The collection consists of correspondence, manuscripts, documents, a photograph, and printed material, primarily from the period 1941-1957. Included are letters from Ivan Bunin, Marc Chagall, Mikhail Karpovich, Vasiliĭ Maklakov, W. Somerset Maugham, Vladimir Nabokov, Ili︠́a︡ Repin, Edmund Wilson, Boris Zaĭt︠s︡ev and many others. Manuscripts of his works include "Istoki""Nachalo kont︠s︡a""Zhivi, kak khochesh"́, and "The Escape" (English translation of "Begstvo"), such shorter tales as "Noch ́v terminale""Povest ́o smerti", and "Ulḿskai︠a︡ noch"́, as well as numerous articles, book reviews and essays. There are financial records for "Novyĭ Zhurnal", which Aldanov helped found, and the clippings are mainly articles about Aldanov. There is one late photograph of Aldanov.

Correspondence, manuscripts, documents, and printed materials of the Russian writer Vladislav Khodasevich, which were collected by or sent to Karpovich. There are 6 letters by Khodasevich to Karpovich, and 2 to other people. Manuscripts and documents by Khodasevich include poetry, notes, essays, autobiographical information, listings of his publications, earnings, daily work, and references to him in print. Printed materials consist of clippings and an annotated copy of his "Poeticheskoe khozi︠a︡istvo Pushkina" (1924). There are also 2 items in the collection by Raisa Blokh, and 1 by Georgiĭ Ivanov.