Finding Aid for the Stathis Orphanos Papers LSC.0527

Finding aid prepared by Dan Luckenbill, May 1999; machine-readable finding aid created by Dan Luckenbill and Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 2022 December 5.
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Business Number: 310-825-4988
Fax Number: 310-206-1864
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu


Contributing Institution: UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Stathis Orphanos papers
Creator: Orphanos, Stathis
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.0527
Physical Description: 0.5 Linear Feet (1 box)
Date (inclusive): circa 1983 - 1999
Abstract: Stathis Orphanos (1940- ) was a author, bookseller and photographer. He began bookselling with Sylvester and George Fisher in 1972 as Sylvester & Orphanos, and issued their first catalog in 1973. They began publishing limited editions as Sylvester & Orphanos in 1976. Orphanos' first portfolio of photographs was published in Ontario Review in 1983. The collection consists of copies of portraits, reproductions of portraits in various literary magazines, lists of publications and exhibits, ephemera relating to publications and exhibits, memoirs, correspondence with David Zeidberg, and a copy of a letter about his short fiction piece, Bathyllus, from Colin Wilson.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.

Restrictions on Access

Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Stathis Orphanos Papers (Collection 527). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Processing Information

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Processed by Dan Luckenbill, May 1999.
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UCLA Catalog Record ID

UCLA Catalog Record ID: 9948904053606533 

Biography

Stathis Orphanos was born in North Carolina of Greek parents and resides in Los Angeles and at his home on the Greek island of Samos. He is a photographer who specializes in portraits of major figures, whose work has been included in many publications. He is also a partner with Ralph Sylvester in a publishing firm, called Sylvester & Orphanos.

Biograpical Narrative

Stathis Orphanos was born in October 12, 1940 in Greensboro, North Carolina of Greek parents from the island of Samos; was raised in Connecticut and attended Cheshire Academy 1952-1958; attended Dennison University 1958-1959; attended CSULA 1960-1962, where he studied with Dorothy Parker, among others; attended UCLA summer 1960; met partner Ralph Sylvester in 1960; began bookselling with Sylvester and George Fisher in 1972; formed business as Sylvester & Orphanos and issued first catalog in 1973; began publishing limited editions as Sylvester & Orphanos in 1976 with Christopher Isherwood's Christopher and His Kind, a special edition of the publisher's sheets and in 1978 with Joyce Carol Oates's Sentimental education, printed by Lillian Marks; began photography at age 15 in 1955 with his first Rolleiflex; met friend Juli Veee (Gyula Visnyei) in 1972 and first traveled with him to photograph authors on the East Coast in 1981; first portfolio of photographs published in Ontario Review in 1983; various shows of photography and Sylvester & Orphanos publications, including Los Angeles Art Association Galleries 1988 (curated by Shirley Burden), exhibit at UCLA Library Department of Special Collections 1990 (curated by Dan Luckenbill), Beverly Hills Public Library 1995 (curated by Stefan Klima); author of fiction, including stories set in Greece; author of non fiction, e.g. memoirs of photographing sitters, including memoir of knowing and photographing Christopher Isherwood published in The Isherwood.

Scope and Content

The papers consist of papers, manuscripts, portraits, photographs and ephemera related to authors and the subjects of Southern California-related books. Portraits are of Michael Nava, Mamie Van Doren. Includes material about Sylvester & Orphanos.

Expanded Scope and Content

Collection consists of copies of portraits of Michael Nava and Mamie Van Doren; reproductions of portraits in various literary magazines; lists of publications and exhibits; ephemera relating to publications and exhibits; memoirs about photographing famous authors with traveling companion Juli Veee, of photographing Mamie Van Doren, and of photographing U.S. Marines in a series entitled Kouroi; correspondence with David Zeidberg; and copy of a letter about his short fiction piece, Bathyllus, from Colin Wilson.

