Guide to the Papers of Alec Bolton
MS 7426, MS Acc11.130
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- A. T. Bolton
- Title
- Papers of Alec Bolton
- Date Range
- 1971-1997
- Collection Number
- MS 7426, MS Acc11.130
- Extent
- 4.75 metres (13 boxes, 1 folio box, 2 map folios)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The papers relate to Alec Bolton's private press, the Brindabella Press, also known as Officina Brindabella.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn742340).
Conditions Governing Use
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred Citation
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Alec Bolton, National Library of Australia, [class number, box number and series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
Four additions were received in September 1995, May 1997, February 1998 and April 1999. The addition of 25 February 1998 contains project files from the 1980's until 1996, and business files for the period 1981-97. A further addition of 20 April 1999 consists of financial records and two series of mailing lists.
Arrangement
Boxes 1-3, 5 and 2 folio items: These papers are arranged by the publication projects of the press which include the work of the following: James McAuley, Barbara Hanrahan, R. F Brissenden, Rosemary Dobson, Francis Webb, Douglas Stewart, Margaret Cohen, Christina Stead, Dorothy Auchterlonie (Green), David Campbell, Manning Clark, Harold Stewart, Philip Mead, J. R Rowland, A. D Hope, Philip Hodgins and Robin Wallace-Crabbe.
Box 4 consists of general correspondence (chronologically arranged) with distributors, printing suppliers, Australian authors and poets and other owners of private presses.
Finding Aid Source(s)
Please note: This finding aid may comprise or contain descriptive information provided by donors, researchers and/or volunteers.
Collection Retrieval Advice
Please note: each consignment in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there may be multiple Box 1s). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.
Biographical Note
Alec Bolton worked as an editor on the Australian Encyclopaedia during the 1950s. He also worked for Ure Smith and Angus and Robertson. For a period until 1971 he was Angus and Robertson's London editor. From 1971-1987 he was Director of Publications at the National Library and also ran his private press, the Brindabella Press, now Officina Brindabella. In the 1977-1978 Book Design Awards the Press was given the Award for the best designed book of fiction, poetry or belles letters for Time given: poems 1970-1976 by James McAuley. Bolton was married to the poet Rosemary Dobson. He died in 1996.
Item Descriptions
Class MS 7426. Original Consignment
Comprises papers relating to Bolton's private press, the Brindabella Press, also known as Officina Brindabella. The papers are arranged by the publication projects of the press which include the work of James McAuley, Barbara Hanrahan, R.F. Brissenden, Rosemary Dobson, Francis Webb, Douglas Stewart, Margaret Cohen, Christina Stead, Dorothy Auchterlonie (Green), David Campbell, Manning Clark, Harold Stewart, Philip Moad, J.R. Rowland, A.D. Hope and Robin Wallace-Crabbe. There is also general correspondence with distributors, printing suppliers, Australian authors and poets and other owners of private presses. Other papers include project files from the 1980s until 1996, business files for the period 1981-1997, financial records and two series of mailing lists. There is also a disclaimer and related papers regarding Lyn Hard's claim that Australia suite was the last publication of the Brindabella Press.
Contained in 13 boxes, 1 fol. box, 1 map folio.
Class [unnumbered]. Original Consignment
Class [unnumbered]. Consignment 12 September 1995
Class [unnumbered]. Consignment 26 May 1997
Series [unnumbered]. Photographs and Folios
Class [unnumbered]. Consignment 25 February 1998
Series [unnumbered]. Project Files
Correspondence for project proposal ‘Narcissus at Nowra’, 1980-87. Correspondents include Peter Porter, Arthur Boyd and A. D Hope (File 1) - Box 6
Correspondence for project proposal, ‘Heemskerck Shoals’, 1984-88. Correspondents include Geoffrey Farmer, Geoffrey Ingleton and R. D FitzGerald RESTRICTED (File 2) - Box 6
Correspondence with Jo Steele, mainly concerning sales of Barbara Hanrahan's portfolio (File 4) - Box 6
1987: Correspondence for Occasions of birds by Elizabeth Riddell (published May 1987), and with the illustrator Anne Wienholt, 1984-91 (File 5) - Box 6
1987: Correspondence for Rainforest by Judith Wright (published June 1987), and with the illustrator Rosalind Atkins, 1986-88 (File 6) - Box 6
1987: Correspondence for Smiling in English, smoking in French by Geoff Page (published December 1987), 1986-88. Includes proof copies (File 7) - Box 6
1988: Correspondence for Percival Serle, 1871 - 1951 by Geoffrey Serle (published 1988), 1986-93 (File 8) - Box 6
1992: Correspondence and notes for Untold lives by Rosemary Dobson, including correspondence with the illustrator, Mike Hudson, 1991-92 (File 18) - Box 8
1993: Correspondence and proofs for The end of the season by Philip Hodgins, 1992-94 (File 20) - Box 8
1994: Correspondence for The sleepout by Les Murray, and with the illustrator Rosalind Atkins, 1993-94 (published as a Brindabella Broadside, April 1994). Includes material for The idyll wheel (File 21) - Box 8
1994: Correspondence for Granite country by John Rowland, 1993-94 (published November 1994) (File 22) - Box 8
1995: Correspondence for Wood engravings by Helen Ogilvie, 1992-93. Includes the transcript of an interview with Helen Ogilvie (File 24) - Box 9
1995: Orders and personal correspondence for Wood engravings by Helen Ogilvie, 1992-95 (File 26) - Box 9
1995: orrespondence for The prisoners by Nan McDonald, 1995. Correspondents include Judith Wright (published October 1995) (File 27) - Box 9
1996: Correspondence for A torrent of words, Leon Gellert: a writer's life by Gavin Souter, 1994-96 (File 28) - Box 9
1996: Orders, including personal correspondence for A torrent of words, Leon Gellert: a writer's life (File 31) - Box 10
1996: Correspondence and notes for project proposal, ‘Australia suite’ by Lynn Hard, 1995-96 (not published) (See also Addition 16 July 1999) (File 32) - Box 10
Series [unnumbered]. Business Files
Correspondence with authors, printers and friends, 1984-96. Authors include Robert Gray, Gwen Harwood, Barrie Reid and Richard Tipping (File 35) - Box 10
Correspondence with authors, printers and friends, 1985-96. Includes papers on the registration of the business name, Brindabella Press, in 1993 (File 36) - Box 10
Class [unnumbered]. Consignment 20 April 1999
Series [unnumbered]. Financial records
These records contain 24 invoice books and 3 books of expenditure and receipts. The invoice books are arranged in three sequences. The first four books are arranged by date, from August 1984 to July 1987. From July 1987 the invoice books were classified alphabetically, A - N (excluding I). From April 1994 the books were classified according to a numerical system, 1401 - 1901. There is also one small book with ‘special’ sales.
In addition there are 3 books detailing expenditure and receipts for the Press, covering the years July 1984-88; July 1988-94 and July 1994-April 1997.
Class Acc11.130. Consignment Added 2011
Comprises 14 out-of-series prints of "The sleepout", a printmaking and letterpress collaboration between Les Murray, Rosalind Atkins and Bolton's Brindabella Press. Produced in two colours on Arches paper the series features a woodcut by Atkins with main body of text by Murray.
Contained in 1 map folio.