Victor and Carolyn Hammer papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Victor and Carolyn Hammer papers
- Date
- 1880-1981, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Hammer, Victor Karl, 1882-1967
- Extent
- 4.5 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Printing -- Kentucky.
- Wood-engraving.
- Typography.
- Private presses -- United States.
- Arrangement
- The collection is arranged by subject.
- Preferred Citation
- 1997ms409: [identification item] Victor and Carolyn Hammer papers, 1880-1981, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Printer and typographer Victor Karl Hammer (1882-1967) was born in Vienna, Austria in 1882. He studied architecture with Camillo Sitte in Vienna (1897-1898) and attended and taught at the Acadamy of Fine Arts Vienna (1898-1908). Hammer designed his first type-face, Hammer Uncial, in 1921, ran a printing press, named Stamperia del Santuccio, in Florence, Italy from 1922-1936, and taught art at the Acadamy of Fine Arts Vienna (1936-1939). While in Vienna, he married Rosl Rossback; they had two children, Veronika and Jacob. Fleeing Nazi Germany in 1939, the Hammers immigrated to the United States and opened a printing press at Wells College, Aurora, New York. In 1948, Hammer became the artist in residence at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, where he designed the popular type-face American Uncial. Following Rosl's death in 1954, Hammer married Carolyn Reading, a longtime printing apprentice, in 1955. During their marriage, they ran and were involved with multiple presses together, including Hammer's Stamperia del Santuccio, Anvil Press, and the King Library Press. Additionally, the Hammers were frequent correspondants and great friends with spiritualist and monk, Thomas Merton.
- Carolyn Reading Hammer (1911-2001) was the University of Kentucky's Curator of Rare Books and the founder of the King Library Press. Hammer earned her undergraduate degree from Transylvania University and her graduate degree in librarianship from Columbia University in 1933. She worked at both the Library of Congress and the Stuart Robinson School before coming to the University of Kentucky Libraries, where she served as both the Head of Acquisitions and the Curator of Rare Books. In 1943 she and Amelia Buckley started the Bur Press, which printed a series titled Kentucky Monographs and calendars with photographs by the Lexington Camera Club. In addition to the Bur Press, Carolyn Hammer also printed under the Anvil Press, Victor Hammer's Stamperia del Santuccio, the High Noon Press, and the King Library Press. She began an apprenticeship with Victor Hammer in 1949 while he served as artist in residence at Transylvania University. She founded the King Library Press in 1956 in the basement of the Margaret I. King Libary and served as its director until her retirement in 1976.
- Sources:
- The Private Press Tradition in Lexington, Kentucky by Burton Milward From The Kentucky Review, Volume XI, Number 3, Autumn 1992, pp. 5-27. Copyright © 1992 by the University of Kentucky Libraries
- Scope and Content
- The Victor and Carolyn Hammer papers (dated 1880-1981, undated; 4.5 cubic feet; 10 boxes) contains manuscripts, writings, research, and correspondence of the two prominent printers as well as the business records for the Anvil Press. The papers include manuscripts for Concern for the Art of Civilized Man, Mnemosyne and her Nine Daughters (1963) by Victor Hammer; Victor Hammer: Artist and Craftsman (1977) by English art historian, Sir John Rosenstein; and Victor Hammer: Artist and Printer (1981) compiled by Carolyn Hammer with chapters written by fellow printers. Additionally, the collection contains the illustrations for Victor Hammer: Artist and Printer. Correspondence between Carolyn Hammer and other librarians with printing professionals about exhibitions at the King Library is included in the collection. Finally, as founding members of Anvil Press, the Hammer papers include the financial records for the press as well as records on investors and the materials used by the press.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Contents of the Collection
Victor Hammer writings, 1933-1963, undated
Scope and Contents
The Victor Hammer writings series includes manuscripts of articles and the book Victor Hammer wrote on art theory from 1933 until 1963. The two earliest articles, Kultur und Politik and "Eine schule fur Für Freie und Strenge Künste" are in German. Most of his writings are in the form of a dialectic conversation between a critic and an experienced craftsman. Many different edited versions of Mnemosyne and her Nine Daughters, which was later called Concern for the Art of Civilized Man, are included in the series. Hammer worked on the manuscript for many years until it was finally published by his Stamperia del Santuccio press in Lexington in 1963.
