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Faxon, Charles Edward, 1846-1918. Papers of Charles Edward Faxon, 1882-1918: A Finding Aid.

Arnold Arboretum Archives, Jamaica Plain
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
September 1999

© 2002 The President and Fellows of Harvard College

Descriptive Summary

Repository: Arnold Arboretum Archives of Harvard University, Jamaica Plain, MA
Call No.: ARCHIVES II C-3 CEF
Creator: Faxon, Charles Edward, 1846-1918.
Title: Papers, 1882-1918.
Quantity: One archival box, 11 boxed sets of botanical illustrations, and 42 bound volumes, which total 11 linear feet.

Processing Information:

Processed: September 1999.

Acquisition Information:

The majority of the Charles Edward Faxon archives were acquired during his tenure as a staff member of the Arnold Arboretum.
The HOLLIS # for this collection is 008313284 and the file name is ajp00008.

Access Restrictions:

Researchers seeking to examine archival materials are strongly encouraged to make an appointment. The Director, or an office of origin, may place restrictions on the use of some or all of its records. The extent and length of the restriction will be determined by the Director, office of origin, and the Archivist and will be enforced equally for all researchers.

Use Restrictions:

The copyright is held by The President and Fellows of Harvard College for the Arnold Arboretum Archives of Harvard University. The copyright on some materials in the collection may be held by the original author or the author's heirs or assigns. Researchers are responsible for obtaining written permission from the holder(s) of copyright and the Arnold Arboretum Archives prior to publishing any quotations or images from materials in this collection.
Photocopies may be made at the discretion of the Arnold Arboretum Archives staff. Permission to make photocopies does not constitute permission to reproduce or publish materials outside the bounds of the fair use guidelines.

Arrangement

Historical Note

Charles Edward Faxon 1846-1918.
"Mr. Faxon joined the staff of the Arnold Arboretum in May, 1882, to take charge of the library and herbarium, which he managed successfully until his death [February 6, 1918] and which he saw grow from insignificance to importance. For these duties he was equipped with a critical knowledge of the New England flora and a facility for acquiring languages which enabled him to read currently those of nearly every country of Europe. It is, however, as a botanical draftsman that Faxon is most distinguished. During his connection with the Arboretum 1,920 of his drawings were published. With few exceptions they illustrate works on trees which have been prepared here. His drawings unite botanical accuracy with graceful composition, and the skill of his pencil has placed him among the few great masters of his art whose names will live as long as plants are studied.”
From Charles Sprague Sargent Annual Report of the Arnold Arboretum, 1918.
In his review of The Silva of North America, John Muir wrote of Faxon’s work
"At the first glance through the book, everyone must admire the fullness and beauty of the plates. They were made in Paris, from drawings from life, by Faxon, the foremost botanical artist in America‥. these are so tellingly drawn and arranged, [that] any one with the slightest smattering of botany is enabled to identify each tree, even without referring to the text.”
From John Muir, "Sargent’s Silva” Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 92, July 1903.
Born on January 21, 1846, in a home that was within walking distance of the Arboretum, Charles Edward Faxon was educated at the local public schools, and lived and worked in Jamaica Plain his entire life. He was graduated as a civil Engineer in 1867 from theLawrence Scientific School in Cambridge and was an Instructor in Botany at the Bussey Institution from 1879-1884. In the spring of 1882, he was asked by Charles Sprague Sargent to join the staff of the Arnold Arboretum and retained his position until his death. Sargent, the first Director of the Arboretum, had just undertaken the monumental task of preparing a Silva of North America. Faxon not only took charge of the development of the library and herbarium, but began working on the drawings for the Silva. Faxon was to spend the next twenty-one years engaged in the project eventually drawing seven hundred and forty-four plates to illustrate The Silva of North America. In addition to these drawings, Faxon prepared six hundred and forty-four illustrations for the Manual of the Trees of North America (exclusive of Mexico), two hundred and eighty-five for Garden and Forest, an additional two hundred for Trees and Shrubs, and seventeen for the Forest Flora of Japan.

Scope and Content

Charles Edward Faxon’s papers span the years of his Arboretum career and include original drawings and published plates, which make up the majority of the collection. His archive also includes biographical material and obituaries, several black and white photographic portraits, and a small amount of correspondence directed primarily to Arboretum colleagues or in reply to individuals seeking plant material identification. Included in the correspondence is an unauthored, undated, handwritten list of publications in which his drawings appeared.

Other Descriptive Data

A Faxon archival collection is also held at the Botany Libraries.

Container List


ajp00008