Additional Physical Form Available

A copy of the original version of this online finding aid is available at the UCLA Department of Special Collections for in-house consultation and may be obtained for a fee. Please contact:
  • Public Services Division
  • UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
  • Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
  • Box 951575
  • Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
  • Telephone: 310/825-4988 (10:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Pacific Time)
  • Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
  • Portrait of bookseller Peggy Christian (gift of Peggy Christian), and of actress and Greek Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri (gift of the Estate of Peggy Christian). In Photographers Collection (Collection 98). Available at Department of Special Collections, UCLA.
  • Records of the Sylvester & Orphanos exhibit are in University of California. Library. Department of Special Collections Collection (Exhibit records, 1967-1991). Available at University Archives, UCLA.
  • Records of the Beverly Hills exhibit and lecture by Dan Luckenbill are in the Dan Luckenbill Papers (Collection 1484). Available at Department of Special Collections, UCLA.
  • Sylvester & Orphanos: catalog of an exhibit, October-December 1990. Written and compiled by Dan Luckenbill, 1990. Available at Young Research Library, UCLA.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Photographers -- Archives.
Sylvester & Orphanos (Firm).
Orphanos, Stathis -- Archives

 

Writing, Photograph, and Publication Material

 

Bookselling

 

Sales Material

 

Catalogs

box 1, folder 11

Sylvester & Orphanos catalogue no.23. n.d.

Scope and Contents note

Cover reproduces portrait of SO.

General note

Other catalogs are in the Department's bookseller catalog collection and in the papers of Dan Luckenbill.
 

Items Collected

 

Greek Related

 

Ephemeral Material

box 1, folder 14

Cancelled Melina Merocuri stamp. ca. 1995.

box 1, folder 17

Jose Quintero catalog, Paul Bowles article, and correspondence from Nick Tsacrios 1999

 

Photographs

 

Authors

 

Reproductions

box 1, folder 9

On covers of journals. Robert Stone, James Dickey. 1993-1994.

box 1, folder 16

Copies of The Southern Review, no photos by SO. 1996.

General note

Sent to SO.
 

Mamie Van Doren

 

Materials Related to Portraits

box 1, folder 4

Clippings reproducing portraits. 1993.

General Physical Description note: 3 articles. With envelope addressed in Mamie Van Doren's hand and with lipstick prints.

Scope and Contents note

Also copy of article sent to DZ by SO.
 

Prints

box 1, folder 3

Portrait, two figure studies. 1992[?].

General Physical Description note: 3 prints.
 

Michael Nava

 

Print

box 1, folder 1

Portrait. n.d.

General Physical Description note: 19.4 × 22.7 cm. Signed by SO.
box 1, folder 2

Portrait with Andrew Ferrero. n.d.

General Physical Description note: 21.1 × 19.5 cm. Signed by SO.

General note

Cf. prints in Michael Nava Papers (collection 1714). Available at Department of Special Collections, UCLA.
 

Related Material

 

Publicity Material

box 1, folder 7

Resume, press releases, invitations, etc. 1991-1995.

Scope and Contents note

Includes ephemera of production of Illya Darling, Los Angeles 1995 (SO had show of photographs at the theater).
 

Various

 

Reproductions

box 1, folder 8

Portraits of friends and writers. In: The Ontario Review no.18. 1983 Spring / Summer.

Scope and Contents note

First reproductions of photographic work. Cover and portfolio.

General note

Some of these photographs are mentioned in Dan Luckenbill's Sylvester & Orphanos.
 

Publications

 

Various Sylvester & Orphanos

 

Catalog(s)

box 1, folder 12

List(s) of publications. ca. 1995.

 

Publicity Material

box 1, folder 13

Copies of articles about Sylvester & Orphanos. 1983, 1991.

 

Writing

 

Breasting the '90s: Photographing Mamie Van Doren

 

Manuscript Material

box 1, folder 5

Copy of reminiscence. 1992[?].

General Physical Description note: [1], 6 leaves. Typescript and word processor[?].
 

Untitled [Photographing Writers]

 

Manuscript Material

box 1, folder 6

Copy of account of trip with Juli Veee in to photograph authors, etc. on East Coast. 1981 n.d.

General Physical Description note: 3 leaves. Typescript.

Scope and Contents note

Also photocopy of letter from Susan Cheever, 1984. 1 leaf.
 

Writing - Fiction

 

Bathyllus

 

Post Manuscript Material

box 1, folder 10

Letter from Colin Wilson. 1989 March 22.

General Physical Description note: Photocopy.

Scope and Contents note

Bathyllus is a short fiction, set in ancient Samos, the Greek island birthplace of SO.