Collection Summary
John Calder Publishers
John Calder Publishers Art
Collection
1950s-1960s
Art Collection AR-00132
1 box (55 items)
Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin
The collection consists of book jacket
designs for works by authors, such as Arthur Adamov, Samuel Beckett, and Marguerite Duras,
published by John Calder Publishers (also known as John Calder, Ltd.) or Calder & Boyars
during the 1950s and 1960s.
English
Biographical Sketch
For over half a century, publisher John Calder (British, born Canada, 1927-2018) brought
modern and experimental literature to English language readers through John Calder
(Publishers) Ltd. (1949-1964; 1975-2007) and Calder & Boyars, his partnership with
Marion Boyars that lasted from 1964 to 1975. Calder was born in Montreal on January 25,
1927. After returning from his studies in political economy at Zurich University in 1949,
Calder realized that wartime shortages had resulted in many unpublished or untranslated
European novels, and he resolved to rectify this absence in the publishing market. Calder
founded John Calder Publishers in 1949 while simultaneously working at his family's timber
firm and attempting to get the publishing company off the ground. Beginning in 1955, he
devoted his energies exclusively to publishing. Early publications included translations of
classic works in French, German, Italian, and Russian, as well as books on music, opera, and
theater. The English-language publication of two accounts of torture during the Algerian
war, Henri Alleg's
The Question in 1958 and the collection of
testimonies, The Gangrene, in 1959, brought considerable
attention to the company. Calder would publish many significant contemporary writers,
including Samuel Beckett, Marguerite Duras, Alain Robbe-Grillet, and Nathalie Sarraute, and
the absurdist theater of playwrights such as Eugène Ionesco and Fernando Arrabal. In
addition to publishing, Calder also organized writer's conferences, arts and music
festivals, theater companies, and defended literature charged with obscenity in the British
courts, most famously for the publications of Henry Miller's Tropic
of Cancer and Hubert Selby, Jr.'s Last Exit to
Brooklyn. Calder continued to write and publish into the 21st century, and penned
books on Beckett, Jean Arp, and the mid-century Paris literary scene, in addition to a
memoir and three volumes of his own poetry. Alessandro Gallenzi acquired John Calder
Publishers in 2007 and continues to publish its titles under the imprint Alma Books. Calder
died in Edinburgh on August 13, 2018.
Sources:
Calder, John. "John Calder (Publishers) Limited." In
Dictionary of
Literary Biography, vol. 112 (1991): 48-50. British Literary Publishing Houses,
1881-1965. Anderson, edited by Patricia J. and Jonathan Rose. Detroit, London: Gale Research
International Limited, 1991.
Gallenzi, Alessandro. "John Calder Obituary."
The Guardian,
August 21, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/aug/21/john-calder-obituary.
Sandomir, Richard. "John Calder, British Publisher Who Fought Censorship, Dies at 91."
The New York Times, August 19, 2018.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/19/obituaries/john-calder-british-publisher-who-fought-censorship-dies-at-91.html.
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of book jacket designs for various published titles. Items include
multi-layered, fragile, mixed media mechanicals that are often heavily annotated, print
proofs for book jackets, and near-final or finished book jackets. The collection is
organized alphabetically by the author of the literary work. If there is more than one item
for a particular title, the different stages of the design are listed beneath the author's
name. The majority of designs are by Donald Green and John Sewell, who are the only known
artists in the collection. A third artist's name, Gross-Andre, is transcribed from the name
as it appears on the book jacket.
Acquisition:
Purchases, 1969-1970
Access:
Open for research. To make an appointment or to reserve Art Collection materials, please
email Visual
Materials Reference staff. Researchers must create an online Research Account and
agree to the Materials Use Policy before using archival materials.
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arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed
highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the Ransom Center and The University of
Texas at Austin assume no responsibility.
Restrictions on Use:
Authorization for publication is given on behalf of the University of Texas as the owner of
the collection and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder
which must be obtained by the researcher. For more information please see the Ransom
Center's Open Access and Use Policies.
Index Terms
People
Adamov, Arthur.
Alarcón, Pedro Antonio de,
1833-1891.
Arrabal, Fernando.
Beckett, Samuel, 1906-1989.
Calder, John, 1927-2018.
Chekhov, Anton Pavlovich,
1860-1904.
Droste-Hülshoff, Annette von,
1797-1848.
Duras, Marguerite.
Green, Donald.
Gross-Andre.
Lockspeiser, Edward, 1905-1973.
Higgins, Aidan, 1927-2015.
Hobson, Harold.
Hoffmann, E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus),
1776-1822.
Ionesco, Eugène.
Maltz, Albert, 1908-1985.
Mérimée, Prosper, 1803-1870.