"Kultur und Politik": manuscript, undated
"Eine schule fur Für Freie und Strenge Künste", manuscript, 1933-1935
Manuscript for autobiography published in Graz Oesterr. Blaetter by Victor Hammer, 1937
"Dialogue on the Uncial Letter" (with E.A. Lowe): manuscript, circa 1945
"A Unique Plan": manuscript and notes, circay 1947
"Industrial Methods of Work and Socialism": manuscript later printed in the Catholic Art Quarterly, 1949
"Politics of Freedom/Dialogue": handwritten notes, undated
"A Dialogue About Architecture and Other Topics Akin to it Between a Young Critic and an Old Craftsman": first uncorrected draft, 1950 August
A Dialogue About Architecture and Other Topics Akin to it Between a Young Critic and an Old Craftsman: second draft, 1950 October 29-November 11
Notes on architectural definitions, undated
"John VIII": notes taken from this for some of Hammer's other writings, undated
Fragments: original typescript on which D. Jindain and J(?) collaboration, 1951
Proof sheets for Three Fragments, circa 1951
"The Theory of Art as Pure Visibility": handwritten manuscript, undated
Dialogue: handwritten manuscript, undated
Dialogue: early manuscript, undated
Mnemosyne And Her Nine Daughters: corrected by Ulrich Middeldorf, circa 1950
Mnemosyne and Her Nine Daughters: typescript with editing notes, undated
Mnemosyne and Her Nine Daughters: Chapters I and II, with editing notes, undated
Mnemosyne and Her Nine Daughters: Chapters I-III, with editing notes, undated
Mnemosyne and Her Nine Daughters: editing notes by Paul Standard, 1953
Memory and her Nine Daughters, a Platonic Dialogue in four chapters: corrections by Th. Stoop, undated
Mnemosyne and Her Nine Daughters: corrections by T. Wilkinson, undated
Mnemosyne and Her Nine Daughters: corrections by unknown, 1952 January 7
Mnemosyne and Her Nine Daughters: typescript, undated
Memory and Her Nine Daughters: Chapters I and II, with notes, copy to be published, 1952 March 20
Mnemosyne and her Nine Daughters: eight pages of final printed version, circa 1956
Triptychon of Mnemosyne and Her Nine Daughters, the Muses: typscript with notes, undated
Concern for the Art of Civilized Man: proof pages, circa 1962
Concern for the Art of Civilized Man: early draft, undated
Concern for the Art of Civilized Man: draft with editing notes, undated
Concern for Art of Civilized Man: handwritten and typed draft with editing notes, undated
Digressions on the Roman Letters: manuscript later printed in Chapters on Writing and Printing, 1963
Victor Hammer: Artist and Craftsman, 1974-1977, undated
Scope and Contents
The Victor Hammer: Artist and Craftsman series contains the manuscript of a biography of Victor Hammer. The author, John Rothenstein (1901-1992), was an English art historian. He wrote a biography about Victor Hammer which was published by Oak Knoll Press in 1978. During the time Rothenstein was writing the Hammer biography he sent his manuscripts to Carolyn Hammer for editing. Her copies of the manuscripts are included in this series.
First retyped first draft with notes, undated
Retyped first draft, 1974 April
Second draft with author's corrections, 1974 May
Final Draft: 63 page manuscript, 1974 December
Two copies of eleven pages of the edited draft, 1975 April
Second draft with editing notes by Kolbshein, 1975 May
Last draft with Carolyn Reading Hammer corrections: handwritten manuscripts and list of sources and plates, 1976 September 14
Copy of uncorrected last draft and typed list of sources and plates, 1976 September
Copy of last draft corrected by the author and a short note to Carolyn Reading Hammer, 1976 September
Carolyn Reading Hammer's copy with author's corrections noted, 1976 September
Copy of penultimate draft sent to Claude Trapp for criticism: contains short editing notes by Trapp, 1976 December
Complete xerox copy of draft, author's corrected copy, 1976 December-1977 January
Original final draft, 1977 December
Last typed manuscript, 1977 April 1
Carolyn's Reading Hammer's copy with corrections, 1977 April 13
Xerox copy of proof sent to Mardesteig: first printed proof, copy of illustrations, 1977 June
Chapter I Mezzotints by Middeldorf: first and second drafts and final copy with xerox of plates, undated
Victor Hammer: Artist and Printer, 1930, 1980-1981, undated
Scope and Contents
The Victor Hammer: Artist and Printer series contains manuscripts of a work compiled by Carolyn Hammer to be a companion volume to the Victor Hammer biography John Rothenstein wrote and was published in 1978. Victor Hammer: Artist and Printer concerns the artist's mezzotints and other engravings, his uncial type-faces, and the books he printed on his hand-presses in Europe and America. Each of the contributors, contemporaries of Victor Hammer, presents a different perspective on Hammer's aims and accomplishments. The contributors include Carolyn Hammer, Rudolf Koch, Ulrich Middeldorf, R. Hunter Middleton, Hermann Zapf, W. Gay Reading, Jr., Paul Holbrook, and David Farrell. Carolyn Hammer's copies of the drafts of each chapter, as well as, the illustrations of the plates for the volume are included in this series.
