The Morgan Library & Museum is the recipient of a generous gift from William Palmer Johnston of works by Herman Melville. One of the most wide-ranging and comprehensive collections of the author in print, the gift adds over two hundred works to an existing collection of rare Melvilliana at the Morgan that encompasses upwards of forty early and first editions, letters, and musical adaptations. Colin B. Bailey, Katharine J. Rayner Director, said, “Herman Melville is one of the most enduring and influential voices in American literature. Will Johnston's generous gift significantly enhances the Morgan ability to deepen the public's understanding ofthis remarkable author."

Jesse Erickson, Astor Curator of Printed Books and Bindings, said, “This gift positions the Morgan as a leading institution for Melville scholarship. We are thankful to Will Johnston for entrusting the Morgan with his incredible collection. I look forward to sharing the collection with the public in the years to come.”

Will Johnston said, “I am honored that my Melville Collection—decades in the gathering— has found a permanent home at the Morgan. It has been a delight working with Jesse Erickson and his colleagues to make the gift a reality.”

Alongside such authors as Hawthorne, Thoreau, and Stowe, Melville is one of the most important writers in the canon of American literature. From early sea romances like Typee and Omoo to such later stories and novels as The Piazza Tales (1855) and The Confidence Man (1857), Melville’s progression from an observational writer into an author who was more contemplative in his use of allegory are all
represented in the collection. This first-rate and extensively assembled collection offers a rich array of the breadth and scope of Melville’s many publications. Among the highlights are: a well preserved copy of the first American edition of Moby-Dick (1851); A deluxe edition of Moby-Dick illustrated by Barry Moser from Arion Press, complete with one hundred prints and ten drawings by Moser; Signed, original pen and ink illustrations done by Rockwell Kent for the Lakeside Press edition of Moby-Dick; Rare and important poetic works John Marr and Other Sailors (1888) and Timoleon (1891), each originally printed in editions of only twenty five copies; Periodical publications with Melville contributions, such as Harper’s New Monthly Magazine and Putnam’s Monthly, and the first editions of Typee (1846) and Pierre (1852).

Over the course of many years, Johnston built his impressive collection by focusing on key areas such as American first editions of all of Melville’s major titles, Melville’s poetry and shorter works, and works from more than a century of literary, biographical, and bibliographical scholarship on the author. Additionally, Johnston purchased a number of artistic and interpretive works, including well-known examples from the American fine press movement. Recently, Johnston curated the exhibition Melville’s Billy Budd at 100, a commemoration of the centenary of the posthumously published novella Billy Budd (1924), which was on view at the Grolier Club and Oberlin College Libraries in 2024.   

The Morgan Library & Museum is located at 225 Madison Avenue in New York City. For more information call: (212) 685-0008.