David A. Harper

I began collecting after attending a course or two at the Rare Book School at UVA, where my interest in archival research was not sparked, but ignited. I began by collecting works I use in my research and teaching as Head of the English & Philosophy Department at West Point. Early eighteenth-century editions of John Milton’s works were my first purchases, to include Elijah Fenton’s 1725 edition and Richard Bentley’s infamous 1731 edition. I chose to share my 1695 edition of Milton’s Works here because it contains the first Annotations upon Paradise Lost. I referred to this edition as I researched the author of annotations and correctly identified this important founder of English literary scholarship.

Later, as I became more interested in printing and dabbled in printing on my own, I discovered fine press editions of Milton. The jewel of my collection thus far is the Doves Paradise Lost on vellum displayed here, but I own a variety of fine press and rare editions of this poem as well as Milton’s other works (particularly Areopagitica).

My collecting focus continues to be fine and rare books by and concerning Milton, but I also have a collection of association copies from authors who have spoken to our cadets at West Point (to include Toni Morrison, Ta-nehisi Coates, and even Francis Ford Coppola). The collateral benefits to collecting have been worldwide connections in the book trade and new ways to enrich the education of my students and myself.