Jenny Lind Collection
Scope and Contents
The correspondence of Ragnar Cederlund occupies two boxes and is arranged by date. The secondary sources he collected occupies two boxes and is arranged by date or last name, depending on the subject of the folder.
Box 1 contains eleven folders with correspondence from 1930-1935. Included are letters from Robert Ball Nachf, C. Holmberg, L. Westervelt, D. Holmbergs Mynthandel, Forest H. Sweet, Heinrich Tiedemann, and the American Numismatic Association, who all regularly corresponded with Cederlund regarding the acquisition of Lindiana. Folder 4 contains a photograph of Margaret Badollet Shotwell’s Jenny Lind memorabilia, and a photograph of a painting of her daughter at the piano. Folders 6, 8 and 9 contain performance programs or photocopies of newspaper clippings pertaining to early 20th-century soprano, Marie Sidenius Zendt, who interpreted Jenny Lind’s songs in her performances. Folder 7 contains a single scrap book page with catalogue clippings from Harold Reeves, a London-based antiquarian bookseller.
Box 2 contains 9 folders with correspondence from 1935-1940. In addition to Cederlund’s regular contacts, there is correspondence from Old Print Exchange, Chicago Coin Club, Carnegie Book Shop, and Boston Antique Shop. Folder 2 and 4 contain performance programs for the I.O.G.T. Ladies’ Chorus and Miss Crystal Waters. Folder 10 contains correspondence that was not originally included in the original scrapbooks. Folder 11 contains a Ragnar R. Cederlund letterhead.
Box 3 contains 21 folders of secondary sources collected by Ragnar Cederlund. Folders 1 and 2 contain photo clippings of Jenny Lind from various publications. Folder 3 contains original sheet music with a piece composed for Jenny Lind by Gustav Preffel. Folders 7-10 contain writings on Jenny Lind that are clipped from books and periodicals. Folders 9 and 11-13 contain full journal issues that include articles on Jenny Lind. Folders 14-18 contain clippings on people associated with the Swedish Nightingale, including Hans Christian Anderson and her husband, Otto Goldschmidt. Folder 21 contains photo clippings of various Swedish singers, including Christine Nilsson, Adelina Patti, and Gunnar Wennerberg.
Box 4 contains 6 folders of secondary sources. Folders 2 and 3 contain photo clippings of singers and composers, such as Malibran Garcia, Ludwig van Beethoven, and George F. Handel. Folder 4 contains clippings of politicians and royalty of Jenny Lind’s time, including Millard Fillmore and Queen Victoria. Folder 6 contains miscellaneous items, including a Jenny Lind “Greeting to America” card in a clear envelope.
Dates
- 1840 - 1946
Conditions Governing Access
There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright that may be involved in the use of this collection.
Biographical / Historical
Born on October 6, 1820, Jenny Lind was a Swedish opera singer who was also known as the “Swedish Nightingale.” As a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, she performed as a soprano in Sweden and Northern Europe in the 1840s.
In 1850, P.T. Barnum invited Lind to embark on an extensive tour of the United States. He promoted her modesty and benevolence as much as her vocal talent. 40,000 people waited for her as her ship sailed into the New York Harbor. She performed in 93 concerts, earning more than $350,000 and donating the proceeds to schools in Sweden. After parting ways with Barnum in 1852, Lind married Otto Goldschmidt and returned to Europe. She had three children and performed occasionally over the next 20 years before becoming a professor of singing at the Royal College of Music in London. In 1887, she died at the age of 67 and was buried in the Great Malvern Cemetery.
No recordings of Lind’s voice exist.
Extent
12.22 Linear Feet (11 containers, 60 artifacts)
Language of Materials
English
Provenance
The Jenny Lind Collection, formerly known as the Cederlund collection, was purchased by Walter Lindskog in 1956 and given to North Park University in 1960. It was created by a Chicagoan by the name of Ragnar Cederlund, who had one of the largest collections of Jenny Lind memorabilia, or “Lindiana.” From 1931-1940, Cederlund forged numerous business relationships with antiquarian booksellers and collectors in America and Europe. They notified Cederlund whenever new Lindiana arrived, and often sent him items without collecting payment in advance.
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Janet Leu
- Date
- April-May 2013.
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Swedish-American Archives of Greater Chicago Repository
3225 W Foster Ave
Box 38
Chicago IL 60625 USA
773-583-5722