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Guide to Graham Mackintosh papers
Mss 332
Mss 332
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Title: Graham Mackintosh papers
Identifier/Call Number: Mss 332
Contributing Institution:
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Research Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.3 linear feet
(3 document boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1964-2002
Date (bulk): 1964-1985
Abstract: The collection consists of works from White Rabbit Press, Graham Mackintosh, and other small West Coast publishing houses.
creator:
Mackintosh, Graham, 1935-2015
Graham Mackintosh's works were given to Naomi Greene, retired French professor of UC Santa Barbara, and the collection donated
to Special Research Collections consists of Mackintosh's works compiled by Naomi Greene and Allen Cohen.
The collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given
on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
[Identification of Item], Graham Mackintosh papers, Mss 332. Department of Special Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library,
University of California, Santa Barbara.
Graham Mackintosh was a printer, illustrator, book designer, and publisher of White Rabbit Press. Mackintosh was born April
1935 in Salt Lake City, Utah. As a child his family relocated to California where Graham attended Lowell High School. Mackintosh
studied at San Francisco School of Arts. In 1951, Mackintosh was part of ROTC and was intended to go to Korea upon graduation
but after high school he attended California School of Fines Arts. During this period he met and married his first wife Kathy
Knight. Mackintosh was drafted into the Army and in the 1960s after discharge returned to the Bay Area and with the GI Bill
was able to attend UC Berkeley. He became increasingly involved in the literary and poetry scene and began a small printing
and publishing shop in Piedmont. Berkeley's Oyez Press partnered with Mackintosh on several prints.
Concurrently, the White Rabbit Press, founded by Joe Dunn in 1957, was known as the printer for the poetry of the Jack Spicer
Circle, the first ten books were printed at the Greyhound Bus offices (the name coming from the rabbit in Greyhound races)
on 7th street in San Francisco. These early books were illustrated by Jess, Robert Duncan, and Kenn Davis. It was the primary
publisher of the work of Jack Spicer, Robin Blaser, and Robert Duncan—the three central figures of the literary movement first
known as the Berkeley Renaissance. Over the years Dunn's printing shop published sixty-three books and ten broadsides. After
a production hiatus, the imprint was revived in 1962 by Graham Mackintosh with Spicer’s
Lament for the Makers, which was published in a small edition and illustrated by Mackintosh.
Mackintosh had also joined Noel Young and Martin's Black Sparrow Press and Mackintosh moved to Santa Barbara to set up shop
with Noel Young. Young also managed other small West Coast publishing houses, but eventually sold his printing shop to Mackintosh.
Throughout the 1970-1980s Mackintosh traveled back and forth between San Francisco and Santa Barbara. Mackintosh remarried
in 1986 to Janet Thormann. Charles Bukowski, Lynn Stark, Jim Jimenez, Joe Babine, Sasha Newborn, Aaron Young Linda Benet,
and Caitlin Mackintosh all worked with Graham in different times and ways. Mackintosh died in 2015.
The collection consists of books, journals, and booklets published by Mackintosh's White Rabbit Press and other small West
Coast publishing houses. Many of the works have either been designed and printed by Mackintosh himself and White Rabbit Press.
The majority of the works are poetry and some are in french with translations included done by retired UC Santa Barbara French
professor Naomi Greene. Of particular note, the collection includes press-clippings mentioning Mackintosh's activities and
biographical information. The collection is a small respresentation of West Coast publishing and mid-centruy book art.
The collection retains the original order of the creator.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Spicer, Jack
American literature
Printing
Printing--California
Publishers and publishing--United States--California
Santa Barbara (Calif.)