Arnold and Mimi Elkind: Papers on Book Collecting, 1957-1993

RLIN ID No.
NYGG02-A52

Main Entry
Elkind, Arnold.

Title
Papers on book collecting, 1957-1993 (bulk 1977-1993).

Physical Description
12 boxes (7.4 linear ft.)
ca. 1,600 catalog cards ; 6 x 10 cm.
2 loose-leaf notebooks ; 29 cm.
54 photographs : some col. ; 20 x 30 cm. and smaller

Organization and Arrangement
Organized into five series: I. Investments in Fine Presses, etc.; II. American and Foreign Fine Presses; III. Artists, Dealers and Collectors of Fine Press Books; IV. Mimi Elkind Papers; and V. Catalog.

Historical/Biographical Note
Arnold Elkind graduated from New York University in 1933 and married Mimi Wieder in 1946. He pursued a successful business career in Albany New York. Around 1968 the Elkinds began to collect books. Arnold Elkind’s collecting focused on living printers, bookbinders and book designer artists, particularly artist who had maintained their own presses; he sometimes assisted them financially. In the 1980s Elkind entered into several limited partnerships to produce fine press editions. Among the private press books he collected were examples from Angelica Press, Kelmscott Press, Rampant Lions’ Press, the Gehenna Press, and Cheliniidae Press. Elkind was a particular patron of the Pennyroyal Press of Barry Moser and of the artist’s books and bindings by English designers Susan Allix and Philip Smith. He died September 18, 1993.

Mimi Wieder Elkind was active in civic and cultural affairs in Albany and about 1968, in her own words, she became “hooked on books.” In addition to sharing her husband’s collecting interests, she became deeply interested in 20th century bejeweled bindings, particularly those produced by the English firm of Sangorski & Sutcliffe. In addition to collecting a number of bejeweled bindings, she made a census and published an article the subject in The Book Collector (Autumn 1975). Mimi Elkind died in 1994. Both were members of the Grolier Club (a New York City bibliophile society).

Scope and Contents Note
Correspondence, catalog, articles, photographs and miscellaneous materials documenting the book collecting activities of Arnold and Mimi Elkind, with emphasis on the years 1977 to 1993. The collection includes business documents, correspondence, and prospectuses for the limited partnership ventures partially financed by Arnold Elkind for the production, publishing and distribution of limited editions by Pennyroyal Press, Cheloniidae Press, Arion Press, Red Ozier Press and Arctic Whaling Associates. Correspondence with book designers and artists includes, but is not limited to, material from: Susan Allix, Leonard Baskin (Gehenna Press), Carol J. Blinn (Warwick Press), Barbara Blumenthal (Catawba Press), Edna Lazaron, Andrew Hoyem (Arion Press), Eugene Jackson, Shirley Jones (Red Hen Press), Joe Lubbock, John Randle (Whittington Press), Alan James Robinson (Cheloniidae Press), Richard-Gabriel Rummonds (Ex Ophidia Press), and Philip Smith. There is also correspondence from Geoffrey P. Dwyer, who handled the business arrangements for the limited partnerships involving the Pennyroyal Press. Correspondence with rare book dealers includes, but is not limited to, letters from Stanley Bray, Colin Franklin, Charles J. Sawyer, and Thomas Taylor. Most files outgoing correspondence from Arnold or Mimi Elkind. The Mimi Wieder Elkind papers include her extensive correspondence about the firm of Sangorski & Sutcliffe, a collection of hand printed or hand painted Christmas cards received from book artists between 1982 and 1991, and the typescript of her unpublished book “Hooked on Books.” The catalog material includes the typescript in two loose-leaf volumes of the Elkinds’ primary book collection as well as over 1600 catalog cards recording data for the typescript as well as notes on other, smaller collections, including cookbooks, Chinese and Japanese material, and book auctions.

Finding Aid Note
Unpublished finding aid available in repository.

