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Inside Spencer: The KSRL Blog

Books on a shelf

Welcome to the Kenneth Spencer Research Library blog! As the special collections and archives library at the University of Kansas, Spencer is home to remarkable and diverse collections of rare and unique items. Explore the blog to learn about the work we do and the materials we collect.

Rewritten and Retold: “Robyn Hode” at Spencer

July 24th, 2025

Robin Hood has long been a favorite research topic of mine, and upon arriving at Spencer I was interested to see what we have available. Within Special Collections, the offerings include 19th- and 20th-century printings of the iconic Howard Pyle The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (Call Number: Children C821), collections of extant ballads (Call Number: O’Hegarty A224), and even a time travel adventure by William Wu (Call Number: ASF B2119). While most of the library’s holdings are within the Children’s Collection, I was interested in looking at some of the oldest items.

The quest for the “real” Robin Hood is as never-ending as it is ambiguous; there are very few (if any) written records that would provide evidence for Robin Hood as a historical person. The legendary outlaw is, primarily, a legendary and even mythic figure, preserved in song and popular imagination throughout the centuries.

You may be familiar with A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode as being one of the oldest ballads relating to the titular outlaw. Several of the items here at Spencer feature Lytell Geste, which comprises either the entirety of the volume (Call Number: B2069) or includes it amongst a broader collection of ballads (Call Number: O’Hegarty A224). As I was looking through them, a few things stood out to me.

The oldest volume I looked at is a 1795 edition of Joseph Ritson’s volume Robin Hood: A Collection of All the Ancient Poems, Songs, and Ballads, Now Extant, Relative to that Celebrated English Outlaw (Call Number: C4323). The legend is largely credited to items recorded by either Wynken de Wode or William Copland, as you can see here in the introduction to Ritson’s recorded version of Lytell Geste.

This image has text, plus a black-and-white sketch of two men sitting under trees.
The introduction to Joseph Ritson’s 1795 Robin Hood. Call Number: C4323. Click image to enlarge.

While I had initially limited myself to looking at Lyttel Geste, and thought I might write primarily on the poem itself, I was immediately struck by the variance in prefatory materials between editions. Most notably, Ritson includes a detailed history of Robin Hood’s early life, as well as a family tree.

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Two pages of “notes and illustrations” from Joseph Ritson’s 1795 Robin Hood. Call Number: C4323. Click image to enlarge.

As you can see, Ritson’s accounting of the life of Robin Hood situates Robin as a member of the nobility, namely the Earl of Huntingdon. One might speculate on this rhetorical choice in light of contemporary events: Was there a need to firmly situate the image of the noble class as a champion of the common person in the wake of the American Revolution? We will likely never know, but Ritson’s scholarship on the subject gives us an interesting and valuable insight into ways in which the Robin Hood mythos has shifted over the years.

Indeed, every printing of Lyttel Geste that I looked at credits Ritson in some way. The volume at call number EPM X293 is an 1820 reprinting of Ritson’s seminal work, edited for younger readers and significantly shorter in length, and which also features a “family tree” of the Earl of Huntingdon.

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This image has text.
The preface (top) and Robin Hood’s pedigree (bottom) in an 1820 reprinting of Joseph Ritson’s Robin Hood. Call Number: EPM X293. Click images to enlarge.

The other major player in the printings I looked at is a scholar by the name of John Mathew Gutch, who reprinted Ritson’s Lyttel Geste text with some heavy revisions (Call Number: O’Hegarty A213). Gutch includes a version of Lyttel Geste that had been completely rewritten by the Rev. John Eagles, not only standardizing the spelling, but changing the language entirely.

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Joseph Ritson’s 1795 version of Lytell Geste, taken from manuscripts by Wynken de Worde and William Copland. Call Number: C4323. Click image to enlarge.
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John Mathew Gutch’s revised 1866 version, rewritten by Rev. John Eagles. Call Number: O’Hegarty A213. Click image to enlarge.

Gutch casts some aspersions on Ritson’s scholarship and provides an overview of the scholarship to date. While Gutch does not broadly contest Ritson’s claim to Robin Hood’s nobility, he takes issue with a few key points of Ritson’s argument. Namely, Gutch stipulates that Robin Hood must have been of Saxon descent rather than Norman. Gutch draws out the distinction between Norman King Richard and Saxon Robin Hood, quoting from antiquarian and fellow scholar M. Thierry as well as delving etymologically into the origins of Robin’s surname.

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Pages from John Mathew Gutch’s revised 1866 version, rewritten by Rev. John Eagles. Call Number: O’Hegarty A213. Click image to enlarge.

While I can’t speculate on the utility of Gutch drawing out this particular narrative thread during his contemporary setting, I can say that it is a rich insight into possible interpretations of the story. There is general agreement that Robin Hood’s narrative fits best into the latter half of the 12th century, during the Princes’ Crusade, during which there is a noted divide between the French-speaking Norman aristocracy and the English-speaking common people.

