MacPherson family papers, photographs and realia, including material relating to The Donald MacPherson Collection of Art and Literature bequest, 1838-1950

fonds

1838-1950

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Objects, Photographs

872712

0.15 metres of textual material
9 photographs
4 objects

The Donald MacPherson Collection of Art and Literature is a special collection within the State Library of New South Wales. This bequest was given by the Misses Margaret and Elizabeth MacPherson in honour of their grandfather, Donald MacPherson, a schoolteacher who migrated from Scotland to Australia in 1838. The collection's areas of strength are rare or special editions of literary works, books printed by artists and material reflecting the history of printing, book design and illustration. The nucleus of the bequest was 191 volumes received by the Library in 1945. Funds were provided for the Library to purchase books of literature, about literature and fine arts. Each book purchased bears a special bookplate featuring the MacPherson coat of arms.

References:

Library correspondence file
Margaret MacPherson (1875-1956), pharmacist and benefactress. Australian Dictionary of Biography Online. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/ (accessed August 28, 2009)
Early women pharmacists of New South Wales / by Elizabeth Wunsch in The Australasian Journal of Pharmacy, November 30, 1964 pp. 899-902

The collection consists of papers, photographs and realia of the MacPherson family and material relating to the Donald MacPherson bequest, including Margaret and Elizabeth’s correspondence with W.H. Ifould, Principal Librarian at the State Library of New South Wales.

SERIES 01
MacPherson family papers including papers relating to the Donald MacPherson collection of Art and Literature bequest, 1838-1950

SERIES 02
MacPherson family photographs of a homestead and farming activities, ca. 1900

SERIES 03
MacPherson family realia including a silver snuff box presented to Donald MacPherson in 1854 and copper engraving for `The Donald MacPherson collection of Literature and Art' bookplate, 1947?

Collection arranged and described by Eleanor Christofides, for the internship component of the Master of Museum Studies course, University of Sydney, June-July 2009

Papers, photographs and realia transferred from Rare Books, Donald MacPherson Collection of Art and Literature, July 2009

Books held in the MacPherson collection are available by searching the online catalogue of published items under the subject heading: Donald MacPherson Collection of Art and Literature