Watkins Loomis records, 1883-2007 2013-2018
Summary Information
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- MS#1309
- Bib ID:
- 4079449 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- Watkins Loomis, Inc
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 205.5 linear feet (410 boxes 42 volumes 27 card file drawers)
- 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.
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The files of Peter DeVries and Glendon Swartwout are CLOSED until one year after each author's death except with the written permission of the current presiding officer of Watkins Loomis, Inc.
The following boxes are located off-site: Series III-Series VIII (boxes 1-207); Series IX-Series XI (boxes 1-69); Series XII-Series XIII (boxes 277-397). You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
Description
Summary
Correspondence, manuscripts, memoranda, contracts, and other legal documents, account books, royalty statements and other financial records, photographs, printed materials, and card files of the Watkins Loomis, Inc. literary agency. The papers deal with editorial, financial, and legal aspects of publishing, magazine, theatrical and film rights, and all other personal and professional activities of their American and English clients. Among these clients have been Michael Arlen, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Theodore Dreiser, Ernest Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis, Carson McCullers, Ezra Pound, Ayn Rand, Dorothy Sayers, Gertrude Stein, and Dylan Thomas.
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Series IV: Uncataloged Manuscripts, Xerox Copies and Printed Copies
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Account books; ledgers, cash disbursements, cash receipts; payroll; journal; trial balances; commissions; petty cash, etc.
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Series IX: Arranged Correspondence
The firm changed its name from A. Watkins to Watkins Loomis In 1980. We have, therefore, reflected this change in our finding aids and RLIN records; however, most of the boxes In the collection retain the name A. Watkins on their lables
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Series X: Arranged Manuscripts
The arranged manuscript section consists of photocopies of Seth Morgan's Homeboy as well as photocopies of an unlinised and unpublished (due to Morgan's death) manuscrpt tentatively titled Mardi Gras. There are two sets divided into boxes as follows:
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into 14 series.
- Series I: Cataloged Correspondence
- Series II: Cataloged Manuscripts, Contracts etc.
- Series III: Uncataloged Correspondence
- Series IV: Uncataloged Manuscripts, Xerox Copies and Printed Copies
- Series V: Uncataloged Contracts and Miscellaneous Documents
- Series VI: Financial
- Series VII: Old Royalty Statements
- Series VIII: Card Files
- Series IX: Arranged Correspondence
- Series X: Arranged Manuscripts
- Series XI: Arranged Documents
- Series XII: Author Files, 1988-2007
- Series XIII: Contracts
- Series XIV: Archived Web Site, 2013-present
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.
The files of Peter DeVries and Glendon Swartwout are CLOSED until one year after each author's death except with the written permission of the current presiding officer of Watkins Loomis, Inc.
The following boxes are located off-site: Series III-Series VIII (boxes 1-207); Series IX-Series XI (boxes 1-69); Series XII-Series XIII (boxes 277-397). You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
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); Watkins Loomis Records; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Accruals
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Alternate Form Available
John Dixon Carr letters and manuscripts are on microfilm
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Method of acquisition--Purchase; Date of acquisition--1982. Accession number--M-82.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processing Information
Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 09/--/89.
Katia Shraga, May 2019: prefixes (Roman numbers I and II) were added to box numbers of 11 boxes of Series I and Series II correspondingly. Now numeration of boxes in Series I is: boxes I.1-I.6; numeration of boxes in Series II is: boxes II.7-II.11. Box labels and stack directory were adjusted and updated accordingly.
Revision Description
2010-04-02 Legacy finding aid created from Pro Cite.
2013-02-14 xml document instance created by Adrien Hilton
2017-03-30 Archived Website series added by Jane Gorjevsky
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
Biographical / Historical
Literary agency. Ann Watkins (Angeline Whiton Watkins Davis Burlingame) 1885-1967) became a literary agent in 1910 and retired in 1957. Her son, Armitage Watkins (b. 1906), continues to operate the agency. In 1980 the agency changed its name from A. Watkins to Watkins Loomis.
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.
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