Descriptive Summary
	Creator:	Ralph Adimari
	Title:	The Ralph Adimari Papers
	Dates:	1931-1970 (Bulk 1957-1964)
	Abstract:	Ralph T. Adimari (1902-1970) was an editor, researcher, and historian of the dime novel, a class of popular fiction that thrived in the mid to late nineteenth century and into the early twentieth. The Ralph Adimari Papers contain records of Adimari's research, including correspondence, notebooks, clippings, photographs, and ephemera.
	Quantity:	1 linear foot in three boxes
	Call Phrase:	MSS 28A

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Biographical Note

Ralph T. Adimari (1902-1970) was an editor, researcher, and historian of the dime novel, a class of popular fiction that thrived in the mid to late nineteenth century and into the twentieth. The term "dime novels" refers to inexpensive, cheaply produced paperbacks and serials, often romance, adventure, westerns, or detective stories. A prodigious collector, Adimari did extensive research on dime novels, and published many articles in Dime Novel Round-Up before 1940, and at least 20 articles between 1954 and 1964. He also wrote a piece titled "Saga of a Dime Novelist" which appeared in American Book Collector in early 1935. Through correspondence with fellow dime novel historian and DNRU editor Ralph F. Cummings, Adimari acquired the letters and notebooks of William J. Benners (1863-1940), a dime novel historian, author, and agent, and wrote a biography of Benners for the DNRU. Building upon Benners's work identifying dime novel authors, Adimari compiled detailed lists of authors and pseudonyms, titles, and publishers, definitively solving several mysteries about dime novel authorship.

Adimari was born Raphael Adimare on October 19, 1902. He lived in the New York City area for most of his life, including Mount Vernon and Suffolk. In addition to his work on dime novels, he co-edited a 1936 collection of Walt Whitman's essays, titled New York Dissected. Adimari died November 1970 in Suffolk, New York.

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Scope and Content Note

The Ralph Adimari Papers contain correspondence from fellow dime novel collectors and historians, including Edward G. Levy, Dr. Albert Johannsen, Dime Novel Round-Up editors Edward T. LeBlanc and Ralph Cummings, the latter from whom Adimari acquired William Benners's papers, and writers including Col. Charles D. Randolph, aka "Buckskin Bill," known for his dime-novel and Western themed poetry. Also included are notebooks of research, manuscripts, newspaper clippings related to dime novel authors, photographs, and Victoriana. The William J. Benners Papers, also housed in Fales, includes several of Benners's notebooks that were subsequently used and annotated by Adimari.

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Arrangement
	Series IA consists of correspondence. Material is arranged into folders alphabetically by correspondent; within each folder the letters are arranged chronologically. Series IB consists of notebooks, manuscripts, clippings, photographs, and other miscellany.

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Related Material at Fales Library and Special Collections

Levy Dime Novel Collection

William J. Benners Papers

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Separated Material

There is no information about materials that are associated by provenance to the described materials that have been physically separated or removed.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Open to researchers. Appointments are necessary to consult archive and manuscript materials.

Use Restrictions

Collection use is subject to all copyright laws. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Director of Fales Library and Special Collections. For more information, contact

Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 998-2596
Fax: (212) 995-3835
Email: fales.library@nyu.edu
URL: http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/fales/cdfa.htm

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Access Points
	Subject Names:
		Benners, William J.
		Cummings, Ralph F., 1898-
		Johannsen, Albert, 1871-1962
		LeBlanc, Edward T.
		Leithead, J. Edward.
		Levy, Edward G.
		Randolph, Charles D.
	Subject Topics:
		Adventure stories, American
		American fiction -- 19th century
		American fiction -- 20th century
		Dime novels
		Popular literature -- United States
		Victoriana
	Document Types:
		Clippings
		Manuscripts
		Notebooks
		Personal correspondence
		Personal papers
		Photographs
		Visiting cards

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Administrative Information

Provenance

Ralph Adimari sold parts of his collection of dime novels and research material, including the William J. Benners Papers, to Edward G. Levy beginning in 1964. Levy, the dime novel collector and historian, donated the Ralph Adimari Papers to Fales in 1965-1966.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date (if known); Ralph Adimari Papers; MSS 28A; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University Libraries.

