Edward Augustus Crowninshield was a major collector of Americana in the first half of the nineteenth century. Although his collection did not rival that of John Carter Brown or James Lenox in size, it was rich in rarities that would later enhance many public and private libraries. Through commissions and encouragement Crowninshield also was instrumental in establishing the career of Henry Stevens, purveyor of Americana to the gentry, and he served as a mentor in cultivating Charles Deane's bibliophily.

Crowninshield was born in Salem, Massachusetts, on 25 February 1817 to Benjamin William and Mary Boardman Crowninshield. Benjamin, a businessman and politician, served as president of the Merchants Bank of Salem, prospering sufficiently enough to allow his son a life of leisure, and held the post of secretary of the navy under Presidents James Madison and James Monroe. He also served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and...