Pieyre de Mandiargues, André,
1909-1991.
Sarraute, Nathalie.
Sewell, John.
Storm, Theodor, 1817-1888.
Subjects
Book jackets--1950-1970.
Literature, Experimental.
Literature publishing.
Theater--20th century.
Document Types
Book jackets.
Drawings.
Electrophotographic prints.
Gelatin silver prints.
Lithographs.
Mechanicals (camera-ready copy).
Overlays.
Corporate Names
John Calder Publishers.
Preferred Citation
John Calder Publishers Art Collection (AR-00132). Harry Ransom Center, The University of
Texas at Austin.
Processed by:
Ransom Center Staff; Jill Morena, 2018
Related Material
Publishing files and correspondence related to authors represented in this collection,
among others, can be found in the John Calder Publishers Records (MS-02194).
Container List
Adamov, Arthur
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.1.1
Green, Donald. Drawing with overlay for Ping Pong,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Plastic, ink, paper, and pressure-sensitive tape on board, 39 x
31.4 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.1.2
Green, Donald. Proof for book jacket for Ping Pong,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Lithograph or electrophotographic print, 38.1 x 25.2
cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.2.1
Green, Donald. Book jacket for Paolo Paoli,
1959.
Lithograph or screen print, 20.5 x 14.6 cm (closed); 20.5 x 28.3
cm (open).
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.2.2
Green, Donald. Overlay for Paolo Paoli,
1959.
Ink and pressure-sensitive tape on plastic, 34.9 x 26.3 cm
(irregular).
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.2.3
Green, Donald. Proof for book jacket for Paolo Paoli,
1959.
Lithograph or electrophotographic print, 38.1 x 25.4
cm.
Alarcón, Pedro Antonio de
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.7
Sewell, John. Mechanical for The Three-Cornered Hat,
circa 1950s.
Ink, pencil, plastic, letterpress text, and pressure-sensitive tape on
paper, 25.4 x 15.7 cm.
Arrabal, Fernando
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.10.1
Green, Donald. Drawing for 4 Plays,
1966.
Watercolor and ink on paper, 36.8 x 29.8 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.10.2
Green, Donald. Book jacket for 4 Plays,
1966.
Lithograph, 21 x 14.5 cm (closed); 21 x 30 cm
(open).
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.10.3
Green, Donald. Font design for author name for 4 Plays,
1966.
Watercolor on paper, 3 x 13.7 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.10.4
Green, Donald. Font design for author name for 4 Plays,
1966.
Watercolor on paper, 5.6 x 19.7 cm.
Beckett, Samuel
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.1
Mechanical for Malone Dies,
1958.
Gelatin silver print, acetate, pencil, and ink on paper, 28 x
22.5 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.2
Mechanical for Malone Dies,
1958.
Gelatin silver print, acetate, pencil, and ink on board, 31.5 x
23 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.3
Proof for Malone Dies,
1958.
Lithograph, 28.8 x 22.7 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.4
Proof for title font for Malone Dies,
1958.
Lithograph and letterpress text, 25.1 x 19 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.5
Sewell, John. Font and cover design for Molloy, Malone Dies, and The
Unnamable,
1959.
Pencil on paper, 25.4 x 20.2 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.7
Sewell, John. Mechanical for Molloy, Malone Dies, and The Unnamable,
1959.
Ink, watercolor, and acetate on board, 31.8 x 25.3
cm.
Chekhov, Anton
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.8
Sewell, John. Mechanical for Wife For Sale,
circa 1950s.
Ink, acetate, and pressure-sensitive tape on board, 29.5 x 22.3
cm.
Droste-Hülshoff, Annette von
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.3
Sewell, John. Mechanical for The Jew's Beech,
circa 1950s.
Ink, pencil, acetate, and pressure-sensitive tape on board, 25.9
x 21 cm.
Duras, Marguerite
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.8
Drawing for The Little Horses of Tarquinia,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Watercolor and ink on paper, 20.5 x 17.4 cm
(irregular).
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.9
Mechanical for The Little Horses of Tarquinia,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Ink, pencil, and pressure-sensitive tape on paper and plastic,
31.1 x 25.7 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.10
Drawing for Moderato Cantabile,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Ink, watercolor, and pencil on paper, 39.5 x 30 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.11
Overlay for Moderato Cantabile,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Ink on plastic, 39.5 x 30 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.12
Gross-Andre. Mechanical for The Square,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Gelatin silver print, ink, and plastic on board, 38.4 x 30.5
cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.13
Gross-Andre. Proof for The Square,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Letterpress halftone, 38.1 x 25.2 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.14
Gross-Andre. Proof for The Square,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Ink on onionskin paper, 38 x 25.45 cm.