Names
Allix, Susan J., 1943- Correspondence.
Baskin, Leonard. Correspondence.
Blumenthal, Barbara. Correspondence.
Chamberlain, Sarah. Correspondence.
Blinn, Carol J. Correspondence.
Bray, Stanley. Correspondence.
Dwyer, Geoffrey P. Correspondence.
Elkind, Arnold. Correspondence.
Elkind, Mimi Wider. Correspondence.
Elkind, Mimi Wieder. Hooked on books.
Franklin, Colin. Correspondence.
Gelfand, Morris A. (Morris Arthur), 1906- Correspondence.
Grastorf, Dennis J. Correspondence.
Jackson, Eugene. Correspondence.
Lazaron, Edna G. Correspondence.
Lubbock, Joe. Corrspondence.
Hoyem, Andrew. Correspondence.
Moser, Barry.
Robinson, Alan James. Correspondence.
Rummonds, Richard-Gabriel. Correspondence.
Smith, Philip, 1928-. Correspondence.
Sawyer, Charles J. Correspondence.
Taylor, Thomas. Correspondence.
Arion Press.
Catawba Press.
Chamberlain Press.
Cheloniidae Press.
Ex Ophidia Press.
Gehenna Press.
Hampshire Typothetae.
Pennyroyal Press.
Red Hen Press.
Red Ozier Press.
Society of Bibliophiles (Albany, N.Y.)
Stone House Press (Roslyn, N.Y.)
Warwick Press.
Sangorski & Sutcliffe.

Subjects
Bookbinders. England. 20th century.
Book collectors. New York (State). Albany. 20th century.
Book collecting. New York (State). Albany. 20th century.
Limited partnerships. Massachusetts. 20th century.
Private presses. 20th century.

Genres
Christmas cards. 20th century.
Library catalogues. New York (State). Albany. 20th century.
Photographs. 20th century.
Prospectuses. Massachusetts. 20th century.
Typescripts. New York (State). Albany. 20th century.

Occupation (as reflected in collection)
Bookbinders. England. 20th century.
Book collectors. England. 20th century.

Added Entries
Elkind, Mimi.

Location
Grolier Club, 47 East 60th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022-1098.


Collection Inventory
[Note: The Elkinds usually maintained all their files in reverse chronological order; this arrangement has been maintained here.]

Series I: Arnold Elkind Investments in Fine Presses, etc.

Box 1

f.1.1 Alice in Wonderland Associates (Massachusetts limited partnership). Correspondence and
business documents, 1981-1984. This and the other partnerships were formed to produce, publish
and distribute a specific limited edition. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, with illustrations by
Barry Moser, was published in 1982 at his the Pennyroyal Press.
f.1.2 Through the Looking Glass Associates (Massachusetts limited partnership). Correspondence and
business documents, 1982-1991. The book, with illustrations by Barry Moser, was published in
1982 by the Pennyroyal Press.
f.1.3 Arctic Whaling Associates. Correspondence and business documents, 1983-1989. Elkind financed
the publication of American Whalers of the Western Arctic with text by John R. Bockstoce and
illustrations by William Gilkerson. The book was issued by Edward J. Lefkowitz Inc., a rare book
dealership.
f.1.4 Arctic Whaling Associates. Partnership offer and advertising material.
f.1.5 Cheloniidae Press. The Odd Bestiary by Laurie Block. Correspondence with Alan James Robinson and others, 1982-1984. Elkind was a patron of this press; Robinson published the book with his illustrations in 1982.
f.1.6 Frankenstein Associates (Massachusetts limited partnership). Correspondence and documents. 1983-1992. The book, with illustrations wood engravings by Barry Moser, was published at his Pennyroyal Press in 1983. File includes the “Private Placement Memorandum” with wood engraving by Moser on cover and inscription by the artist: “To Arnold and Mimi.”

Box 2

f.2.1 Pennyroyal Press Frankenstein. Correspondence regarding copy shipped to Jane O’Connor of Sotheby’s (New York) in December 1986 and lost in transit, 1986-1987. File also includes some apparently unrelated business documents executed by Arnold Elkind.
f.2.2 Pioneering Publishing (Geoffrey Dwyer). Correspondence and business documents, 1983-1988. Dwyer was president of this company and also owner of Hampshire Typothetae, a company formed to engage in the publication and sales of illustrated literary works and original graphics.
f.2.3 Huckleberry Finn Associates (Massachusetts limited partnership). Correspondence and business documents, 1984-1986. The book, with wood engravings by Barry Moser, was published at his Pennyroyal Press, in 1985.
f.2.4 Hampshire Typothetae. Correspondence, 1979-1985. The Hampshire Typothetae printed The Odd Bestiary.
f.2.5 Red Ozier Press (New York City). Om Krishna III: Secret Haiku [by] Charles Henri Ford. Correspondence relating to AE sale of several copies of this title.
f.2.6 Wizard of Oz Associates. Correspondence and business documents, 1985-1986. The book was published in 1986, with illustrations by Barry Moser, at his Pennyroyal Press.
f.2.7 Appraisers and galleries. Correspondence, 1983-1985. AE donated a number of private press books to libraries, etc. and always had them appraised beforehand.
f.2.7 Auction houses. Correspondence, 1970-1993. Topics include wants by AE and some offers of items for sale. Includes copy of a 1993 TLS to Stephen Massey of Christies in which AE discusses the need to plan for the dispersal of the collection.
f.2.8 Libraries, etc. British Museum. Correspondence, 1973-1975.