The story of Robin Hood has long been mutable, with its various written forms being complemented or augmented by a rich oral history that is, for obvious reasons, unavailable to us here at Spencer. As Gutch says, “the surprising adventures of this chief of bandits of the twelfth century, his victories over the men of foreign race, his stratagems and escapes, were long the only stock of national history that a plan Englishman of those ages transmitted to his sons, after receiving it from his forefathers.” Robin Hood continues to fascinate and charm even outside of the era of his origin.

I had initially thought that limiting myself to comparing variations between versions of a singular poem would be a small enough scope for a blog post. As so often happens, I was mistaken. Even looking at just four items, I uncovered a wealth of information to dive into and a thousand threads of inquiry to follow. If you, too, are an aspiring outlaw hobbyist, I encourage you to peruse the following items, both at Spencer and in the broader KU Libraries collection.  

Grace Brazell
Administrative Associate

Selected Further Reading at KU Libraries:

  • John Mathew Gutch’s scholarship on Robin Hood, 1847 (Call Number: PR2125 .G8)
  • Reading Robin Hood: Content, Form and Reception in the Outlaw Myth by Stephen Knight, 2015 (Call Number: PR2129 .K57 2015)
  • Images of Robin Hood: Medieval to Modern by Lois Potter, 2008 (Call Number: PR2129 .I63 2008)

Selected Further Reading at Spencer:

  • Headlong Hall. : Nightmare Abbey. ; Maid Marian. ; Crotchet Castle by Thomas Love Peacock, 1837 (Call Number: O’Hegarty B4480)
  • The English Archer; Or, Robert Earl of Huntingdon, Vulgarly Called Robin Hood, 1821, 1823 (Call Number: B1177)
  • The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood of Great Renown, in Nottinghamshire by Howard Pyle, 1940 (Call Number: Children C101)
  • Robin Hood and Little John or the Merry Men of Sherwood Forest by Pierce Egan, 1850 (Call Number: O’Hegarty D168)
  • Robin Hood and the Archers of Merrie Sherwood by George Emmett, approximately 1875 (Call Number: O’Hegarty D275)
  • Robin Hood and His Merry Foresters by Joseph Cundall, 1850 (Call Number: Children 1258A)

July Exhibit: Sigillum: Seals and the Making of Medieval Authority

July 17th, 2025

Kenneth Spencer Research Library’s current short-term exhibit explores some choice items from the library’s collection of medieval seals. This is a collaborative project put together by myself – Kaya Taylor – and my collaborator Eli Kumin, both of us long-time student workers here at the library.

Photograph of documents and labels in a glass enclosed exhibit case.
A view of the exhibit. Click image to enlarge.

Eli and I have cultivated a particular interest in medieval wax seals, spurred on by our work on a Sanders Scholar research project under the supervision of Dr. John McEwan. Beginning in September 2024, we spent the project exploring the Abbey Dore collection (Call Number: MS Q80) at Spencer, given the remarkably well-preserved seals and documents dating back from the 12th and 13th centuries. As the project came to a close in May 2025, Eli and I realized that we could memorialize our work and interests in the form of an exhibit case. Titled Sigillum, it is our way of giving others a look into these fascinating and unique pieces of history, here to be enjoyed roughly 4,000 miles away from where they originated.

The overarching narrative of the Abbey Dore collection is one of property and the interplay between royal and religious power in the medieval period. The language used in the documents points to the exchange of land for the salvation of the donors and their loved ones, e.g. “for her soul and the soul of Madoc [her husband]” (Call Number: MS Q80:13).

Visitors may notice there is one document unlike the others in the exhibit case, labeled “land conveyance of Sir Roger Lasceles to his four daughters” (Call Number: MS C150). Although separate from the Abbey Dore collection, this document is included because it’s a particular favorite of ours and it boasts several unique qualities: a chirograph edge and three intact seals with very clear impressions. We chose to include it at the starting point of the exhibit because of its eye-catching quality, pulling visitors into the discussion of further seals and documents within the case.

Large handwritten document with wavy edges and three seals attached at the bottom.
A legal agreement, dated 1301-1302, whereby the lands of Sir Roger Lasceles are divided amongst his four daughters. Call Number: MS C150. Click image to enlarge.

Although Eli and I came to know the Abbey Dore collection very well over time, we still felt a bit confused as to the relative geography of the Welsh Marches and the locations mentioned in the collection. We felt that visitors could benefit from seeing a map of the region, and so we resolved to make one that centered the relevant places and landmarks stretching across the Welsh-English border. Ultimately, we used ArcGIS software to put together the map seen in the exhibit.