Lockspeiser, Edward
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.6.1
Sewell, John. Mechanical for The Literary Clef,
circa 1950s.
Ink, pencil, acetate, and pressure-sensitive tape on board, 31.8
x 25.4 cm.
Higgins, Aidan
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.15
Book jacket design for Felo de Se,
1960.
Watercolor on paper, 22 x 16.4 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.16
Book jacket design for Felo de Se,
1960.
Watercolor on paper, 22.2 x 16.4 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.17
Book jacket design for Felo de Se,
1960.
Watercolor on paper, 22.2 x 16.4 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.18
Green, Donald. Black and white proof of book jacket for Felo de Se,
1960.
Letterpress halftone, 20.3 x 39.8 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.19
Green, Donald. Black and white proof of book jacket for Felo de Se,
1960.
Letterpress halftone, 20.3 x 29.7 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.20
Green, Donald. Color proof for book jacket for Felo de Se,
1960.
Letterpress halftone, 21 x 49 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.21.1
Portrait of Aidan Higgins,
circa 1960s.
Gelatin silver print, 14 x 13.8 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.21.2
Card to Clarke, Doble, & Brendon Ltd. / Oakfield Press regarding cover
for Felo de Se,
circa 1960s.
Ink on paper, 10.2 x 12.5 cm.
Hobson, Harold (editor)
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.30
Proof for cover for International Theatre Annual 4,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Offset lithograph, 20.3 x 29.3 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.31
Mechanical for cover for International Theatre Annual 5,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Ink, screen print, letterpress text, plastic, and pressure-sensitive tape on
board, 38.8 x 25 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.32
Color proof print for International Theatre Annual 5,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Screen print and ink adhered to paper, 38 x 25.2
cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.33
Print proof for International Theatre Annual 5,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Halftone print, 32.1 x 25 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.34
Erle Grey as Leontes in the Winter's Tale,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Gelatin silver print, 25.3 x 20.6 cm.
Hoffmann, E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus)
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.6
Sewell, John. Mechanical for The King's Bride,
circa 1950s.
Ink, pencil, acetate, electrophotographic print, and pressure-sensitive tape
on paper, 25.8 x 17.1 cm.
Ionesco, Eugène
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.22
Printer's layout directions for Four Plays,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Pencil and ink on paper, 26 x 20.3 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.23
Mechanical for Plays 3,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Ink, pencil, and acetate on board, 26.4 x 20.4 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.24
Mechanical for Plays 3,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Ink, pencil, acetate, and pressure-sensitive tape on board, 30.2
x 25.7 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.25
Mechanical for Plays 4,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Ink, watercolor, pencil, and acetate on board, 24.8 x 19.4
cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.26
Mechanical for Plays 4,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Ink, pencil, and acetate on board, 31.5 x 24.9 cm.
Maltz, Albert
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.6.2
Sewell, John. Font placement and design for A Long Day in a Short Life,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Ink on onionskin paper, 31.8 x 25.4 cm.
Mandiargues, Andre Préyre
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.27
Mechanical for The Girl Beneath the Lion,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Gelatin silver print, ink and pencil on board, 31.6 x 25.7
cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.28
Mechanical for The Girl Beneath the Lion,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Ink, pencil, and acetate on board, 31.6 x 25.2 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
70.29.29
Sewell, John. Mechanical for paperback edition of The Girl Beneath the
Lion,
circa 1950s-1960s.
Gelatin silver print, pencil, acetate, and paper on board, 27.8
x 22 cm.
Mérimée, Prosper
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.4.1
Sewell, John. Mechanical for A Slight Misunderstanding,
circa 1950s.
Lithograph, ink, and pressure-sensitive tape on paper, 25.1 x
17.8 cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.4.2
Sewell, John. Mechanical for A Slight Misunderstanding,
circa 1950s.
Lithograph, ink, and pressure-sensitive tape on paper, 24 x 18.2
cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.4.3
Sewell, John. Mechanical for A Slight Misunderstanding,
circa 1950s.
Ink, acetate, and pressure-sensitive tape on paper, 25.4 x 15.8
cm.
Sarraute, Nathalie
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.9.1
Green, Donald. Mechanical for Portrait of a Man Unknown,
1959.
Ink, charcoal, watercolor, and pencil on board, 37.8 x 29.5
cm.
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.9.2
Green, Donald. Book jacket for Portrait of a Man Unknown,
1959.
Lithograph or electrophotographic print, 21 x 47.5
cm.
Storm, Theodor
Calder, J., Box 1
68.110.5
Sewell, John. Mechanical for Viola Tricolor,
circa 1950s.
Ink, acetate, electrophotographic print, and pressure-sensitive tape on
paper, 25.4 x 16 cm.