CHISWICK BOOK SHOP OFFICINA BODONI Records, 1923-1991
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Chiswick Book Shop Officina Bodoni Records, 1923-1991



OCLC No.:
1049570731

Dates:
1923-1991

Bulk Dates:
1969-1981

Extent:
1 box; 1 linear foot

Abstract:
Records relating to the Chiswick Book Shop’s role and activities as sole distributor of books printed at the Officina Bodoni and Stamperia Valdonega presses. 

Access Restrictions:
Collection is open for research use. Copyright restrictions may apply; please contact repository for requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce the materials.

Preferred Citation:
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Chiswick Book Shop Officina Bodoni Records, 1923-1991, The Grolier Club of New York.

About the Finding Aid:
This finding aid was prepared by Kendra Meyer in Microsoft Word at the Grolier Club, August 2018.  

Provenance:
Gift of David R. Godine, June, 2018. 

Biographical/Historical Note:
The Chiswick Book Shop was established by Herman and Aveve Cohen in 1935 in New York and later relocated to Connecticut.  In the 1970s the Chiswick Book Shop became the single distributor in the United States for books produced by the Officina Bodoni, the hand press founded by Giovanni Mardersteig in Italy in 1922.  Mardersteig also opened the commercial press Stamperia Valdonega in 1948, which was maintained by his son Martino after his death in 1977. Herman Cohen was a member of the Grolier Club from 1955 to his death in 1997.

Scope and Content Note:
The collection consists of three boxes of papers relating to the Chiswick Book Shop and their business with the Officina Bodoni Press. Contains mostly business correspondence, including purchase orders and other financial documents as well as prospectuses and ephemera related to exhibitions about the Officina Bodoni and Giovanni Mardersteig.  A large number of letters are between Herman Cohen of Chiswick Book Shop and Martino Mardersteig, the son of Giovanni Mardersteig of Officina Bodoni.

Related Materials in Other Collections:

https://findingaids.library.columbia.edu/ead/nnc-rb/ldpd_4078343
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Collection.
Herman Cohen Papers, 1946-1979; Bib ID: 4078343
0.5 linear ft. (61 items in 1 box).  

http://explore.chicagocollections.org/ead/newberry/72/2b8vh1t/
The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts
Rosenthal/Mardersteig Collection, 1954-1994; Identification: Wing Modern MS RosOB
0.8 linear feet (2 boxes)

Access Points:  
Names

Chiswick Book Shop.
Cohen, Aveve.
Cohen, Herman, 1905-1997.
Mardersteig, Giovanni, 1892-1977.
Mardersteig, Martino.
Officina Bodoni.
Stamperia Valdonega.  

Subjects

Booksellers and bookselling – United States – 20th c.
Printing presses – Italy – 20th c.
Books – Exhibitions.   

Genres 
Correspondence.
Purchase orders.
Printed ephemera.
Prospectuses.

Arrangement Note: 
This collection had no discernible existing arrangement structure. The archivist separated the loose printed material from correspondence to create two series: Series I – Correspondence and Series II – Printed ephemera.  Series I is further divided into General Correspondence and Mardersteig Correspondence. Items are arranged chronologically within each series.

Processing Note: 
Items (approximately 5 p.) with adhesive residue were reformatted by duplication onto acid-free paper. Original items were isolated but maintained with the collection. 

Container List:

Series I: Correspondence. 
Scope and Content Note: 
This series consists of correspondence regarding the Chiswick Book Shop’s activity as distributor for the Officina Bodoni Press.  It primarily contains correspondence with various collectors and libraries regarding upcoming publications, as well as other business communications such as purchase orders, requests and shipping queries. It is arranged chronologically.

Box 1, Folder 1: Correspondence–General, 1948-1972.
Box 1, Folder 2: Correspondence–General, 1973-1974.
Box 1, Folder 3: Correspondence–General, 1975-1986.
Box 1, Folder 4: Correspondence–Mardersteig, 1969-1991.

Series II: Printed ephemera.
Scope and Content Note:

This series contains printed matter including prospectuses, book lists, media clippings, exhibition programs and awards relating to the Officina Bodoni and Stamperia Valdonega presses.  It is arranged chronologically.

Box 1, Folder 5: Printed ephemera, 1923-1973.
Box 1, Folder 6: Printed ephemera, 1974-1980.
Box 1, Folder 7: Printed ephemera, 1981.
Box 1, Folder 8: Printed ephemera, 1982-1991.

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