Simple map showing Dore Abbey and some nearby towns in Herefordshire and Monmouthshire.
Our ArcGIS map of the Welsh-English border. Click image to enlarge.

We hope that Sigillum gives visitors a chance to appreciate not just the wax seals themselves, but the real human stories that stand behind them. We are excited to offer this glimpse into the medieval past, and grateful for the opportunity to bring these objects to light at Kenneth Spencer Research Library.

Sigillum: Seals and the Making of Medieval Authority is free and open to the public in Spencer’s North Gallery through July 31st.

Kaya Taylor and Eli Kumin
Public Services student assistants
KU Libraries Sanders Scholars 2024-2025

The Magic of Children’s Classic Books: Treasure Island Edition

June 2nd, 2025

Well-loved children’s books spark the magic from the thrill of adventure to imagination of far-off, enchanted places. Beloved by generations, children’s classic stories remain with us throughout life, whether it’s re-reading childhood favorites or sharing our most loved stories with young people in our lives. These classics ignite imaginations and impart timeless lessons. They become some of our most cherished friends that stay with us throughout our lives.

Spencer Research Library has a vast children’s book collection to be explored. Some works have multiple editions published throughout the years. Different editions often have different illustrations, annotations, and even adaptations. This is the first post in a series highlighting various children’s book titles in Spencer’s holdings. First up, we bring you Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Black-and-white photograph of a man and boy looking at a large map.
Movie still from MGM’s adaptation of Treasure Island from the 1934 Grosset & Dunlap edition. Call Number: Children 5948. Click image to enlarge.

Spencer Research Library has seven holdings of Treasure Island. The publisher, publication date, and call number of each volume are listed below:

  • Cassell & Company, Limited: London, Paris, New York & Melbourne, 1886 (O’Hegarty B2959).
  • Scribner’s Sons: New York, 1913 (SC Annex 326).
  • Rand McNally: New York and Chicago, copyrighted 1916, published 1928 (Children C623).
  • Grosset & Dunlap: New York, 1934? (Children 5948).
  • Limited Editions Club: New York, 1941 (D7309).
  • Award Books: New York, 195-? (Children B2846).
  • Franklin Watts: New York, 1964 (C18419).

This introduction appears in most editions of the book:

To the Hesitating Purchaser

If sailor tales to sailor tunes,
Storm and adventure, heat and cold,
If schooners, islands, and maroons
And Buccaneers and buried Gold,
And all the old romance, retold
Exactly in the ancient way,
Can please, as me they pleased of old,
The wiser youngsters of to-day:

–So be it, and fall on! If not,
If studious youth no longer crave,
His ancient appetites forgot,
Kingston, or Ballantyne the brave,
Or Cooper of the wood and wave:
So be it also! And may I
And all my pirates share the grave
Where these and their creations lie!

The first edition of Treasure Island – published by Cassell & Company in 1883 – featured no illustrations. Three years later, the publisher released a new edition with 18 pages of illustrations and 26 leaves of plates.

Scenes from Treasure Island depicted in black-and-white sketches with the book's title.
Frontispiece illustration from the 1886 Cassell & Company edition of Treasure Island. Call Number: O’Hegarty B2959. Click image to enlarge.

Maps of the island do not appear in every edition. Those that are included vary in detail, from topography and landmark descriptions.

Black-and-white map.
Map of Treasure Island from the 1886 Cassell & Company edition. Call Number: O’Hegarty B2959. Click image to enlarge.
Color map of Treasure Island, with the "bulk of treasure here" marked with a red "x" and a rainbow.
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Color map of "the island from the West."
Maps of Treasure Island in the 1941 Limited Editions Club version of the novel. Call Number: D7309. Click image to enlarge.

The 1941 edition of Treasure Island, published by the Limited Editions Club, was limited to 1,500 copies.  Spencer Library’s edition is numbered 1,426. Colored Illustrations signed by Edward A. Wilson – which includes a signed lithograph of Long John Silver – and the unique binding of dark blue sailcloth and gold-stamped red leather spine label makes this edition a highly sought collectible.

Black-and-white illustration of the pirate with a parrot on his shoulder and a pistol in his hand.
Signed lithograph of Long John Silver in the 1941 Limited Editions Club version of Treasure Island. Call Number: D7309. Click image to enlarge.

Rand McNally published several editions of Treasure Island over the years. Kenneth Spencer Research Library holdings include a 1928 edition copyrighted in 1916. This edition features a durable hardback binding with full-page color illustrations along with black and white drawings. 

Color illustration of a pirate walking aggressively and holding a large knife.
Cover illustration from the 1928 Rand McNally edition of Treasure Island. Call Number: Children C623. Click image to enlarge.

Details are scarce for many cover images. Several editions from this period featured Jim Hawkins or Long John Silver, given their key roles in the story. 