Box 3

f.3.1 Cooper-Hewitt Museum (New York City). Correspondence regarding AE loan of book wall designed by Philip Smith for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings for the exhibit “Writing and Reading” held at the museum 1981 Sept. 15-1981 Jan. 3.
f.3.2 San Francisco Museum of Art. Correspondence regarding exhibition, “Hand Bookbinding Today.”
Correspondence, 1977-1978. AE lent the Tolkien/Smith book wall.
f.3.3 Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation at Carnegie-Mellon University (Pittsburgh).
Correspondence regarding loan of Philip Smith binding for King Lear to for the exhibition
“Tradition of Fine Bookbinding in the Twentieth Century.” File includes color photograph (13 x
18 cm.) of binding.
f.3.4 Correspondence with American libraries: A-N, 1971-1990.
f.3.5 Correspondence with American libraries: O-Z, 1971-1990. A number of the letters deal with
location of bindings by Sangorski and Sutcliffe.
f.3.6 Miscellaneous correspondence, 1986-1993.


Series II: American and Foreign Fine Presses

American Presses
f.3.7 Arion Press (San Francisco). Invoices, 1988-1993.
f.3.8 Arion Press. Correspondence, 19778-1993. File includes letter from proprietor, Andrew Hoyem.
f.3.9 Arion Press. Prospectuses for limited editions, 1980-1993.

Box 4

f.4.1 Barbara Blumenthal (Catawba Press). Correspondence, 1980-1988.
f.4.2 Bromer Booksellers (Boston). Correspondence, 1983-1986.
f.4.3 Chamberlain Press (Sarah Chamberlain, Portland, Oregon). Correspondence, 1981-1980.
f.4.4 Cheloniidae Press (Alan James Robinson, Easthampton, Massachusetts). Prospectuses and invoices, 1981-1983.
f.4.5 Cheloniidae Press. Correspondence and prospectuses, 1981-1988.
f.4.6 Gehenna Press (Leonard Baskin). Correspondence and invoices, 1981-1991.
f.4.7 David R. Godine. Correspondence, 1984.

f.4.8 Grastorf, Dennis (Angelica Press, New York City). Prospectuses, 1976.
f.4.9 Janus Press (Vermont). Prospectuses and invoice, 1985-1986, 1992.
f.4.10 Pennyroyal Press (Barry Moser). Correspondence with Geoffrey P. Dwyer, 1979-1988.
f.4.11 Pennyroyal Press. Invoices, 1981-1988.
f.4.12 Pennyroyal Press. Prospectuses and catalogs, 1979-1986. The catalogs dated 19980 and 1986 have title-page inscriptions to the Elkinds from Barry Moser.
f.4.13 Pennyroyal Press. List of titles, 1982.
f.4.14 Pennyroyal Press. Publicity material, 1983-1985.
f.4.15 Pennyroyal Press. Correspondence with Geoffrey P. Dwyer, 1983-1984.