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Container List

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series I A: Correspondence, 1931-1970.
Scope and Content: Correspondence to and from individuals, including authors, relating to Adimari's dime novel research.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	Cummings, Ralph G.	1957-1963
		Includes 1962 letter from Cummings on Benners's stationary.
1	2	Guinon, J.P.	1961-1963
1	3	Johannsen, Albert	1950-1962
1	4	LeBlanc, Edward T.	1956-1963
1	5	Leithead, J. Edward	1958-1963
1	6	Levy, Edward G.	1964-1970
		Includes letters from Adimari to Levy and biographical information about Levy.
1	7	Randolph, Charles D. aka "Buckskin Bill"	1962
1	8	Van Devier, Roy B.	1955-1961
1	9	Willson, Frank C.	1958-1960
1	10	Miscellaneous	1931-1961

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Series I B: Notebooks, loose notes, lists, manuscripts, photos, Victoriana, printed material.
Scope and Content: Extensive notes on the history of dime novels; lists of dime novel titles, authors, pseudonyms, and publishers; printed material and other ephemera related to Adimari's research; Adimari's biography of William J. Benners in Dime Novel Round-up.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	1	N otes	n.d.
		A collection of loose notes on Dime Novel authors.
2	2	Notebook	n.d.
		Marble composition book "I" contains bibliographical lists and notes on various publications.
2	3	Notes	n.d.
		A collection of notes transcribed "from the William James Benners Jr. collection owned by Ralph F. Cummings."
2	4	Notebook, "Cushing -- Pseudonyms + More Notes"	n.d.
		Composition book contains notes on William Cushing's Initials and Pseudonyms: A Dictionary of Literary Disguises.
2	5	Notebook, "Dime Novel Notes"	n.d.
		Memorandum book contains notes on Dime Novels and authors, arranged alphabetically.
2	6	Notebook, "Literary Notes + Alger Notes"	n.d.
		Notebook contains author and pseudonym lists, notes by William Benners, and other research.
2	7	Notebook and loose notes	n.d.
		Marble composition book "II" contains notes on various publications, especially the New York Dramatic Mirror and notes labeled "Miscellaneous." Two newspaper clippings are pasted in the book. Loose pages include notes on the Mirror"continued from composition book," various publication checklists, and other research.
2	8	Non-Dime Novel Notes	n.d.
		A collection of loose notes.
2	9A	Notebook	n.d.
		"Penmark" marble composition book labeled "Ledger Serials" contains miscellaneous notes on serials and authors.
2	9B	Notebook	n.d.
		"Giant" composition book contains notes on various publications.
2	9C	Notebook	n.d.
		"Penmark" marble composition book labeled "Book Reviews."
2	10A	Loose notes	n.d.
		A collection of notes labeled "Dime Novel Notes + Boys' Serials."
2	10B	Notebook	n.d.
		Memo book labeled "First Notes" on one cover, and "Miscellaneous" on the other.
2	10C	Notebook	n.d.
		Memo book labeled "Miscellany / Not Dime Novel" contains miscellaneous notes.
2	11	Manuscripts	n.d.
2	12	Photographs	n.d.
2	13	Victoriana	n.d.
		Calling cards, Christmas cards, etc.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	1	Notes	n.d.
		Miscellaneous notes, some on legal-size paper.
3	2	Lists	n.d.
		Type- and handwritten lists of: William Benners's correspondents; Benners's works; publications; pseudonym identifications.
3	3A	Newspaper clippings	1922-1962
		Photocopies of newspaper clippings re: authors A-K, including Benners.
3	3B	Newspaper clippings	1926-1962
		Photocopies of newspaper clippings re: authors L-Z.
3	4	Newspaper clippings	1963, n.d.
		Newspaper clippings, including lists of the Pinkerton Detective Series (Laird and Lee), Ten- and Twenty-Cent Novelettes, Threepenny Novels, and Beadle's Dime Library.
3	5	Printed materials	n.d.
		Three pieces of printed material: (1) flyer for upcoming serials in National Farmer and Home Magazine; (2) flyer for Mrs. George Sheldon Downs' "Love and Beauty, or, the Heiress of Dunleigh," published by William Benners for his Constance Library imprint, including blurbs by Benners; (3) folder for Dime Novel Club facsimile reprint no. 6A, 1945.
3	6	Printed material: Dime Novel Round-Up, Vol. 26, No. 9	1958
		Features Adimari's biography of William J. Benners.

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