Bur Press records

Abstract

The Bur Press records (dated 1933-1966; 1.7 cubic feet; 5 boxes) comprise manuscripts, proofs, orders, correspondence, and photographs that document the work of the Bur Press, a small private printing press in Lexington, Kentucky in the mid-20th century.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Bur Press records
Date
1933-1966 (inclusive)
Extent
1.7 Cubic Feet
Subjects
American literature -- 20th century.
Architecture -- Kentucky
Artists' books -- United States.
Artists -- Kentucky -- Lexington.
Bookbinding -- History.
Printing.
Printing -- Kentucky -- History.
Printing presses
Private presses -- United States.
Women's studies -- United States -- 20th century.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by format.
Finding Aid Author
Carol Street and Sydney Mullins
Preferred Citation
1997ms410 : [identification of item], Bur Press records, 1933-1966, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
The Bur Press was a private printing press founded by Carolyn Reading Hammer and Amelia King Buckley in 1943 in Lexington, Kentucky. Harriet McDonald and Mary Spears later joined the press to create artwork and perform bookbinding. The Bur Press was the first press of its kind in Lexington to be operated solely by women and published a series of four Kentucky monographs and a children's book. Among the books they printed were: The Education of a Gentleman: Jefferson Davis at Transylvania, 1821-1824 by Margaret Newnan Wagers (1943); Rafinesque in Lexington, by Huntley Dupre (1945); Sonnets by Lucia Clark Markham (1944) Bitter Harvest: Miss Laura Clay's Suffrage Work by Clavia Goodman (1946); Mr. Poof's Discovery by Rena and John Jacob Niles (1947); and Back Streets and Pine Trees: The Work of John McMurtry by Clay Lancaster (1956). These were each printed in limited editions of 200 to 300 copies.
Carolyn Reading Hammer was born in Paris, Kentucky, in 1911. She attended Transylvania University for her undergraduate studies and Columbia University for her graduate studies in Library Sciences. She worked at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and then later the University of Kentucky Libraries until her retirement in 1976. She was the Head of Acquisitions and, later, the Curator of Rare Books. Hammer was married to Austrian-born printer Victor Karl Hammer (1882-1967), a well-regarded printer and typeface creator. In addition to the Bur Press, she founded the Anvil Press, High Noon Press, and the King Library Press. She died in 2001.
Amelia Pickerell King was born in Kentucky in 1908 to Harry Smith King and Isabel Pickerell. She married Monroe Leer Buckley in 1933. While her husband became an attorney, Amelia became a librarian. She was a longtime librarian at the Keeneland Association Library in Lexington, Kentucky. Her book The Keeneland Association Library: A Guide to the Collection, which was published in 1958 by the University of Kentucky Press, gives a bibliographic overview of the collection at that time.
Scope and Content
The Bur Press records (dated 1933-1966; 1.7 cubic feet; 5 boxes) comprise manuscripts, proofs, orders, correspondence, and photographs that document the work of the Bur Press, a small private printing press in Lexington, Kentucky in the mid-20th century. The collection is divided into two series that reflect the overall work of the Bur Press and specific printing projects they produced. The first series contains records related to building the press such as their sketches for the logo design, orders for presses and type, promotional materials, and reference clippings on rare books and private presses. Photographs in this series depict Carolyn Reading, Amelia King Buckley, Harriette Holliday, and Mary Spears at work at the press. The project series is organized chronologically by project and includes author correspondence, manuscripts, proofs, book orders, reviews for the book and calendar projects. The photographs in this series are related to the book Back Streets and Pine Trees by Clay Lancaster, and depict churches and buildings likely designed by John McMurtry.

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

Bur Press operational and business records, 1941-1966

Press name and logo sketches, 1942

  • Box 1, folder 1
To top

Correspondence, 1945-1951

  • Box 1, folder 2
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Florist cards, Christmas card, notes, Carlyle quote print, 1941-1966

  • Box 1, folder 3
To top

Kentucky Library Association event luncheon tags, local indexes in Kentucky Libraries title page, 1941

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Catalog requests and outstanding orders, 1943-1959

  • Box 1, folder 5
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Supply orders, 1941-1942

  • Box 1, folder 6
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Supply orders, 1943-1946

  • Box 1, folder 7
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Supply orders, 1947-1958

  • Box 1, folder 8
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Bank records, 1953-1959

  • Box 1, folder 9
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Promotional materials sent to the Bur Press, undated

  • Box 1, folder 10
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Bur Press photographs, circa 1947

Carolyn Reading standing at printing press, circa 1947

  • Box 1, folder 11
To top

Carolyn Reading and Amelia Buckley at press, circa 1947

  • Box 1, folder 11
To top

Harriette Holliday, Amelia Buckley, Carolyn Reading, and Mary Spears at Bur Press, circa 1947

