Talisman Press Records

The Talisman Press Records mainly consists of the correspondence between Robert Greenwald and Newton Baird with the contributors to their literary magazine and other published works, and which relate to their activities in the field of publishing poetry, fiction, and criticism. The collection contains a full run of the magazine Talisman, volumes 1 through 13, published from 1952-1958. As well, it contains the correspondence and manuscripts relating to four books of poetry and a volume of short stories the Talisman Press published between 1958 and 1963. Copies of each of the books are included in the collection.

The collection of approximately 650 letters, spanning a period of years, gives a good insight into the anatomy of a small literary magazine. Correspondents include: Richards Ashman, Frederick Bock, Hayden Carruth, Judson Crews, David Cornel DeJong, Joanne De Longchamps, August Derleth, George P. Elliott, Richards Elman, Hildegarde Flanner, Edwin Fussell, Don Geiger, Donald Hall, Robinson Jeffers, Will Jumper, James Laughlin, Merrill Moore, Leonard Nathan, Bern Porter, William Stafford, Ann Stanford, Alan Stephens, Alan Swallow, Mark Van Doren, Jonathan Williams, Yvor Winters, and Harold Witt.

Series 1 has the correspondence relating to material published in the Talisman. Materials are arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent. Series 2 contains the magazine manuscripts, arranged alphabetically by name of author. Series 3 is the Talisman Poetry Folio No. 1. This is the only Poetry Folio in the collection and may have been the only one issued. Series 4 consists of manuscripts, correspondence, and the published editions of four poetry volumes published by the Press. Series 5 consists of the issues of the Talisman magazines, No. 1-13, 1952-1958.