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Robert Payne Collection
Collection 293

Introduction

Pierre Stephen Robert Payne (December 4, 1911-March 3, 1983), was a distinguished writer, whose works include novels and non-fiction, biography and poetry, translation and short stories.

In the early 1970s, the Special Collections department was contacted by Lew D. Feldman, proprietor of the House of El Dieff, a well-known bookseller and manuscript appraiser. Feldman inquired, on behalf of Robert Payne, if the Special Collections department would be interested in receiving donations of books that had served as research materials for Payne. The offer was accepted and large contributions of books were received in the 1970s. These titles were cataloged and distributed between the Main Stacks and Special Collections. 

In 1983 and 1986, Special Collections received through a bequest and a gift from Robert and Sheila Payne an extensive archive of Payne's manuscripts, drafts, galleys, literary notebooks, diaries, correspondence, research files, and collections of books from his working library.