Grove Press Collection, 1956-1984, bulk 1958-1983

Summary Information

Abstract

The Grove Press Collection consists of production, publication, and marketing materials from the Grove Press Records at Syracuse University, which document the history of the Grove Press in Greenwich Village.

At a Glance

Call No.:
MS#1697
Bib ID:
10553502 View CLIO record
Creator(s):
Grove Press
Repository:
Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Physical Description:
1 linear feet (1 record storage carton)
Language(s):
English .
Access:
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located on-site.

This collection has no restrictions.

Description

Summary

The collection consists of production and marketing materials related to books published by Grove Press from 1954 to 1984. Items include book cover color proofs, black and white photographs, news releases, court records, order forms, catalogs and some office files.

  • Series I: Book Titles, circa, 1958-1984

    Series I consists of files related to production, publication, and publicity of books from Grove Press. Included are color proofs for dust jackets and paperback covers, page proofs, black and white photographs of authors and book cover art. Documents for several book titles are arranged separately in this series. Of particular note are court records, news releases, and promotional materials pertaining to the Grove Press publication of D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover in 1959 and Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer in 1961.

  • Series II: Marketing Materials, 1956-1984

    Series II consists of book reviews, catalogs, newsletters, news releases, order forms, and marketing items such as fliers, posters, and review reprints. Included are files for Grove Press film division.

  • Series III: Office Files, 1961-1972

    Series III consists of financial statements, annual reports, staff meeting minutes, contracts, author information forms, publication schedules, reviewer lists, and black and white photographs of Grove Press offices on the corner of Mercer and Bleecker Streets in Greenwich Village. Included are documents pertaining to charges against Grove Press and its journal Evergreen Review for sexual discrimination of female employees as well as sexism, racism, and exploitation of children in Grove Press works.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into three series.

Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located on-site.

This collection has no restrictions.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Grove Press Collection; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Selected Related Material--at Columbia

Barney Rosset Papers Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University

Grove Press Records Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries

Accrual

No additions are expected

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.

Ownership and Custodial History

The Grove Press Collection was given to the Rare Book and Manuscript Library by the Syracuse University Libraries in 2013.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

2013.2014.M063: Source of acquisition--Grove Press Records, Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--09/23/2013.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Papers Processed by Jacqueline Rider JHR November 2013.

Revision Description

2013-12-03 xml document instance created by Jacqueline Rider

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

Historical Note

Established in 1949 in Greenwich Village, Grove Press grew after Barney Rosset's purchase in 1951 from a small independent press into a multimillion-dollar publisher of twentieth century avant-garde works. It continues under Grove Atlantic. It was famous for publishing controversial and banned books, such as D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover (1959) and Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer (1961). Grove Press Film Division distributed Vilgot Sjoman's I Am Curious (Yellow), which broke American box office records for foreign films. Grove challenged and fostered debate on prevailing attitudes about sexuality, the Vietnam War, civil rights, black power, and student movements in the United States. It experienced internal conflict in staff unionization efforts and in feminist challenges to employment practices and publication emphases.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form
Book jackets CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Color proofs CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Order forms CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Page proofs CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Press releases CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
black-and-white photographs CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Name
Beckett, Samuel, 1906-1989 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Genet, Jean, 1910-1986 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Grove Press CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Grove Press -- History -- 20th century CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Grove Press. Film Division CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Lawrence, D. H (David Herbert), 1885-1930 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Miller, Henry, 1891-1980 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Rosset, Barney CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Warhol, Andy, 1928-1987 CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Subject
American literature -- 20th century CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Beats (Persons) CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Booksellers and bookselling CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Catalogs CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Censorship CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Censorship -- United States -- History -- 20th century CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Erotica -- United States CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Film festivals -- United States CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Obscenity (Law) -- United States -- Cases CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Pornography -- United States CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID
Publishers and publishing CLIO Catalog ArchiveGRID