Edgar Allan Poe in Special Collections

Poe is a perennial literary favorite at Halloween time, and Special Collections is a great place to come if you’re looking for your fill of his creepy tales and poems. The Rare Book Collection contains first printings of tales like “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Tell-tale Heart” in our 19th century American periodicals, and one of the first printings of “The Raven” (in The American Review, vol. 1 issue 2; call number: Vault Collection 813.38 R196a 1845). “The Raven” anchors Poe’s first published book of poems (call number: Vault Collection 813.38 R196w 1845) and has inspired many book artists and illustrators. This image is from one of our favorites, issued by the Cheloniidae Press in 1980 (call number: Vault Collection C419 1980).