FISKE DANIEL WILLARD: (1831-1904) Lot n° 577

FISKE DANIEL WILLARD: (1831-1904) American Librarian and Scholar. University Librarian of Cornell University. Co-founder of the first American Chess Congress in 1857. An excellent A.L.S., `(Prof.) W. Fiske´, one page, 8vo, Via Aretina, Florence, 7th August 1884, to the Modena librarian, Signor Bibliotecario della Biblioteca Estense, Modena, in Italian. To an Italian postcard, Cartolina Postale, Fiske refers to Petrarca´s works and states in part `Would you have the kindness to tell me the name (and surname) of the editor of the opuscule Strenna filologica modenese for the year 1863. Modena tip. of the Immaculate Conception. 1862..and specially the name of the author of the article about the subjects related to Petrarca.´ further saying `I do not know if the library had received a copy of my small catalogue about Petrarca. If not, it will be a pleasure to send it again to you.´ Following the Great Will Case resolution, Fiske spent much of his remaining years in Italy, collecting manuscripts. Postmarked. VG £250-350 Fiske married Jennie McGraw, daughter of timber magnate John McGraw. Upon Jennie´s death from tuberculosis, only a year after marriage, Fiske got involved in what was called ''The Great Will Case'' related to Jennie´s will bequest. Fiske donated thousands of volumes to Cornell, including a 1536 edition of the Divine Comedy, and a Dante collection. Upon his death, Fiske left a bequest of 32 thousand volumes to Cornell along with funds that he had received from Jennie´s estate. He is buried next to his wife in the crypt of Sage Chapel at Cornell University.