The papers include correspondence, manuscripts, documents, printed materials and photographs -- most of which principally concern Fedor Shali︠a︡pin. There are twelve letters and postcards from Shali︠a︡pin, and one or two items each from Aleksandr Grechaninov, Olǵa Knipper-Chekhova, and Sergeĭ Rakhmaninov. There are manuscripts by Strakhova-Ermans, entitled "Vospominanii︠a︡ starogo professora penii︠a︡" and "Penie: Ego tekhnika i iskusstvo." There are photographs of Shali︠a︡pin in his operatic roles and with his family; and photographs of Olǵa Knipper-Chekhova, Aleksandr Glazunov, and of Sergeĭ Rakhmaninov and Aleksandr Grechaninov (with the faculty of the Russian Conservatory in Paris). Printed materials include programs of concerts by Shali︠a︡pin and others, and a copy of Strakhova-Ermans' book, "Le chant"(1946).

The collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, clippings, books and periodicals. There are two letters from Aleksandr Glazunov and one each from Aleksandr Grechaninov and Nikolaĭ Metner. The manuscripts deal with both cultural affairs and the Russian Revolution. Among the cultural topics are essays on music, Isadora Duncan, Maksim Gorḱiĭ and literary affairs. There are articles about general aspects of the Revolution and about such individuals as Lenin, Stalin, Chicherin, Dzerzhinskiĭ and Kamenev. Many of the articles are memoiristic in nature, particularly those about life in Moscow and in the provinces during the Revolution, Dzerzhinskiĭ and Kamenev. There are clippings of articles written by Sabaneev and a number of books and periodicals either written by Sabaneev or containing articles by him.