- unitid
-
{"value"=>"47", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"MssCol 47", "type"=>"local_call"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1914-1961", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1914/1961"}
{"value"=>"1930s-1950s", "type"=>"bulk", "normal"=>"1930/1959"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1914
- date_inclusive_end
-
1961
- keydate
-
1914
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. records"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"68 linear feet (73 boxes)"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.</span><div class=\"address\"> <span class=\"addressline\">Stephen A. Schwarzman Building</span><span class=\"addressline\">Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018-2788</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., founded in 1915 by Alfred A. Knopf (1892-1984), started by publishing translations of Russian and European works. By the 1920s, Knopf was publishing major American authors yet continued to publish important European authors as well. Knopf was renowned not only for its impressive list of authors but for the quality of its book production. The firm was acquired by Random House in 1960. Collection contains correspondence, manuscript records, readers' reports, press clippings of reviews, press releases, and typescripts of books published by Knopf. Knopf's correspondence, 1914-1951, consists primarily of letters to and from Knopf authors regarding publication of their work or that of other writers in the same field of expertise. Manuscript records and readers' reports, 1930-1947, include brief plot summaries and readers' opinions. Manuscript rejection correspondence, 1939-1943, contains letters from authors submitting manuscripts, and standard rejection letters from Knopf's editorial staff. Children's Department records, 1952-1961, of rejected manuscripts include short summaries and evaluations. Files of press clippings, 1930s to 1950s, of reviews of Knopf books also contain some sample book jackets and press releases. In addition to typescripts, 1937-1944, of books published by Knopf, series includes galleys and page proofs."}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"Materials in English"}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. records, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Alfred A. Knopf, Inc", "type"=>"corpname"}
{"value"=>"Bragdon, Claude Fayette, 1866-1946", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. was founded in New York City in 1915 by Alfred A. Knopf (1892-1984) with an initial investment of five thousand dollars. This upstart firm competed with older established firms, which already had under contract many established American authors. Knopf looked abroad for fresh talent and resulting in his first success <em render=\"italic\">Green Mansions</em> by W. H. Hudson in 1916. This same year Knopf married his assistant Blanche Wolf. Throughout the years, Blanche Knopf (1894-1966) played a decisive and influential role within the Knopf firm with regard to the direction it would take. Knopfs friends included Carl Van Vechten (author and photographer). Van Vechten recommended many authors for publication. H. L. Mencken the noted writer was also involved professionally with the Knopfs. Within a short period of time, the Knopf publishing firm was able to established itself as a major force in the publishing world attracting established writers from the States and abroad. The Knopf firm is also noted for their excellence with detail with regard to the book jackets. Samples are available in the collection. Among Knopf's many accomplishments was the <em render=\"italic\">Borzoi Quarterly,</em> a periodical highlighting new authors. The <em render=\"italic\">Borzoi Quarterly</em> eventually evolved into the <em render=\"italic\">Borzoi Reader</em>. In 1960, Knopf was acquired by the Random House Inc. In 1999, the Knopf Publishing Group presently a subsidiary of Random House, Inc. publishes <em render=\"italic\">the Borzoi Reader</em> and author's works. The 1999 winners of literary awards of books published by the Knopf Publishing group include <em render=\"italic\">Blizzard of One</em> by Mark Strand. A book of poetry that has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Douglas Starr received the <em render=\"italic\">L. A. Times</em> Book Prize in the category of Science and Technology for <em render=\"italic\">Blood: An epic history of medicine and commerce.</em> The Knopf Publishing Group also established the Poetry Center that celebrates \"our poets and their works\".</p> <p><em render=\"bold\">Website</em>: http: //www. randomhouse.com/knopf/aak/</p> <p><em render=\"bold\">Note:</em> An extensive corporate history of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., and biographies of Blanche and Alfred A. Knopf are located on: http: www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/HRC/fa/index.html</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The records 1941 through 1961 are representative of only a very small portion of the Knopf Publishing Company. The bulk of the records are located at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin. NYPL records are incomplete for the dates represented. The strength of the collection lies in two series. Series one, Alfred A. Knopf's General Correspondence, 1914-1951, and Series seven, Typescripts of Knopf's publications, 1937-1944. Series two and three which represents manuscript records and reader's reports are the two most interesting series of the collection because there is a \"who's who\" list of established or non established authors works rejected by Knopf. Eventually many of these authors found their way into print either through Knopf or some other publishing company. Some of the rejected works and authors include the following: <em render=\"italic\">Lewis Carroll</em> by Walter de la Mare, <em render=\"italic\">Epistle to Prometheus</em> by Babette Deutch, <em render=\"italic\">Tortilla flat</em> by John Grove (John Steinbeck), <em render=\"italic\">A house in the world</em> (there were several other rejections) by Langston Hughes, <em render=\"italic\">Bob-Bon buddy</em> by Langston Hughes and Arno Bontemps, <em render=\"italic\">Amerika</em> by Franz Kafka, <em render=\"italic\">Mirage</em> by Nella Larson [Imes], <em render=\"italic\">Vachel Lindsay</em> by Edgar Lee Masters, <em render=\"italic\">Napoleon, the hundred days</em> by Benito Mussolini, <em render=\"italic\">Barbezon Plaza</em> by Anais Nin, <em render=\"italic\">Jefferson and/to Mussolini</em> by Ezra Pound and lastly, <em render=\"italic\">Aus meinem leben...