"Wer ist Victor Hammer?" by Rudolf Koch: photcopy of handwritten manuscript, 1930
"Wer ist Victor Hammer?": copy in german by Rudolf Koch, preliminary pages, circa 1980
Preliminary pages including translation to English "Who is Victor Hammer?", undated
Chapter I, Mezzotints By Middeldorf: first and second drafts, final copy, undated
Chapter I, Mezzotints by Middeldorf, 29 illustrations, undated
Chapter I, Mezzotints plates for 28 illustrations, undated
Chapter II, engravings and woodcuts with notes by Carolyn Hammer, undated
Chapter II, engravings and woodcuts and 26 plates, undated
Chapter engravings and woodcuts: Carolyn's copy of the first draft and 26 illustrations, undated
Chapter III, illustrations: 1-27, undated
Chapter III, illustrations: 28-52, undated
Chapter III, inscriptions and symbola, 51 illustrations: all drafts and xerox copies of all illustrations, undated
Chapter III, inscriptions and symbols, undated
Chapter IV, Uncial type-faces: Forward by R. Hunter Middleton/ A Master of Punch Cutting by Hermann Zapf: manuscript and final copy/ Documentation of Hammer Types by W. Gay Reading/ negatives for illustrations, undated
Chapter IV, Uncial type-faces figures 1-21, undated
Chapter IV, Uncial type-faces figures for plates, undated
Chapter IV, Uncial types: manuscript with editing notes, undated
Chapter V, Four Presses: A Bibliography: second copy, undated
Chapter V, Four Presses: A Bibliography by Paul Holbrook with notes by Carolyn Reading Hammer/ index, undated
Chapter VI: corrected bibliography by David Farrell, 1981 January 7
Chapter VI, A Hammer Bibliography by David Farrell/ End Pages: biographical notes, undated
Text for Prospectus, proofs and final copies, undated
Four sets of page proofs, undated
Galley pages from the Anvil Press, undated
Chapter IV-VI, first printed drafts, undated
Second xerox copy of galley pages, 1981 June
Chapter V, printed drafts, undated
Anvil Press program for the publication of Victor Hammer: Artist and Printer, 1981
Related printmakers correspondence and exhibitions, 1948-1969
Scope and Contents
The Related Printmakers correspondence and exhibitions series includes the correspondence between University of Kentucky librarians and printmakers whose works are included in the library's special collections or were on display in an exhibit in the library. Two of the printers, Joe Graves and Paul Standard, were contemporaries of Victor Hammer once he settled in Lexington, Kentucky. Amelia King Buckley was a close friend to Carolyn Reading Hammer. Ms. Buckley and Mrs. Hammer printed together at the Bur Press in the 1940s. Reynolds Stone, an English artist who designed wood cut engravings, created works that were on display in the King Library in the 1950s. Correspondence in the series addresses the desire of the librarians at King to maintain the Reynolds Stone exhibit, as well as, collect more works by Victor Hammer.
Correspondence with Joe Graves about Graves Press, 1948-1954
Correspondence and book sleeves from the Reynolds Stone exhibit at King Library, 1951-1959
Correspondence relating to King Library Victor Hammer exhibition and Hammer fund (money donated to purchase Hammer works), 1953-1963
Correspondence from Paul Standard to Lawrence Thompson and review of Wolfgang Fuggers, 1955-1959
Correspondence from Amelia Buckley to King Library and calligraphy examples, 1961-1969
Carolyn Hammer materials, 1880, 1920-1974
Scope and Contents
The Carolyn Hammer materials series includes mostly correspondence between University of Kentucky librarians, Mrs. Hammond Dugan, Mrs. Hill Shine, Lawrence Thompson and Carolyn Hammer and artists or manufacturers in the printmaking profession. The series also includes some broadsides advertisments relating to printing and typography from the late nineteenth centrury.