Box 5

f.5.1 Ex Ophidia Press (Richard-Gabriel Rummonds, Cottonwood, Alabama). Correspondence. 1982-1988. Rummonds had been the proprietor of the Plain Wrapper Press in Verona, Italy before coming to the University of Alabama Library to direct the book arts program. He moved to Los Angeles in 1988. File includes a keepsake printed in Alabama at his departure that uses the name Plain Wrapper Press.
f.5.2 Red Ozier Press (New York City). Correspondence, 1980-1987.
f.5.3 Red Ozier Press. Invoices, 1981.
f.5.4 Stone House Press (Morris Gelfand, Roslyn, New York). Correspondence and invoices, 1982-1992.
f.5.5 Warwick Press (Carol J. Blinn). Correspondence and prospectuses, 1981-1989.
American Presses (Other). Correspondence notices and invoices, 1977-1993.
f.5.6 Presses A-G
f.5.7 Presses H-P
f.5.8 Presses Q-Z

Foreign Fine Presses
f.5.9 Susan Allix (London). Correspondence, invoices and prospectuses, 1975-1986. File includes 10 color photographs of designs for her book Song of Solomon and 5 black and white photographs of SA at work in her studio (9 x 13 cm.).
f.5.10 Susan Allix. Correspondence, etc., 1987-1992. Susan Allix carried out all phases of her hand made books, from original design to binding.


Box 6

Series III: Presses, Artists, Dealers and Collectors of Fine Press Books

Foreign Fine Presses
f.6.1 Shirley Jones (Red Hen Press, London). Correspondence, 1990-1992.
f.6.2 Will and Sebastian Carter (Rampant Lions Press). Correspondence and invoices, 1984-1989. Includes prospectus for an edition of Samuel Johnson’s poem The Vanity of Human Wishes published to observe the 200th anniversary of his death in 1984.
f.6.3 John Randle (Whittington Press, Gloucestershire). Correspondence and prospectuses, 1984-1988.
f.6.4 Miura Kristin Tiri. Correspondence, 1975-1992.
f.6.5 Miura Kirstin Tiri. Correspondence, publicity material, etc., 1982-1986. Kirstin Tiri was a German binder resident in Tokyo.
f.6.6 Eugene Jackson. Correspondence, 1977-1987. The correspondence is with the artist’s wife Ella, with his son, and with the Cape (Massachusetts) Museum of Fine Arts where AE donated some of Jackson’s work.

American Dealers and Collectors
f.6.7 American Artists (Miscellaneous). Correspondence, 1973-1989.
f.6.8 American collectors. Miscellaneous correspondence, 1973-1987.
f.6.9 American Dealers. Thomas Taylor. Correspondence, etc., 1979-1989.
f.6.10 Americium dealers. Taurus Books. Correspondence, 1979-1986.
f.6.10 American dealers (Others). Correspondence, etc. F-K, 1973-1992.
f.6.11 American dealers (Others). Correspondence, etc. Q-Z, 1973-1992. Correspondence for A-E and L to P is lacking.

Box 7

Foreign and American Artists, Dealers and Organizations

f.7.1 Foreign artists. Joe Lubbock. Correspondence, 1883-1988.
f.7.2 Foreign artists. Philip Smith. Correspondence, 1982-1990.
f.7.3 Foreign artists. Philip Smith. Correspondence, 1975-1981. File includes discussion and color photograph of his custom binding for Moby Dick (20 x 30 cm.). Also 15 snapshots documenting Smith’s trip to the United States in 1975, including one of Arnold and Mimi Elkind (9 x 13cm.); 1 color slide (2 x 2”).
f.7.4 Foreign artists. Miscellaneous. Correspondence, etc., 1982-1986.
f.7.5 Foreign collectors. Misc. information.
f.7.6 English dealers. Correspondence, etc., 1969-1992. File includes some correspondence with Philip Smith (see f.7.3 and f.7.4), 1992.
f.7.7 English dealers. Basilisk Press. Prospectuses and announcements, 1980-1983.
f.7.8 English dealers. Stanley Bray. Correspondence. 1968-1974. Bray continued the fine binding business established in 1901 by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. [See also correspondence with Susan Allix (f.5.9 and 5.10).]
f.7.9 Deighton Bell. Invoices, 1982-1983.
f.7.10 English dealers. Colin Franklin. Correspondence, etc., 1972-1975.

Box 8

f.8.1 Bertram Rota. Invoices, 1983-1989.
f.8.2 Charles J. Sawyer. Correspondence, 1968-1981. Sawyer’s rare bookshop was a source of several jeweled bindings purchased by Mimi Elkind, including some produced by Sangorski & Sutcliffe.
f.8.3 Foreign dealers: miscellaneous correspondence and information, 1973-1977.
f.8.4 Monk Bretton Books. Correspondence, 1981-1984.

