Affiliation documents - UMSL
  • Affiliation - president's plan
  • Affiliation - implementation plan
  • Affiliation - potential partners
  • Affiliation - presentations
  • Affiliation - publicity
  • Affiliation - proxy votes
  • Affiliation - UMSL agreement
  • Affiliation - UMSL documents
  • Analysis of Mercantile Library. 1995-04-03.
  • Annual elections. 1994.
  • Barriger Library
  • Bixby Book Club
  • Board of Direction. Minutes. 1989-05-08. 1989-11-13. 1991-01-23. 1992-02-10. 1992-03-09.
    1993-05-10. 1996-01-08. 1996-03-25. 1996-11-07.
  • Board of Governance and overview.
  • Board of Direction. Special board meeting. 1996-11-07.
  • Board of Direction and voting members. Special meeting for voting members. 1996-12-04.
  • Collections
  • Committees. Friends committee. Nominating committee. Planning committee. Steering committee.
  • Constitution
  • Financials
  • Loans (art)
  • Perpetual memberships
  • Rededication and opening
  • Ruth Bryant - correspondence

Ruth Bryant Records

  • Alliances Français. Convention and Annual Meeting (2006-10-25). Alliances Français, Le Magazine (Fall 2005, Summer 2006).
  • Alliances Français Saint Louis. A History.
  • Aliances Français. 1999 Gala.
  • Levitte, Jean-David (Ambassador of France)
  • Campbell, Robert. Images of the West 1830-1851.
  • Bourbon, Louis de. Alliances Français.
  • Center for French Colonial Studies. Annual conference 2014-10-12.
  • Painting of a Pastime: The paintings of Winston Churchill / text by Edwina Sandys.
  • Churchill, Winston - clippings, first day issue stamps, 'The Sinews of Peace' speech.
  • Churchill Memorial Kemper Lecture - 2011-03.
  • English-Speaking Union - visit of Prince Andrew
  • English-Speaking Union. Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Dinner. 2012-04-28.
  • English-Speaking Union. Queen Elizabeth II. Golden Jubilee.
  • English-Speaking Union. Margaret Thatcher. 1993-11-09.
  • English-Speaking Union. Prince Andrew, Duke of York. Speaking engagement, 2003-10-22.
  • th Anniversary Federal Reserve System: Working at the Board 1930s - 1970s.
  • Ces pionniers meconnus du Mississippi / Ericka Larsen. Geo Histoire.
  • Kemper Lecture. Roy Jenkins, 2002-03-16. Martin Gilbert, 2007-03-25.
  • St. Louis Literary Award. Correspondence to Tom Wolfe, Edward Albee, Ray Bradbury, Bernice Shepard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Harold Pinter. Listings of people considered for award.
  • St. Louis Literary Award. 1989 - Richard Wilbur. 1990 Tom Wolfe. 2002 - Joan Didion. Programs.
  • St. Louis Literary Award. Correspondence, publicity, and clippings regarding Gary Wills. Correspondence regarding V. S. Naipaul. Guidelines for Saint Louis Literary Award, 2000-02-08. Operational papers.
  • St. Louis Literary Award. Simon Schama, 2001. Programs, correspondence, clippings. Correspondence regarding Joan Didion, 2002 award winner.
  • St. Louis Literary Award. Correspondence, programs, and clippings regarding Margaret Drabble (2003), Tom Stoppard, Joan Didion (2002), V.S. Naipaul, Shelby Foote (1992), Eudora Welty (1983), Walker Percy.
  • Sigfried Sasson and the Great War: The Making of a War Poet / Dennis Silk.
  • Walsea, Lech. Invitation to dinner in honor of Lech Walsea at the University of Missouri, St. Louis, 1999-02-18.
  • Williams, Tennessee. Homily at the Funeral of Thomas Lanier (Tennessee) Williams. St. Louis Cathedral. March 5, 1983. Rev. Jerome F. Wilkerson, Ph.D., Pastor Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, St. Louis, Missouri.

Series 3: Art and Oversize

  • Design of a plaque for the Serres Linley Cabinet by David Linley Furniture. 152/250 Blenheim Palace.
  • Framed photograph of Ruth Bryant and Pat Nixon with accompanying letter by First Lady Nixon.
  • T.P. "Crane," 1991. Michael Marshall. Intaglio print on paper.
  • T.P. "Potion," 1991. Michael Marshall. Intaglio print on paper.