Skip to main content

Lenniger Literary Agency records

 Collection
Identifier: Ax 073

Scope and Contents

The Lenniger Literary Agency Records include correspondence with clients of the agency, totaling over 10,000 letters. The Lenniger Agency was represented by August Lenniger and Edith Margolis. In addition to correspondence, there are literary manuscripts, books of published advertisements, account ledgers, published copies of books written in several languages and other miscellaneous items relating to the publication of manuscripts.

The long and detailed letters between the agents and their clients concern the problems of writing, editing, and selling contemporary publishers; and the personal problems that the agent shares with his clients. It is unusual to see a collection containing more personal information concerning the craft of writing than does this collection.

The Lenniger clients represent recognized writers within almost every field of contemporary fiction. The writers are novelists, masters of the short story, or specialists within a literary genre.

In the box and folder list, the folders simply marked with a letter of the alphabet signify that there is correspondence with multiple authors within.

The researcher should also note that some of the folders of correspondence also contain other items such as clippings, tear sheets, dust jackets, manuscript outlines, fragments and drafts. Some of the folders also contain royalty statements, contracts, personal information about the author, photographs and other such items.

The Lenniger Literary Agency Records were acquired over a several-year period and are described as they were received; therefore, the collection, in its numeric box order, contains groups of materials located intermittently throughout the collection.

Dates

  • 1926-1975

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish collection materials must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Biographical / Historical

The Lenniger Literary Agency was founded in 1923 by August Lenniger. Its purpose was to place a writer’s books and stories with publishers and to negotiate with the publishers. August Lenniger and Edith Margolis corresponded with hundreds of agency clients. The letters concern editing and sales of manuscripts, requirements and house rules of publishers, the state of the literary market, and personal problems of the writers.

Extent

67.5 linear feet (47 containers)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Lenniger Literary Agency was founded in 1923 by August Lenniger. Its purpose was to place a writer’s books and stories with publishers and to negotiate with the publishers. August Lenniger and Edith Margolis corresponded with hundreds of agency clients. The letters concern editing and sales of manuscripts, requirements and house rules of publishers, the state of the literary market, and personal problems of the writers. The collection contains correspondence, published works, manuscripts and other miscellaneous material.

Arrangement

Collection is organized into the following series:

Series: Correspondence and Manuscripts

Series: Correspondence with Edith Margolis

Series: Correspondence (editorial files) and manuscripts

Series: Correspondence, Addenda 1969

Series: Ad Books

Series: Published Books by Clientele

Series: Ad Books

Series: Published Books by Clientele

Series: Account Ledgers

Series: Correspondence With Clients

Series: Published Advertisements and other Publicity Material

Series: Correspondence

Series: August Lenniger Files

Series: Edith Margolis Files

Series: Correspondence with Publishers and other Agents

Series: Published Books and Manuscript Drafts

Series: Correspondence and Miscellaneous Items

Series: Correspondence with other Book Agencies and Agents, both Domestic and Foreign

Series: Miscellaneous Correspondence and other Items

Series: Correspondence

Series: Contracts

Series: Correspondence with August Lenniger

Series: August Lenniger Correspondence with Publishers

Series: Correspondence with Edith Margolis

Series: Correspondence with Publishers

Series: Miscellaneous

Series: Correspondence

Series: Correspondence with Publishers

Series: Correspondence with Foreign Agents

Series: Correspondence with Edith Margolis

Series: Correspondence with John K. Payne

Series: Manuscripts

Series: Western Writers of America and Miscellaneous

Series: Account Ledgers

Series: Correspondence and Miscellaneous

Processing Information

Collection processed by Ed Kemp, in June 1980.

This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.

Title
Guide to the Lenniger Literary Agency records
Status
Revise Description
Author
Finding aid prepared by processing staff
Date
2006
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid is in English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Repository Details

Part of the University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Repository

Contact:
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene OR 97403-1299 USA