US-RPB-ms89.19 Guide to the John Martin Letters to William Young 1968-1980 Finding aid prepared by Brown University Staff. Brown University Library 2010 March 24

Box ABrown UniversityProvidence, RI 02912Tel: 401-863-2162Fax: 401-863-1272E-mail: rock@brown.edu

Finding aid encoded by Mark Chepkwony 2010 March 24 English Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) English Brown University LibrarySpecial Collections

Box A, John Hay LibraryProvidence, RI 02912Tel: 401-863-2148E-mail: hay@brown.edu

Martin, John John Martin Letters to William Young 1968-1980 John Martin Letters to William Young 0.9 linear feet These letters between John Martin, owner of Black Sparrow Press, and William Young, owner of San Souci Press in Winchester, Massachusetts, date from 4 May 1968 to 18 March 1980 and detail two decades of business and personal relations between the book collectors and publishers. Ms. 89.19 Biographical note

John Martin was born in San Francisco in 1930 and grew up in Los Angeles. At an early age, he began collecting the books of William Faulkner, D. H. Lawrence, Ezra Pound, and Henry Miller. Later on in his life, Martin focused on the works of avant-garde poets. Using the money from his sale of first and signed editions to the University of California, Santa Barbara, Martin founded the Black Sparrow Press in 1966.

As sole owner of Black Sparrow Press from 1966 to 2002, Martin sought the work of avant-garde writers. He is noted for his role in launching the literary career of Charles Bukowski (1920-1994). Among the other writers he published are: John Fante, George and Mary Oppen, Robert Creeley, Charles Olson, Larry Eigner, Michael Palmer, Clayton Eshleman, Charles Reznikoff, Rochelle Owens, Ed Dorn, Jack Spicer, Cid Corman, Jane and Paul Bowles, William Everson, and Diane Wakoski.

Martin retired in 2002 when he sold the Black Sparrow Press to David R. Godine.

Collection information

There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.

Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.

John Martin Letters to William Young, Ms. 89.19, Brown University Library.

The letters between John Martin, owner of Black Sparrow Press, and William Young, owner of San Souci Press in Winchester, Massachusetts, date from 4 May 1968 to 18 March 1980 and detail two decades of business and personal relations between book collectors and publishers. The collection also includes two dated catalogs from Black Sparrow Press and one from San Souci Press. These correspondence and catalog listings are an important resource to researchers on modern first edition press books, Charles Bukowski books, and the provenance of several writers’ books.

The letters are arranged chronologically in one box.

Administrative information

The John Martin Letters to William Young were purchased from Samuel J. Hough, proprietor of The Owl at the Bridge, in 1989.

Names

Martin, John, 1930- Young, William, 1927-1980 Subjects

Martin, John, 1930- Young, William, 1927-1980 Booksellers and bookselling Publishers and publishing Poets, American RIAMCO Browsing Terms Language and Literature Types of materials

Letters (correspondence) John K. Martin papers, UC-Santa Barbara John Martin papers, UCLA Black Sparrow Press Archive, University of Alberta Black Sparrow Press Photograph Collection, Center for Southwest Research, University of New Mexico. 1 1 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1968 May 04 1 1 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1968 May 18 1 1 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1968 Aug 03 1 1 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1968 Aug 05 1 1 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1968 Sep 14 1 1 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1968 Nov 20 1 2 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Jan 22 1 2 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Feb 10 1 2 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Feb 19 1 2 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Mar 03 1 2 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Mar 13 1 2 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Mar 20 1 3 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Apr 19 1 3 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Jul 09 1 3 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Jul 24 1 3 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Sep 15 1 3 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Nov 08 1 3 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1969 Nov 13 1 4 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1970 Jan 06 1 4 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1970 Jan 20 1 4 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1970 Jan 27 1 4 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1970 Mar 12 1 4 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1970 Apr 16 1 5 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1970 Sep 01 1 5 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1970 Nov 09 1 5 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Feb 24 1 5 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Apr 06 1 5 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Apr 07 1 6 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Apr 14 1 6 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Apr 17 1 6 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 May 03 1 6 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 May 10 1 6 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 May 20 1 6 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 May 31 1 6 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Jun 16 1 6 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Aug 21 1 7 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Aug 13 1 7 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Sep 30 1 7 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Oct 02 1 7 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Oct 07 1 7 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Oct 08 1 7 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Oct 15 1 8 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Nov 16 1 8 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1971 Nov 30 1 8 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1972 Mar 18 1 8 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1972 Mar 22 1 8 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1972-Mar 29 1 8 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1972 Apr 03 1 9 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1972 Jul 11 1 9 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1972 Nov 14 1 9 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1973 Jan 11 1 9 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1973 Feb 01 1 9 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1978 Mar 09 1 10 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1978 May 01 1 10 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1978 May 16 1 10 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1978 Oct 17 1 10 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1978 Nov 28 1 11 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1979 Feb 08 1 11 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young1980 Mar 18 1 12 Letters and notes from Martin, John to William Young

2 undated notes from Martin to Young.

1 13 Letters and notes from William Young to Martin, John 1971 Aug 23 1 13 Letters and notes from William Young to Martin, John

n.y., September 15

1 14 Letters and notes from William Young to Martin, John

TN description from Black Sparrow Press.

1 14 Letters and notes from William Young to Martin, John

2 typewritten lists from Black Sparrow Press.

1 15 Letters and notes from William Young to Martin, John

1971 inventory from Sans Souci Press (William Young & Co. describing material from Black Sparrow Press.

1 16 Letters and notes from William Young to Martin, John

Catalogue #610, William Young and Company: The Black Sparrow Press; A comprehensive offering of the books of this press from William Young and Company.