Paul A. Bennett Collection
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Special Collections Department PAUL A. BENNETT COLLECTION 1914 - 1973 (bulk dates 1930 - 1960) Manuscript Collection Number: 210 Accessioned: Purchased, July 1987 Extent: 3.3 linear ft. (786 items) Content: Correspondence, brochures, prospectuses, broadsides, pamphlets, articles, speeches, books, photographs, newsletters, and ephemera Access: The collection is open for research. Processed: 1990-1991 by Anita A. Wellner for reference assistance email Special Collections or contact: Special Collections, University of Delaware Library Newark, Delaware 19717-5267 (302) 831-2229 Table of Contents Biographical Note Scope and Contents Note Series Outline Contents List Biographical Note Paul A. Bennett (1897-1966) was director of typography for the Mergenthaler Linotype Company for thirty years until his retirement in 1962. Mr. Bennett lectured on and wrote articles about printing and typography. Bennett was one of the founders, then unofficial secretary of the Typophiles; he frequently coordinated the printing efforts of the group and wrote a number of the forewords and introductions to Typophile publications. The Typophiles is a group of individuals involved in the graphic arts, who originally came together for a series of occasional, informal luncheon meetings in New York City. The Typophiles regularly printed "keepsakes" on the occasion of special events. Loosely organized, the Typophiles maintained no officers or boards, but Paul A. Bennett became the behind-the- scenes coordinator of publications. Frequently he originated and directed the progress of publications. In addition to keepsakes, the Typophiles published a series of monographs and a series of Chap Books with commentaries. In addition to numerous articles, Paul Bennett wrote Books and Printing, issued by the World Publishing Company. In 1961 he received the Gold Medal award of the American Institute of Graphic Arts. Mr. Bennett died in New York on December 18, 1966. Source: New York Times, December 19, 1966. Obituary. Page 37. Scope and Content Note The Paul A. Bennett Collection consists of 3.3 linear feet of correspondence, printed material, and memorabilia from the library of type designer Paul A. Bennett. Spanning the dates 1914-1971 (bulking 1930-1960), the collection demonstrates some of the typographic projects on which Bennett worked. It also conveys some of the friendships and working relationships that he established with experts in the fields of typography, graphic arts, and printing. The collection includes materials related to Bennett’s work with a number of organizations in which he was an active participant, such as the Typophiles, the American Institute of Graphic Arts, and the Rounce & Coffin Club of California. There is correspondence and printed material related to Bennett’s friendships with “the First Lady of Typography,” Beatrice Warde; engraver Rudolph Ruzicka; and printer Lester Douglas. The collection also includes material for two of Bennett’s jobs for The Mergenthaler Linotype Company, namely Revised Index and Addenda to One-Line Specimen Book: 2 and The Doubleday Dictionary, as well as articles and speeches written by Bennett. The collection is organized into thirteen series: I. The Typophiles, II. The American Institute of Graphics, III. The Rounce & Coffin Club, IV. The Mergenthaler Linotype Company, V. Beatrice Warde, VI. Rudolf Ruzicka, VII. Lester Douglas, VIII. Printing and Graphic Arts, IX. Articles by Bennett, X. Speeches by Bennett, XI. Material honoring Paul Bennett, XII. Bookplates of Paul Bennett, and XIII. Miscellaneous material. The collection includes a variety of printed ephemera, including a number of keepsakes from fine private presses such as a set of memorial keepsakes created to honor Bennett in 1966. A majority of the run of News from the Outpost, a publication by Americans in Britain during World War II, can be found in Series V.3. Galley proofs for Typophile Chapbooks, newsletters and exhibition catalogs for the American Institute of Graphic Arts, books and printed matter written by Beatrice Ward, exemplify the types of printed material available in this collection. Series List I. The Typophiles, 1937-1973 II. The American Institute of Graphics, 1923-1958 III. The Rounce & Coffin Club, 1940-1950 IV. The Mergenthaler Linotype Company, 1951-1959 V. Beatrice Warde, 1928-1969 VI. Rudolf Ruzicka, 1935-1961 VII. Lester Douglas, 1959 VIII. Printing and Graphic Arts, 1952-1961 IX. Articles written by Bennett, 1943-1965 X. Speeches presented by Bennett, 1963 XI. Material honoring Paul A. Bennett, 1952-1953 XII. Bookplates of Paul A. Bennett, [n.d.] XIII. Miscellaneous material, 1914-1965 Contents List Box -- Folder -- Contents Series I. The Typophiles, 1937-1973 This material includes printed books and keepsakes, dummies for books, correspondence, The Typophiles logo, and galley proofs of Portrait of a Publisher. 