Autograph Letter Collections
The letter collections consist primarily of letters to and from British and American literary, political and historical personalities. These manuscripts were donated by H. Jack Lang and Howard Garber as well as other collectors.
Howard J. Garber
Dr. Howard J. Garber's interest in history, particularly British royalty, led to his affinity for collecting over 2,000 autograph letters, documents and books. The collection focuses primarily on political, historical and literary figures in Great Britain and includes signatures of all the Prime Ministers and First Lords of the Treasury.
(.84 linear feet, dating 1750-1909)
Longtime Western Reserve University faculty member and administrator (1930-1967) who taught English, as well as being a collector of autographed letters.
(1.26 linear feet, dating 1695-1991)
Mr. H. Jack Lang was a well-known advertising executive and philanthropist in Cleveland, Ohio. He founded the H. Jack Lang Co. in 1932, which became Lang, Fisher and Stashower Inc. in 1937 and Liggett-Stashower in 1987. In 1934, he founded the Wolf Magazine of Letters, and edited it for 60 years. Mr. Lang also began to buy and collect original letters. He donated his collection (consisting of 49 letters) to Case Western Reserve University in 1977 and continued to make donations of letters until his death in 1996.