Joseph Halle Schaffner Collection in the History of Science and Medicine

Joseph Halle Schaffner (1897-1972) spent most of his life in his native Chicago as director of the clothing manufacturing firm Hart, Schaffner, and Marx. He formed several collections reflecting both literary and historical interests. His greatest collecting passion was the history of science, and he bequeathed to the University of Chicago an extraordinary collection of several hundred scientific and medical rare books and manuscripts.

Schaffner acquired fine copies of great books, many in contemporary or presentation bindings or from the libraries of great scientists. He relished the excitement of competing for a particularly rare item, especially since he was so often successful; and he exemplifies the zealous, generous bibliophile whose high standards and discriminating taste have enriched the holdings of American research libraries. Among the authors in philosophy, religion, and science represented in depth in the Schaffner rare book collection are Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, and Rene Descartes.

Schaffner's passion for collecting also resulted in the acquisition of some important manuscripts and correspondence of notable scientists. The Joseph Halle Schaffner collection of scientific manuscripts in the Special Collections Research Center is organized into the following four series:

• Madame Marie Curie Correspondence with Charlotte Kellogg and Curie Memorabilia
  
• Charles Darwin and Darwin Family Correspondence
  
• Albert Einstein-Walther Mayer Correspondence
  
• Sir Isaac Newton Collection
  

In 1977-1978, the Department of Special Collections produced an exhibition based on the Schaffner Collection. The catalogue of this exhibition, The Joseph Halle Schaffner Collection in the History of Science: A Selection Exhibited at the Jopseh Regenstein Library of the University of Chicago (University of Chicago Library, 1977), is available for sale from the Special Collections Research Center.

For further information on rare books or manuscripts in the Joseph Halle Schaffner Collection, please contact:

Special Collections Research Center
University of Chicago Library
1100 E. 57th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60637
SpecialCollections@lib.uchicago.edu.