1 F1A A logo for The Typophiles Original black and white graffito (12" by 12") for “The Typophiles, New York.” 1 item F1B Storage box labeled “Typophile Keepsakes” 1 item F2 Sample book covers for Typophile Chap Books or keepsakes 6 items F3 The Typophiles Chap Books VII. Roman Numerals, Typographic Leaves and Pointing Hands: Some Notes on their Origin, History, and Contemporary Use by Paul McPharlin. New York: The Typophiles, 1942. Unbound page proof, 103 pp. F4 Typophile Chap Books: Number 28. Calligraphics - Hands and Forms Rendered by Twenty-five American Scribes for The Typophiles. New York: The Typophiles, 1955. Foreword by Paul Bennett. Set of unbound page proofs 134 pp. Galley proof, 2 pp. F5 Typophile Chap Books: XXXIII. Owed to the Book compiled and edited by William E. Lickfield for The Typophiles. Philadelphia: The Typophiles, [1956]. Incomplete set of page proofs with the initial page bearing instructions for the trimming of the pages Complete set of unbound but sewn pages with a blank cover 2 F6 Typophile Chap Books: 42. Portrait of a Publisher 1915/1965. I. Reminiscences and Reflections by Alfred A. Knopf. New York: The Typophiles, 1965. Introduction by Bennett. Galley proofs with autograph corrections by Bennett, 100 leaves F7 Typophile Chap Books: 43. Portrait of a Publisher II and the Borzoi Imprint: Recollections and Appreciations by Alfred A. Knopf. New York: The Typophiles, 1965. Introduction by Paul Bennett. Galley proofs with autograph corrections by Bennett, 100 leaves 2 F8 [Typophile Chap Book: 49.] Disquisition on the Composing Stick by Martin K. Speckter. New York: The Typophiles, 1969. 4 items, 66 pp. Speckter to Leslie, Loos, and Antin 1969 Mar 5 TL(carbon) 1 p. Speckter to “Herman” n.d. ANS 1 p. Ts (carbon) of text, 64 pp. With cover F9 Typophile Monograph 34. Books and People by Jacob Kohn. Los Angeles: Richard J. Hoffman, 1951. 2 items, 38 pp. Two copies of the booklet F10 Paul A. Bennett Memorial Keepsake, [1966] 26 items, 122 pp. 21 different printed keepsakes Note: By members of The Typophiles issued in memory of Paul Bennett, including Peter Dorn, Fridolf Johnson, Warren Chappell, Bill Jackson, and Charles Antin. These are from fine private presses such as the Cherryburn Press, the Greenwood Press, the Creekside Press, the Mermaid Press, the Four Ducks Press, and the Stinehour Press. There are some duplicates. Special printing of Ronald Johnson’s The Round Earth on Flat Paper, The Finial Press, Urbana, Ill., 1968. Keepsake for John W. Marchi Offprint of Johnson, Fridolf. “The Typophiles … and a keepsake.” American Artist, May 1969. F11 Devices from or by Typophiles, 1938 18 items, 38 pp. Printed announcement for a Typophiles book Examples of some devices “A Device for Paul A. Bennett” by Maverick Press “Trademark for the Typophiles” by Maverick Press Series I. The Typophiles (cont’d) 2 F12 Frederick Goudy Pamphlets 2 items, 25 pp. Two pamphlets by The Typophiles to honor F. W. Goudy on his 73rd and 74th birthdays: Transcript of a Goudy Broadcast 1-28-39, reprint with envelope A Note on the 105th Type Designed by Fred W. Goudy (1938) F13 Adolf Wo Bist Du? 12 pp. Pamphlet for "Ye Typophiles" by unidentified press. The pamphlet consists of text and caricatures of Adolph Hitler and “Tojo.” F14 Announcements, Prospectus, and Information from The Typophiles, 1937-1973 32 items, 78 pp. Promotional material sent by Bennett, acting as secretary for The Typophiles, including inserts, questionnaires and: List of titles of Typophile Chap Books Prospectus for Printers as Men of the World, 3 copies Prospectus for A Typological Tally “Low Calorie (and low morale) Diet,” 2 copies Prospectus for Kelmscott Doves and Ashendene, 5 copies Prospectus for George Clymer and the Columbian Press F15A W.W. Tompkins Dinner Ephemera related to a dinner held for W.W. Tompkins including Bennett’s placecard, a receipt, Bennett’s notes for a speech, the menu, a postcard, door prize list, photocopy of signatures of attendees and photographs “Tommy” (W.W. Tompkins) to “Paul/Madge, Ted/Kitty, Burt/all” 1965 Dec 1 TLS 1 p. F15B Miscellaneous Material 6 prints of a portrait of Herb Farber from engravings by Bernard Brussel-Smith, 3 signed, 3 unsigned, with envelope Luncheon and dinner information cards and keepsakes Selective Check Lists of Press Books, Part Ten by Will Ransom. New York: Philip C. Duschnes, 1949. “Books” specimen page? “Bob Leslie Named To President Post Of The Typophiles” reprint from Printing News. Dec 27, 1969. Series II. The American Institute of Graphic Arts, 1923-1958 Includes bound volumes of the Fifty Books of the Year catalogs for 1923-1944. Paul A. Bennett was an active member of the AIGA. 3 F16A Information, 1935-1944, 1958 Report of the Fifty Books Committee for 1935 The American Institute of Graphic Arts: Objects and Activities, Constitution and By-Laws. New York: George Grady Press, Sep 1935. With letter from C.C. Lane, President, AIGA to “Dear Member” 1935 Nov 8 TLS 1 p. How our quarter century began: an address delivered at the 25th Annual Meeting…May 31st, 1939. Grand Rapids, MI: Commonwealth Printing Co. Keepsake No. 63 Invitations to lectures and meetings President’s report for 1941-42, Ts, 11 pp.