Printmaking and typography advertisements, circa 1880
Stuart Guthrie diary, typed copy, 1920
Correspondence from George K. Graves about donations to University of Kentucky library, 1941 October 25-1943 May 17
Examples of wood block cuts by Frederick Warde, Bodoni, Switzerland and correspondence from Warde to Mrs. William Hand about rare book collection, 1926 April
Note card inventory of works by Burr Press and Carolyn Hammer, 1943-1954
Correspondence between Janet Winter and Victor Hammer, 1946-1942
Correspondence between Mrs. Hammond Dugan and Joseph C. Robert, 1947 September 10-1959 March 10
Correspondence between Gebrüder Scholl, Zürich, and Carolyn Reading (Hammer) about Swiss pear wood, 1949 August 27-November 7
Correspondence between T.N. Lawrence and Son, Lon, manufacturers of Engraver's Boxwood Blocks, and Carolyn Reading (Hammer), 1951 September 13-1954 March 9
Correspondence between Harry S. Rossiter, typographer, and Mrs. Hammond Dugan, 1953 May-1956 May
Articles about Anvil Press, Carolyn Reading (Hammer) correspondence about Anvil Press, 1953 October 26-1955 December 30
Correspondence and receipts from paper and printing companies to Carolyn Reading (Hammer), 1952 January 15-1954 March 16
Personal correspondence from Frank A. Pattie to Mrs. Hammond Dugan and Mrs. Shine, 1954 April 8-1967 January 23
Correspondence from Beatrice Warde to Mrs. Hammond Dugan about linotype, 1955 April-1963 October
Classical Antiquity and the Roman Type by Julius Rodenberg and translated by Lawrence Thompson and correspondence to Thompson about translation, 1958-1966
William (King) Solomon by Burton Milward with editing notes, circa 1959
Correspondence between Mrs. Hammond Dugan and the Mardersleig family of Verona, famous printers, 1959 July 31-1961 May 23
Correspondence between Mrs. Hammond Dugan, and Stanbrook Abbey Press, 1960 March-1965 January 22
Correspondence between Mrs. Hammond Dugan and Fritz Kredel, 1960 December-1965 June 20
Correspondence between Mrs. Hill Shine and Joseph Ishill, author, 1962 March-1963 April
Correspondence from Rollo Silver to Mrs. Hill Shine and Lawrence Thompson, 1964 November-1966 April
Correspondence from Tom Sutherland, Hartford, Kentucky to Mrs. Hill Shine about typeface, 1965 November 12
Correspondence from Klaus Wrage to Lawrence Thompson about woodcut engravings, 1969 January 1
Correspondence between Walter G. Langlois and Carolyn Hammer about exhibit, 1969 September-November
Correspondence from Wendell Berry to Carolyn Reading Hammer and copy of Civilizing the Cumberlands by Berry, 1969 September 16
Correspondence from Clinton Harbinger to Carolyn Hammer about Thomas Jefferson quote, 1974 June 9
The Seafarer published by King Library Press, materials and photographs from publication party, 1975
First Fragments by unknown, corrected by DuStoop, correspondence on art theory from unknown, 1977
Anvil Press, 1952-1979
Scope and Contents
The Anvil Press papers series includes the financial and business records for the publishers from 1952 until 1981. Anvil Press was founded in 1952 by Joseph Graves and Carolyn Hammer in Lexington, Kentucky. In the beginning Jacob Hammer, Victor Hammer's son, served as Anvil Press' pressman. In this series are Anvil Press' bank statements. Also are receipts and returned checks showing the costs and profits of Anvil Press. There are lists of subscribers to the press' works as well as lists of investors.
Folio with daily record, financial investors' contact information, printing materials inventory, 1952 October-1960 May
Bank statements, 1953 January-1962 April 25
Bank loan papers and list of subscribers, investors, 1953 January-1963 February
Notecards with inventory, 1954-1956
Returned checks, 1954 October 1-1979 January 29
Financial records and receipts, 1955-1979
Bank statements, 1961 April 10-1969 November 29
Bank statements, 1970 February 27-1975 June 30
Shadrach accounts payable, 1978 April 23
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
