Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Works - the Casket and Graham's Magazine (periodical)

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The Casket was purchased by George Rex Graham and merged with Burton's Gentleman's Magazine at the end of 1840 to form Graham's Magazine. In doing so, it retained the volume numeration of the Casket.

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The Casket and Graham's Magazine (Philadelphia, PA)

Poe's Writings in the Casket

Poe's Writings in Graham's Magazine

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Description:

Poe officially joined the staff of Burton's Gentleman's Magazine about the middle of May, 1839. An annoucement appears on the back cover of the June issue: “William E. Burton, Editor and Proprietor, has much pleasure in stating that he has made arrangements with Edgar A. Poe, Esq., late Editor of the Southern Literary Messenger, to devote his abilities and experience to a portion of the Editorial duties of the Gentleman's Magazine.”

Full Title: The Casket, Flowers of Literature, Wit and Sentiment (1826-1838) also Atkinson's Casket or Gems of Literature, Wit and Sentiment (1826-January 1827, and 1831-April 1839) The Casket and Philadelphia Monthly Magazine (1839-1840) Graham's Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine (1841-1842, and July 1843 - June 1844) Graham's Magazine of Literature and Art (January 1844 - June 1844) Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature and Art (July 1848 - June 1856) Graham's Illustrated Magazine of Literature, Romance, Art, and Fashion (July 1856 - 1858)

Issued: The Casket: Vols. I-XVII (January 1826 - December 1840) Graham's Magazine: Vols. XVIII-LIII (January 1841 - December 1858)

Editor(s): The Casket: Samuel C. Atkinson and Charles Alexander; Graham's Magazine:

Publisher(s): George Rex Graham

Location: Philadelphia, PA

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Bibliographic data:

Issued in illustrated paper wrappers, generally a yellow or tan color. Most surviving copies were accumulated into full volumes, and rebound in cloth or leather.

An interesting note at the end of the January 1844 issue of Graham's Magazine reads, “Nothing that money can do shall be spared to maintain the high literary reputation Graham's Magazine has acquired both in this country and in Europe. Our finest articles are copied abroad each month with high praise, and occasionally stolen without credit” (p. 48). A facsimile of the Casket and Graham's was printed by AMS Press in 1968.

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Census of Copies:

There are many copies of both the Casket and Graham's Magazine, although Poe-related issues in the original paper wrappers are quite rare.

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Bibliography:

Heartman, Charles F. and James R. Canny, A Bibliography of First Printings of the Writings of Edgar Allan Poe, Hattiesburg, Mississippi: The Book Farm, 1943, pp. 201-211.
Hull, William Doyle, A Canon of the Critical Works of Edgar Allan Poe, With a Study of Poe as Editor and Reviewer, unpublished doctoral dissertation, The University of Virginia, 1941.
Mott, Frank Luther, “Graham's Magazine, and The Casket,” A History of American Magazines, pp. 544-555.
Phillips, Mary E., Edgar Allan Poe the Man, Chicago: John C. Winston Co., 2 vols, 1926, p. 640-649 (and numerous other references).
Quinn, Arthur H., “At the Summit — The Editor of Graham's Magazine,” Edgar Allan Poe, A Critical Biography, 1941, pp. 309-345 (and numerous other references).

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