Meredith Phares
Operations Manager

That’s Distinctive!: Famous Monsters of Filmland

October 29th, 2024

Check the blog each Friday for a new “That’s Distinctive!” post. I created this series to provide a lighthearted glimpse into the diverse and unique items at Spencer. “That’s Distinctive!” is meant to show that the library has something for everyone regardless of interest. If you have suggested topics for a future item feature or questions about the collections, you can leave a comment at the bottom of this page. All collections, including those highlighted on the blog, are available for members of the public to explore in the Reading Room during regular hours.

For one final installment of spooky October, I am sharing an item from the library’s science fiction holdings within Special Collections. This week I am highlighting select covers of Famous Monsters of Filmland. Published from 1958 to 1983, the magazine “offered brief articles, well-illustrated with publicity stills and graphic artwork, on horror movies from the silent era to the current date of publication, their stars and filmmakers.” Editor Forest J. Ackerman was a leading figure in science fiction and horror fandom as well as a science fiction writer and editor. The back of issue #158 of the magazine includes “home movies so ghastly you will be astonished,” “deluxe latex rubber whole head masks,” and lists of books and other magazines being printed at the time. One article is titled “You Scream as They Leap from the Screen Horror from the Third Dimension,” and it covers the use of 3-D in films and television. Per Wikipedia, the success of Famous Monsters of Filmland “inspired the creation of many other similar publications, including Castle of Frankenstein, Cinefantastique, Fangoria, The Monster Times, and Video Watchdog.”  Some full issues of the magazine can be found on the Famous Monsters of Filmland website.

The covers shown today highlight films such as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, King Kong, Mr. Sardonicus, and Superman. I’m pretty sure I stumbled upon this collection by literally searching for “monsters” in the KU Libraries online catalog when looking for items to highlight in October. When the students brought the issues to me, there was quite a selection to choose from, which always makes my decision harder. Generally, in cases like that, I choose at random what to show.

It is always sad for me to see October come to a close. With the end of spooky season, I hope the items I have chosen to highlight this year have helped share more insights to the collections Spencer houses.

Color illustration of King Kong standing on buildings in a city, fighting airplanes with a woman in his hand.
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Smiling monster man in a suit with the words "King Kong's Colorful Crash, Lugosi's Transylvania Trip, Mr. Sardonicus Grins Again, Renfield Revisited at Last."
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A creature from Star Wars with the text "Enter Our Fabulous Star Wars $1000 Contest!"
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Superman plus characters from Lord of the Rings, Galactica, and Star Wars.
Front covers of Famous Monsters of Filmland from (top to bottom) May 1976, July 1976, September 1978, and March 1979. Call Number: ASF CURR D82. Click images to enlarge.

Tiffany McIntosh
Public Services

That’s Distinctive!: Demons, Imps, and Fiends

October 25th, 2024

Check the blog each Friday for a new “That’s Distinctive!” post. I created this series to provide a lighthearted glimpse into the diverse and unique items at Spencer. “That’s Distinctive!” is meant to show that the library has something for everyone regardless of interest. If you have suggested topics for a future item feature or questions about the collections, you can leave a comment at the bottom of this page. All collections, including those highlighted on the blog, are available for members of the public to explore in the Reading Room during regular hours.

Continuing on with our spooky theme for the month of October, this week on That’s Distinctive! I am sharing select pages from Demons, Imps & Fiends: Drawings by Leonard Baskin. If you were around last year, you might recall that I shared Imps, Demons, Hobgoblins, Witches, Fairies & Elves – another work authored by Baskin.

The work shared today consists of 21 unnumbered leaves bearing drawings of various creatures. It was published by the Gehenna Press. Established by Baskin in 1942 while he was a student at Yale, Gehenna was one of the first fine arts presses in the U.S. Only 450 copies of Demons, Imps & Fiends: Drawings were printed, with Spencer holding the 116th copy. I was excited to pull this item because Baskin’s book that I highlighted last year was one of my favorites. There is something about his illustrations that pulls the viewer in yet leaves something to the imagination. Each illustration has its own quirks and character which I really think brings them to life. This volume is one of over 150 Baskin-related items donated to Spencer Research Library by the collector John C. English.

Black-and-white sketch of a male goblin in profile. He has a a large nose, webbed hands with pointed finger nails, and what appears to be a small tail.
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Black-and-white sketch of a creature standing on two legs. He appears to be covered or made of twigs or something of a similar shape.
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Black-and-white sketch of a face under a tall and pointed black hat.
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Black-and-white sketch of a small creature peeking out from inside what appears to be a large black coat.
Selected pages from Demons, Imps & Fiends: Drawings by Leonard Baskin, 1976. Call Number: D7425. Click image to enlarge.

Tiffany McIntosh
Public Services