University of Texas at Austin

Photography Collections Database

Record Detail


Call Number:

PH-02651

Collection Name:

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Literary File Photography Collection

Creator:

Abbott, Berenice (1898 - 1991)

Adelman, Skippy

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

Avati, James, 1912-2005 (1912-12 - 2005-02-27)

Bachrach, Bradford (1911? - 1992)

Bachrach, Ernest A. (1899 - 1973)

Bachrach, Fabian (1917 - 2010)

Beaton, Cecil, 1904-1980 (1904 - 1980)

Bosio, Gastone (1909 b. - )

Bynner, Witter, 1881-1968 (1881 - 1968)

Cartier-Bresson, Henri (1908 - 2004)

Chicago Daily News, Inc.

Chidnoff, Irving

Colonial Studio

Color Studio (Bucharest, Romania)

Dahl-Wolfe, Louise (1895 - 1989)

Dain, Martin J.

Eisenstaedt, Alfred (1898 - 1995)

Elliott & Fry

Erwitt, Elliott (1928 - 2023)

Foto Vasari

Gattai, Zélia, 1916-2008 (1916 - 2008)

Harris & Ewing

Hiatt, Julian

Hills & Saunders (1852 - )

Hoppé, E. O. (Emil Otto), 1878-1972 (1878 - 1972)

I.U. News Bureau

Jourdan, Alister

Kar, Ida, 1908-1974 (1908 - 1974)

Karsh, Yousuf (1908 - 2002)

Krementz, Jill (1940 - )

Lynes, George Platt, 1907-1955 (1907-04-15 - 1955-12-06)

Macquez, Lydia

Moore, Philip R., photographer

Moulin, Gabriel, 1872-1945 (1872 - 1945)

Muray, Nickolas, 1892-1965 (1892 - 1965)

Pach Brothers (Firm)

Peter A. Juley & Son

Siskind, Aaron (1903 - 1991)

Starks, Charles G.

Steichen, Edward, 1879-1973 (1879 - 1973)

Stoneman, W. E. (1876 - 1958)

Torrente, Heliodoro

Ulmann, Doris, d. 1934 (1882 - 1934)

Underwood & Underwood

Van Vechten, Carl, 1880-1964 (1880 - 1964)

Vishniac, Roman, 1897-1990 (1897 - 1990)

Webb, Todd (1905 - 2000)

No. of Items:

18,858 items

Span Dates:

1895-1983 (bulk 1930s-1960s)

Description:

The collection consists of photographs relating both to authors published by the firm, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., and to Knopf's personal life. The material dates from the 1890s through the 1980s. Nearly 500 photographers, notably Knopf himself, and a variety of formats and processes are represented in the file. The majority of photographs are black-and-white, unless noted in the description. The collection is arranged in five series: I. Photographs of Authors, 1921-1977; II. Personal Photographs, 1895-1983; III. Assorted Negatives, 1912-1977; IV. Oversize Items, 1911-1938 and undated; and V. Manuscript Items, undated.

Series I. is divided into three subseries. Subseries A. Portraits of Authors, contains formal portraits of the authors published by Knopf, Inc. Subseries B. Snapshots of Authors by Alfred A. Knopf, consists of informal photographs of authors, taken primarily at Knopf's home in Purchase, New York. Subseries C. Author Publicity Files, contains portraits and caricatures of Knopf, Inc.'s authors. It also contains reproductions of illustrations used in the books published by Knopf, Inc., images used to promote those books, reproductions of book jackets, and photographs of promotional window displays.

Each subseries in Series I. is organized alphabetically by author's last name. The bulk of the images dates from the 1930s through the 1960s. The subjects of the three subseries overlap to some degree: images pertaining to a particular author may be found in more than one subseries, as well as in Series II. subseries B (see below). It is important to note that most of the folders in the Publicity Files contain multiple copies of a few images. Additionally, while this group is organized by author, a folder may not actually have photographs of its author, only book illustrations or other promotional images, indicated by brackets around the author's name. For example, the folder on Hilaire Belloc (13.10) does not contain any portraits of Belloc, only a reproduction of an illustration from Belloc's book.

Series II. is divided into three subseries. Subseries A. Alfred A. & Blanche W. Knopf, contains snapshots and formal portraits of Alfred from boyhood in the 1890s through the 1980s and Blanche as a young woman in the 1910s through 1965, as well as some of Blanche Wolf's family photographs, all arranged chronologically. Subseries B. Animals, Events, Homes and People, contains snapshots of the Knopf's dogs, of assorted events they attended, of their home in Purchase, N.Y., and of their friends and family. The Friends and Family photographs include both snapshots and formal portraits of many of the same authors represented in Series I. Subseries C. Travel Photographs, consists of the Knopf's vacation snapshots from the early 1900s through the 1970s, organized chronologically.

Series III. Assorted Negatives consists of five subseries: A. 35mm negatives, which consists of People and Dogs, Travels, and Assorted Subjects; B. Medium-Format negatives; C. Glass negatives; D. Glass transparencies; and E. Nitrate Negatives, which consists of Personal Photos, Travel Photos, Dogs, and Horses, which are arranged chronologically, as well as Authors and Deteriorating Negatives, both arranged alphabetically by subject. The negatives in all of these subseries complement the previous two series of photographs.

