William R. Berkeley

There are people who have created their lives within the world of great books and there are a few who brought their complex and complicated lives to the field by converting a small portion of their wealth into collections. William R. Berkley, Chairman of W.R. Berkley Corporation and of the Board of Trustees of New York University, is one of those. His focus was printed Americana.

The field encourages collecting by casually emphasizing provenance because it suggests great collectors are remembered. In time a few emerge as principal collectors of their categories. Mr. Berkley was one of this select group when midstride he passed away. At 80, he still had projects to attend to that now fall to the management of his foundation. The question will be whether his collection will be used to promote collecting, given to institutions, or end up in the auction rooms.

He was an original thinker. Many primary collectors have loved their material, filled their shelves and after their passing, saw their libraries quickly dispersed. My impression is Mr. Berkley was a true original. Earlier this year his foundation purchased a significant Manhattan home that looked to be his collection’s base of operations.

What he was planning isn’t clear. 

Now, life has intervened. He will be missed.