  • Box 1, folder 11
To top

Carolyn Reading choosing typeface, circa 1947

  • Box 1, folder 11
To top

Clippings on the Bur Press, 1947

  • Box 1, folder 12
To top

Clippings on rare books and privates presses, 1942-1948

  • Box 1, folder 13
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Bur Press print projects, 1933-1960

"Kentucky Calendar", 1941-1953

Correspondence, 1941-1946

  • Box 1, folder 14
To top

Correspondence, 1947-1953

  • Box 2, folder 1
To top

Copyright certificates, correspondence, 1942-1951

  • Box 2, folder 2
To top

Tauber-Tube Binding correspondence, 1942-1952

  • Box 2, folder 3
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Clippings and advertisements, 1942-1950

  • Box 2, folder 4
To top

The Education of a Gentleman: Jefferson Davis at Transylvania, 1821-1824 by Margaret Newnan Wagers, 1941-1948

Correspondence, 1941-1944

  • Box 2, folder 5
To top

Page proofs, 1942-1943

  • Box 2, folder 6
To top

Numbered copies list, undated

  • Box 2, folder 7
To top

Orders, 1943-1948

  • Box 2, folder 8
To top

Reviews and review requests, 1943

  • Box 2, folder 9
To top

Budget, notes, florist cards, address list, 1943

  • Box 2, folder 10
To top

Rafinesque in Lexington by Huntley Dupre, 1943-1958

Huntley Dupre correspondence, 1943-1945

  • Box 2, folder 11
To top

Correspondence and clipping, 1943-1945

  • Box 2, folder 12
To top

Page proofs, 1945

  • Box 3, folder 1
To top

Page proofs with corrections, 1945

  • Box 3, folder 2
To top

Numbered copies list, financial records, lists, undated

  • Box 3, folder 3
To top

Orders, 1943-1958

  • Box 3, folder 4
To top

Sales records, 1945-1946

  • Box 3, folder 5
To top

Sonnets by Lucia Clark Markham, 1933-1944

Bur Press copy number 6, 1944

  • Box 3, folder 6
To top

Lucia Clark Markham correspondence, 1933-1943

  • Box 3, folder 7
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Correspondence, 1944

  • Box 3, folder 8
To top

Book orders, 1944

  • Box 3, folder 9
To top

Numbered copies list, 1944

  • Box 3, folder 10
To top

Expenses, 1944

  • Box 3, folder 11
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Reviews, mailing lists, poems, 1944

  • Box 3, folder 12
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Back Streets and Pine Trees: The Work of John McMurtry by Clay Lancaster, 1946-1958

Photographs, undated

View of the city of Lexington, undated

  • Box 4, folder 1
To top

Commonwealth Distillery, undated

  • Box 4, folder 1
To top

Charles Tewes house, undated

  • Box 4, folder 1
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Second Presbyterian Church, Lexington, Kentucky, architectural rendering phogotraph, undated

  • Box 4, folder 1
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First Baptist Church, undated

  • Box 4, folder 1
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Research correspondence and notes, 1946-1949

  • Box 4, folder 2
To top

Correspondence, 1947-1957

  • Box 4, folder 3
To top

Budget and Bur Press logo print, undated

  • Box 4, folder 4
To top

Mailing lists, undated

  • Box 4, folder 5
To top

Order form and orders, 1953-1956

  • Box 4, folder 6
To top

Orders, 1956-1957

  • Box 4, folder 7
To top

Orders, 1958-undated

  • Box 4, folder 8
To top

Numbered copies list, undated

  • Box 4, folder 9
To top

Award recognitions, review, clippings, 1956

  • Box 4, folder 10
To top

Bitter Harvest by Clavia Goodman, 1945-1960

Correspondence, 1946-1960

  • Box 5, folder 1
To top

Manuscript, 1945-1946

  • Box 5, folder 2
To top

Page proofs, 1945

  • Box 5, folder 3
To top

Orders, 1945-1956

  • Box 5, folder 4
To top

Numbered copies list, undated

  • Box 5, folder 5
To top

Review request, reviews, announcements, 1946-1947

  • Box 5, folder 6
To top

Mr. Poof's Discovery by Rena and James Jacob Niles; illustrated by Harriet MacDonald, 1947-1951

Manuscripts with edits, undated

  • Box 5, folder 7
To top

Correspondence, 1947-1948

  • Box 5, folder 8
To top

Orders, 1947-1951

  • Box 5, folder 9
To top

Announcements and reviews, 1947-1949

  • Box 5, folder 10
To top

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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.

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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.