The Oscar Wilde holdings at the Clark Library are the largest and most significant in the world and include nearly every edition of every printed book by and about Wilde, in addition to a large number of his literary manuscripts and correspondence. The Library collects Wilde’s works in translation in as many languages as possible, as well as materials related to his wider social circle and the generations of artists, writers, and queer activists immediately before and after Wilde. Other collections are related to contemporary social movements, theater, bibliophilic clubs, and university life.

The Library’s collection of “Wildeiana” (works about or related to Wilde) consists of photographs, caricatures, portraits, news clippings, theater programs, sheet music, and other ephemeral and novelty items, which document Wilde’s continuing influence in popular culture. Forgeries of Wilde’s work also document the growing value of his work in the marketplace, as forgers, psychics, and others capitalized on his popularity in the 1920s. The Library has important collections of the forged works produced by several of his most prolific imitators and admirers. 

RESEARCH GUIDES

Archival Collections at the Clark Library

English and American Literature at the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library

LGBTQ+ Studies at the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library