</em> Albert Schweitzer. It should be noted with regard to Series two and three, the authors manuscripts were returned to the sender. Finally there is a smattering of H. L. Mencken's letters scattered throughout the collection, notably with regard to Mencken's capacity to recommend authors for publication.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. records are arranged in seven series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/47#c787996'>I. Alfred A. Knopf, General Correspondence</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The correspondence is mainly from individuals who had some interaction with the Knopf Publishing Co. with regard to publishing manuscripts or other business dealings. Occasionally, there are copies of Alfred Knopf's letters. A subsection <em render=\"italic\">Commonwealth vs Gordon et al</em> (Grabhorn Press) contain thank you notes from individuals for the gift of this book. <em render=\"italic\">Commonwealth vs Gordon et al</em> relates the case of five Philadelphia booksellers brought to trial on January 3, 1949, for violating Pennsylvania statute, which prohibits the sale of obscene books. Alfred and Blanche Knopf had five hundred copies printed for the Christmas of 1949 that was distributed to friends and colleagues.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/47#c788069'>II. Manuscripts Records and Reader's Reports, Rejected Manuscripts</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The series contains information forms on those author's whose work was rejected by Knopf, Inc. There are two forms. The first form is a Manuscript Record. This is a pre-printed form of Knopf, Inc. which is filed by the editor who read the manuscript. It contains basic information including the author's name, title of book, which agent submitted the work, by whom read, the rejection date and so forth. This form is usually accompanied by a blue sheet entitled Reader's Report. This latter sheet was used for internal information only. It includes a series of questions such as \"If you recommend us to publish the book give your chief reason in a single sentence.\" Occasionally correspondence and book jackets are included.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/47#c788704'>III. Manuscripts Records and Reader's Reports, Rejected Manuscripts</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Records for the year 1938 were not received from Knopf. This series, similar to Series II contains a pre-printed Manuscript Record of Knopf, Inc. and also a Reader's Report for many of the authors. See also description for Series II.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/47#c789317'>IV. Rejected Manuscripts Correspondence</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The focus of this series is the correspondence of rejected authors by Knopf, Inc. to the author or author's agent. There is also incoming correspondence from the author or author's agent that occasionally includes outlines of proposed books. Most of the rejected authors resided in the United States and to a lesser extend abroad. In some cases, the author was rejected multiple times over a span of years. Noted rejected correspondents include Babette Deutch; Clare Booth Luce; Charles Neider of <em render=\"italic\">The New Yorker</em> and Civil War historian Shelby Foote. Foote's first attempt at publishing <em render=\"italic\">Tournament</em> (1940) was rejected by Knopf. This book would be published nine years later by New York Dial Press in 1949.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/47#c789837'>V. Rejected Manuscripts from the Childrens Book Dept</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series contains an information sheet (similar to Series I and II) generated by Knopf, Inc. This white sheet is a basic checklist about the rejected manuscript. In some instances correspondence is attached. Noted authors are Frank Baum, Ray Bradbury, Langston Hughes, Sylvia Plath and Charles H. Schultz.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/47#c789980'>VI. Clippings of Reviews, Knopf Authors</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series contains newspaper and magazine clippings of book reviews of authors published by Knopf. These clippings are representative samples of reviews that appeared around the United States and abroad. There is some correspondence, samples of book jackets, and publicity sheets by Knopf Inc. that features the author's latest published work.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/47#c790397'>VII. Typescripts and Proofs of Knopf Publications</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series is representative of a small selection of Knopf's authors for the years 1937 through 1944. The typescripts are the bulk of the series. To a lesser extent, some typescripts are accompanied with galley proofs, front matter and illustrations. There is the occasional photograph of the author, dust jacket or other related theme. Individuals represented in this series include Raymond Chandler, Sigmund Freud, Rex Ingram, Thomas Mann, H. L. Mencken and Rex Stout.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>Six series: Correspondence of Alfred Knopf; Manuscript Records and Readers' Reports for Rejected Manuscripts; Manuscript Rejection Correspondence; Children's Department Rejected Manuscript Records; Clippings of Reviews of Knopf Books; Typescripts of Knopf Publications</p>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Gift of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1933 through 1966</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"type"=>"processing", "value"=>"<p>Compiled by Valerie Wingfield, June 1999</p>"}
- relatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p><em render=\"bold\">Related collections in the New York Public Library, Manuscripts and Archives Division:</em> Bolton Hall Papers; H. L. Mencken; Herbert Mitgang Papers; James Oppenheim Papers; Pynson Printers (New York, N. Y.) Records; Ralph Thompson Papers; Carl Van Vechten Papers</p> <p><em render=\"bold\">Related collections in other institutions:</em> Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Records, 1873-1996, located at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin. (<em render=\"bold\">Website</em>: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/HRC/fa/aakhist.html</p>"}
- extent_statement
-
68 linear feet (73 boxes)
- date_start
-
1914
- date_end
-
1961
- date_bulk_start
-
1930
- date_bulk_end
-
1959