Robert Lavigne papers, 1954-1969

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Series I: Correspondence and Manuscripts, 1954-1969

This series is comprised of letters and manuscripts composed by Robert LaVigne and his friends and associates. Because so many of LaVigne's friends were writers, there is a significant set of poetry manuscripts included on this series that were given to or reviewed by LaVigne.



Box 1 Folder 1 Aldan, Daisy-- "Christmas"


Box 1 Folder 2 Brukenfield, Richard to Gregory Corso, 13, November 1956


Box 1 Folder 3 Cassady Neal to LaVigne, 24, March 1958


Box 1 Folder 4 Corso, Gregory to LaVigne, undated and 1957-1958 (4 letters), undated, 1957-1958


Box 1 Folder 5 Dine, Jim to John Hancock, undated


Box 1 Folder 6 Doyle, Kirby and Lew Welch to LaVigne, 1961 May 13


Ginsberg, Allen


Box 1 Folder 7 to LaVigne, undated and 1960-1968 (4 letters), undated, 1960-1968


Box 1 Folder 8 Empty Mirror Typescript, 1961

(with notes and corrections by LaVigne)


Box 1 Folder 9 Poems, 1955-1961

(including some omitted fromEmpty Mirrorand "Record of Dream 6 June 1955")


Box 1 Folder 10 Preface to LaVigne's LION Exhibition, 1958 May 25


Box 1 Folder 11 Recipe for Spaghetti with Clam Sauce, undated


Box 1 Folder 12 Ginsberg, Louis to LaVigne, 1957


Lamantia, Philip


Box 1 Folder 13 to LaVigne, undated and 1962-1964, undated, 1962-1964


Box 1 Folder 14 "Blue Grace", undated

(poem, with corrections)


Box 1 Folder 15 Draft of Text for Poster Advertising a Poetry Reading, undated


LaVigne, Robert


Box 1 Folder 16 To Andreas Brown, 1969 (3 letters), 1969


Box 1 Folder 17 The Dangerous Garden of Robert LaVigne

(poems by a number of individuals, including Allen Ginsberg, inspired by LaVigne's art)


Box 1 Folder 18 Prologue to Endicott and the Red Cross


McClure, Michael


Box 1 Folder 19 To LaVigne, undated (5 letters), undated


Box 1 Folder 20 "Introduction to the Poems of John Wieners,", 1958

(two drafts)


Box 1 Folder 21 Poems, undated and 1959, undated, 1959


Malanga, Gerard


Box 1 Folder 22 To Lavigne, undated


Box 1 Folder 23 Poems


Box 1 Folder 24 Orlovsky, Peter to LaVigne, 1954-1965


Box 1 Folder 25 Plymell, Charles-- Poems, undated and 1963, undated, 1963


Box 1 Folder 26 Rexroth, Kenneth-- Libretto for the ballet Original Sin, undated

(ballet commissioned by the San Francisco Ballet- file contains the first act)


Box 1 Folder 27 Sanders, Ed-- [Poem on the Death of His Mother], 1964


Box 1 Folder 28 Snow, John to Allen Ginsberg, undated


Whalen, Philip


Box 1 Folder 29 To LaVigne, 1957-1964


Box 1 Folder 30 "Against the Magic War: An Open Letter to Robert Duncan,", 1957


Wieners, John



Box 2 Folder 1 To LaVigne, undated and 1965, undated, 1965


Box 2 Folder 2 Poems, 1958

Series II: Artwork, 1956-1965

This series includes paintings, sketches, prints, and paintings done by LaVigne, as well as artwork created by his friends. This series includes some of LaVigne's artwork, but also some of his design work including book cover designs and four costume designs for a performance of Picasso's Desire Caught by the Tail.


Corso, Gregory


Box 2 Folder 3 Ink Sketches


Kerouac, Jack


Box 2 Folder 4 Sketches, 1956


Box 2 Folder 5 Ginsberg, Allen-- sketches, 1963

(one watercolor sketch)


LaVigne, Robert


Box 2 Folder 6 Cover Designs for Human Universe by Charles Olsen,, 1965


Box 2 Folder 7 Cover Design for The Hotel Wentley Poems by John Wieners, 1957


Costume Designs for Desire Caught by the Taik



Mapcase 14-E-7 Big Foot. Arlequino, Handyman, 1967


Mapcase 14-E-7 Naked. A Skinny Anguish of Red Inner Tube, 1967


Mapcase 14-E-7 Silence, 1967


Mapcase 14-E-7 Tart, 1967



Box 2 Folder 8 Preliminary Sketches of the Album Cover of Allen Ginsberg Reads From Howl and Kadish


Box 2 Folder 9 Sketches, 1954-1956



Mapcase 14-E-7 Sketches of Peter Orlovsky, 1954 April- June, 1954


Mapcase 14-E-7 Watercolor portrait of Allen Ginsberg, 1971



Item 13: D/E Oversized Painting



Box 2 Folder 10 Woodblock Print- "A Strange New Cottage in Berkeley,", 1963


McClure, Michael


Box 2 Folder 11 Sketches, undated and 1960, undated, 1960



Mapcase 14-E-7 Sketches and Auerhaun Press Broadsides



Box 2 Folder 12 Whalen, Philip-- Watercolors, undated

Series III: Exhibition and Event Announcements, 1958-1964

The Exhibition and Event Announcements series is comprised of notices of gallery events, art openings, and poetry readings, as well as publication catalogs and announcements from small, independent presses and publishers.


Box 2 Folder 13 Auerhahn Press, undated and 1959-1963, undated, 1959-1963


Box 2 Folder 14 Connor, Bruce


Box 2 Folder 15 The Dead Language Press, 1963


Box 2 Folder 16 Doyle, Kirby, 1964


Box 2 Folder 17 The Fugs, 1965


Box 2 Folder 18 Ginsberg, Allen, 1958-1966


Box 2 Folder 19 Johnson, Ray


Box 2 Folder 20 Lamantia, Philip


Box 2 Folder 21 LaVigne, Robert


Box 2 Folder 22 Malanga, Gerard


Box 2 Folder 23 McClure, Michael, 1960-1961


Box 2 Folder 24 Olsen, Charles, 1965


Box 2 Folder 25 Patchen, Kenneth, 1961


Box 2 Folder 26 Welch, Lew


Box 2 Folder 27 Whalen, Philip, 1964


Box 2 Folder 28 Wieners, John