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.