The Ticknor Society
The George and Anna Eliot Ticknor Collecting Prize
Since 2019, The Ticknor Society has awarded an annual George and Anna Eliot Ticknor Book and Book Culture Collecting Prize to recognize and inspire personal book collecting. The award is given in the spirit of George Ticknor and his daughter, Anna Eliot, who were scholars, teachers, and avid book collectors. The purpose of this competition is to encourage book collectors to understand more deeply what their collection means to them, what they have collected, how it might be helpful to other collectors and researchers, and how they want their collection to develop in the future. The application process may help them develop their skill for describing their collection to others. We also hope it will provide a way for our members to interact more, either in person or on Zoom. The award currently carries a prize of $1,000. The recipient of the award is invited to speak about their collection at a meeting of The Ticknor Society and will be offered a complimentary year of Ticknor Society membership. The recipient’s submission is posted on The Ticknor Society’s website to encourage and provide examples of a variety of book collecting achievements. All other entrants will receive a complimentary year of membership in the Ticknor Society. The competition is open to anyone, of any age, primarily residing at the time of entry in any of the six New England states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont. Entries from collectors residing in these states may be on any topic. In addition, we welcome submissions from collectors residing outside of New England whose collections focus primarily on books, manuscripts, and ephemera pertaining to New England from any period of its history. Current and Past Winners of the Collecting Prize: 2023: Kent Bicknell, "An Alcott Family Collection" You can see Kent's winning entry HERE. Honorable Mentions: Barbara A. Brannon, PhD, "The Company of Books: Highlights from the Pioneering Hampshire Bookshop of Northampton." View HERE. Douglas Scott Brown, "Plotting the Path to Justice: The Stories Behind the Stories." View HERE. 2022: Dr. Jessica C. Linker, "Emma Hart Willard: A Life in Print" You can see Jessica's winning entry HERE. 2021: Erika Knowles, "'A Pleasant Painting, Isn't It?': New Milford, Connecticut as Artist's Muse" You can see Erika's winning entry HERE. 2020: Maida Tilchen, “In Celebration of New Mexico Books and Book People” You can see Maida's winning entry HERE. 2019: Robert Grandchamp, “Collecting a Regiment” You can see Robert's winning entry HERE. The Ticknor Society will be providing support to those preparing their entries:
To be considered for the Ticknor Collecting Prize, a collection:
How well a collection reflects the collector's intent is more significant than either the number of items or the monetary value of the collection. Collections will be judged on their originality and creativity, and the degree to which they may support primary research and learning in the topic they represent.
We have clarified the format for entries. Please submit an essay of up to 1500 words stating:
The essay should be followed by a bibliographic list containing at least 12 but not more than 20 representative items:
We hope you find the process of preparing your entry to be informative and satisfying. We look forward to receiving your submission for the George and Anna Eliot Ticknor Book and Book Culture Collecting Prize! |