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

Arrangement

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into three series.

• Series I: Book Titles, circa, 1958-1984
• Series II: Marketing Materials, 1956-1984
• Series III: Office Files, 1961-1972

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.

Using the Collection

Rare Book and Manuscript Library

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

Single photocopies 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.

Subject Headings

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

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form

Subject

History / Biographical Note

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.