Series IV. Oversize items includes an album of Knopf's snapshots from 1911 to 1915, an empty album box, and assorted large-format prints, including a series of author portraits taken by Knopf.

Series V. Manuscript items consists of a small amount of photograph and negative envelopes with manuscript notes which were not able to be matched to their original contents.

A subject index at the end of the finding aid lists the people represented in the collection in alphabetical order. An additional index lists the 493 photographers represented in the collection. Alfred A. Knopf took many of the photographs himself, and he is listed in the index. However, he presumably took all of the photographs in Series I. Subseries B. (Snapshots of Authors), so these items are not listed in the index.

Please consult finding aid for more detailed information and to page materials to the Reading and Viewing Room..

Further descriptions of some items may be available in a card catalog in the repository.

This collection forms a part of the Literary File Photography Collection that is comprised of photographs and albums withdrawn from the libraries and/or papers of literary figures, and generally includes portraits and images collected by or of those figures.

Access Restrictions:

Advance notice and curatorial approval are required to access film and glass negatives, and glass transparencies in this collection. To make an appointment, please contact the Curator of Photography.Curator of Photography.

Finding Aid URL:

https://norman.hrc.utexas.edu/fasearch/findingAid.cfm?eadid=00595

Location(s):

A.A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File Album
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Lit File Artifacts Box 2 (empty album box)
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Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File OV Box, Small (957:0142:0001; unaccessioned items)
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A.A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File OV Box, Medium (13 items)
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Lit File OV Box A-C, Large (3 items)
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A.A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File Boxes 01-06
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A.A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File Boxes 07-12
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A.A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File Boxes 13-18
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A.A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File Boxes 19-24
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A.A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File Boxes 25-30
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A.A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File Boxes 31-36
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A.A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File Boxes 37-42
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A.A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File Boxes 43-48
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Curatorial permission required Cabinet Storage (17 glass negatives)
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Curatorial permission required Cabinet Storage (3 glass transparencies)
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Curatorial permission required: A.A. Knopf, Inc. Lit File Boxes 49-51 (film-based negatives)
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Item(s):

957:0142:0000 -- Knopf, Alfred A., 1892-1984 (1892 - 1984). [Blanche Knopf with Borzoi], 1917. Gelatin silver print, image: 9.9 x 7.4 cm ; 3 9/10 x 2 9/10 in ; sheet: 11.4 x 8.6 cm ; 4 1/2 x 3 2/5 in .

957:0142:0001 -- Erwitt, Elliott (1928 - 2023). New York, New York, 1955. Gelatin silver print, 35.2 x 27.9 cm ; 13 9/10 x 11 in ; 35.3 x 27.9 cm ; 13.875 x 11 in .

957:0176:0001 -- Adams, Ansel (1902 - 1984). Fern in Rain, Mount Rainier National Park, circa 1942, printed 1960. Gelatin silver print, sheet: 17.5 x 22.7 cm ; 6 9/10 x 8 9/10 in .

957:0176:0002 -- Adams, Ansel (1902 - 1984). Leaves, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, circa 1942, printed 1960. Gelatin silver print, .

957:0176:0003 -- Adams, Ansel (1902 - 1984). Leaves, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, circa 1942, printed 1960. Gelatin silver print, .

957:0176:0004 -- Adams, Ansel (1902 - 1984). Burnt Stump and New Grass, Sierra Nevada, , printed 1960. Gelatin silver print, image: 24.1 x 17 cm ; 9 1/2 x 6 7/10 in ; sheet: 25.2 x 20.3 cm ; 9 9/10 x 8 in .

957:0176:0005 -- Adams, Ansel (1902 - 1984). title, , printed 1960. Gelatin silver print, .

957:0176:0006 -- Adams, Ansel (1902 - 1984). title, , printed 1960. Gelatin silver print, .

957:0176:0007 -- Adams, Ansel (1902 - 1984). title, , printed 1960. Gelatin silver print, .

957:0176:0008 -- Adams, Ansel (1902 - 1984). title, , printed 1960. Gelatin silver print, .

957:0176:0009 -- Adams, Ansel (1902 - 1984). title, , printed 1960. Gelatin silver print, .

957:0176:0010 -- Adams, Ansel (1902 - 1984). Aspens, New Mexico, 1958, printed 1959. Gelatin silver print, 19.3 x 23.7 cm ; 7 3/5 x 9 3/10 in .

957:0176:0011 -- Adams, Ansel (1902 - 1984). Aspens, Northern New Mexico, 1958, printed 1960. Gelatin silver print, .

997:0040:0001 -- unidentified photographer. [Alfred A. Knopf and W. J. Cash], February 1942. Gelatin silver print, .

See Also:

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Art Collection: Related works of art can be found in the Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Art Collection (AR-00004).

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Records: Related manuscript materials can be found in the Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Records (MS-00062).

Sidney Jacobs Art Collection of Alfred A. Knopf Portraits: Additional portraits of Knopf can be found in the Sidney Jacobs Art Collection of Alfred A. Knopf Portraits (AR-00129).

Peter Prescott Collection of Alfred A. Knopf: Manuscript materials for a biography about Knopf can be found in the Peter Prescott Collection of Alfred A. Knopf (MS-05320).

Edward Steichen Photography Collection

Elliott Erwitt Photography Collection


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