Organizations
f.8.5 Guild of Book Workers (New York City). Newsletters, announcements, correspondence. 1981-1989. [The Elkinds were lenders to the GBW 75th anniversary exhibition of June 1981.]
f.8.6 Print Club of Albany (New York). Price lists announcements, and bylaws, 1988-1989.
f.8.7 The Book Collector (England). Correspondence, 1971-1978. File includes information on Sangorksi & Sutcliffe.
f.8.8 Designer Bookbinders (England). Newsletter: nos. 39-72 (June 1980-Autumn 1980). File lacks: nos. 40-41; 44; 53; 55-56; 61; 65; 70 but includes List of Members for Nov. 1974 and March 1987.
f.8.9 American bookbinders (miscellaneous). Correspondence, 1988-1989.
f.8.10 Dieu Donne Papermill/Center for the Book Arts (New York City). Announcements printed material, etc for a proposed joint venture, 1990s.
f.8.11 Typophiles (New York City). Announcements, invitations, etc., 1979-1992.


Box 9

Series V: Mimi Wieder Elkind Papers

f.9.1 Sangorski and Sutcliffe. Correspondence dealing with prices, dealers and collections,
1989-1991,
f.9.2 Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Correspondence, etc., 1981-1990.
f.9.3 Correspondence, etc. 1973-1974. File includes 7 black and white photographs of Sangorski &
Sutcliffe bindings. (20 x 25 cm.)
f.9.4 “Jeweled bindings, 1900-1939,” by M. Wider Elkinds. Drafts and final typescript.
f.9.5 Correspondence with The Book Collector about above article, 1973-1976.
f.9.6 Correspondence with The Book Collector, etc., 1976-1990.

f.9.7 Albany Wellesley Club materials. MWE gave lecture, “How One Gets Hooked delivered on 1987 Feb. 4.
“Hooked on Books” by M. Wieder Elkind. Typescript of unpublished book. 236 leaves.
f.9.8 Leaves 1-102.
f.9.9 Leaves 103-236.

Box 10

f.10.1 Society of Bibliophiles (Albany, N.Y.). Meeting notices, etc., 1972-1992. MWE addressed the group in 1992 August. File includes 49 notecards outlining the talk; also Membership Directory January 1977.
f.10.2 MWE Correspondence, 1977-1987.
f.10.3 MWE Correspondence, 1977-1992.
f.10.4 Edna G. Lazaron. Letters to MWE, 1982. Edna Lazaron of Norfolk, Virginia produced a limited edition series of handmade books, “Souvenir Vignettes.” MWE advised her about placing these with dealers and galleries.
f.10.5 Exhibition notices invitations, 1957-1980.


Box 11

Christmas Cards
Cards received from artists, designers and binders collected by the Elkinds. Many were printed on hand-
presses and a few are hand painted.
f.11.1 Christmas cards, 1988-1991.
f.11.2 Christmas cards, 1985-1987.
f.11.3 Christmas cards, 1982-1986.


Box 12

Series VI: Catalogue of the Arnold and Mimi Elkind Collection

Catalogue of the Collection of Arnold and Mimi Elkind (2 loose-leaf notebooks: Vol. I (A-J); Vol. II (K-Z and Indices; typescript; information includes bibliographical descriptions, and information about prices and sources; updated as of Jan. 1993).

Catalog cards of book purchased by Arnold and Mimi Elkind (ca. 1,600 3 x 5” cards)
Catalog Card Box 1
[Group 1] Catalog of Collections A-Z. These are the cards transcribed for the
typescript catalog.
[Group 2] Special bindings. File maintained by Mimi Elkind with emphasis on jeweled
bindings. Information on provenance, sales, etc. Many of these bindings were not owned by the Elkinds but reflect MWE’s interest in this subject.
[Group 3] Rothschild material.
[Group 4] Books sold at auction.
[Group 5] Books to be disposed of.

Catalog Card Box 2
[Group 1] Chinese material.
[Group 2] Japanese material.
[Group 3] Dealers catalogs and books about books.
[Group 4] Auctions.
[Group 5] Cookbooks.
[Group 6] Modern first editions.
[Group 7] Modern Library (Random House imprint]
[Group 8] Miscellaneous: limited editions and presses, etc.



(Updated 8/27/2007)