Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society Collection
MSS-2013-22-08
Lale Yasemin Kaya
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
(408) 808-2062
special.collections@sjsu.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
SJSU Special Collections and Archives
Title: Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MSS-2013-22-08
Physical Description:
2 boxes (2.6 Linear feet)
Date (inclusive): 1977-2006
Date (bulk): 1983-1988
Abstract: The Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society Collection documents the variety of activities, organizations, publications, photographs,
and news articles about the society.
Language of Material: Languages represented in the collection: English
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has been assigned to the San José State University Library Special Collections and Archives. All requests for permission
to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the SJSU Special Collections and Archives as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to
include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also
apply to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Preferred Citation
The Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society Collection, MSS-2013-22-08, San José State University Library Special Collections and
Archives.
Processing Information
Processed by: Lale Yasemin Kaya
Reviewed by: Danelle Moon, Stephanie Waslohn, and Diane Malmstrom
Date completed: July 2014
Edited: January 2015
ArchiveSpace input by: Lale Yasemin Kaya
Date: July 2014
Organizational History
In 1977, Sabina Sedgewick founded The Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society by initiating the society’s first meeting at a potluck
dinner at her house. With inspiration from Sedgewick, the ladies’ first assignment was to expand on their love for food,
in which they each created an individual recipe for their ideal lover. Sedgewick asked the society whether or not women and
men agree on what is erotic. To explore this question, the society continued to meet every month at one of the member’s homes.
The Erotica meetings commenced with chilled wine, hors-d'œuvres, and finally the moment of Erotica would begin. Together,
the ladies recollected about their sexual awakenings, by slowly and randomly assembling information; from pulp magazines,
the dictionary, comparing their anatomies, and eavesdropping on conversations not meant for their ears. The result of these
meetings lead to the society’s first publication, Ladies Home Erotica: Tales, Recipes, and Other Mischiefs by Older Women
(1984), later published as Ladies’ Own Erotica (February 1986). Then, The Erotic Companion: An Illustrated Write-Your-Own
Erotic Journal was published in 1985 by Pat Adler of The Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society. Afterwards Look Homeward Erotica
was published 1986, followed by the society’s final publication, Sex, Death, and Other Distractions (2002).
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection consists of administrative records, correspondences, ephemera, periodicals, photographs, sound recordings,
and writings. The majority of the collection contains books and written material, including individual rough drafts of book
chapters, journals, poetry, and short stories. In addition, the collection contains information regarding the policies and
procedures of the society. There is also a variety of correspondences between publishing and royalty houses, along with many
invoices that record the costs of distribution and sales. The rest of the collection contains photographs of the people in
the society, name tags and ribbons, along with advertisements, book-buying catalogs, and newspaper clippings that trace the
history of the society’s success.
Arrangement
The arrangement of this collection consists of seven series documenting 1977-2002: Series I, Administrative Records, 1983-2006,
is arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by title; Series II, Correspondences, 1983-2000, is arranged chronologically
and then alphabetically by title; Series III, Ephemera, no dates, is arranged by format; Series IV, Periodicals, 1972-1992,
is arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by title; Series V, Photographs, 1984-1988, is arranged chronologically
in folders and intact with their respective albums; Series VI, Sound Recordings, no dates, is arranged in a folder; Series
VII, Writings, 1974-2000, is arranged alphabetically by authors’ pseudonym (last name, first name), then alphabetically by
title, and then by draft edition number.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Erotic stories, American -- California
American fiction -- 20th century
Sexual fantasies -- California
American fiction -- Women authors
Erotic literature, American -- California
Velora Moore (Jenna York)
Judy McBride (Emma Hawksly)
Frances Rowe (Claudia Morton)
Annegret Ogden (Sabina Sedgewick)
Laurel Cook (Elvira Pearson)
Nenelle Bunnin (Nell Port)
Pat Adler (Rose Solomon)
Ann Fisher (Susan Hutchinson)
Sascha Dorgeloh (Bernadette Vaughan)
Series I: Administrative Records
1983-2006
bulk
Physical Description: 1 Box, 2 Folders
Scope and Contents
This series consists of financial material, including estimates of production costs, invoices, and pay check records between
The Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society and among various publishing houses. It also includes an informative list of the names
and pseudonyms of the members of the society along with a list of the societies’ procedures.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by title.
Folder 1: Society procedures, information, and records
1983-1985
Folder 2: Financial Records
1986-2006
Series II: Correspondences
1983-2000
1983-1988
Physical Description: 1 Box, 1 Folder
Scope and Contents
The material in this series documents correspondence letters between The Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society and among various
publishing houses, society members, friends, and relatives.
Files are arranged alphabetically by title, and then chronologically (oldest to newest) within each folder.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by title.
Folder 1: Correspondences, letters
1983-2000
Series III: Ephemera
No dates
Physical Description: 1 Box, 2 Folders, Two loose yellow masks
Scope and Contents
The material in this series documents bookmarks made by the members of The Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society, advertisements
for book publications, and two ballroom masks made out of colorful construction paper.
Arrangement
This series is arranged by format.
Folder 1: Bookmarks, postcards, event invites
No dates
Folder 2: Advertisements
No dates
Folder 3: Two yellow masks
No dates
Series IV: Periodicals
1972-1992
bulk
Physical Description: 1 Box, 4 Folders
Scope and Contents
The material in this series documents newspaper clippings that refer to The Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society, and book-buying
periodicals that feature books written by the society members.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by title.
Folder 1: Periodicals
1972-1992
Folder 2: Periodicals
1978-1987
Folder 3: Periodicals
1984-1985
Folder 4: Periodicals
1985-1992
Series V: Photographs
1984-1988
Physical Description: 1 Box, 8 Folders
Scope and Contents
The material in this series documents photographs of the members of The Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically and then by format.
Folder 1: Photographic album
1984-1985
Folder 2: Photographic album
bulk
Folder 3: Photographic album
1985-1986
Folder 4: Photographic album
1985-1986
Folder 5: Photographic album
1985-1986
Folder 6: Photographic album
1986
Folder 7: Photographic album
1985-1988
Folder 8: Photographs
1987
Series VII: Writings
1974-2000
bulk
Physical Description: 1 Box, 6 Folders
Scope and Contents
The material in this series comprises the bulk of The Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society collection. This series consisting
of hand-written in notebooks and type-written drafts of chapters, short stories, and poetry by the society’s members.
There are also seven books in this series which consist of the society’s first publication, Ladies Home Erotica: Tales, Recipes,
and Other Mischiefs by Older Women (1984), later published as Ladies’ Own Erotica (February 1986), and Ladies’ Own Erotica:
Two bestsellers from the Kensington Ladies' Erotica Society Together in one Volume (1984, 1986). The Erotic Companion: An
Illustrated Write-Your-Own Erotic Journal (1985) was published by Pat Adler of The Kensington Ladies’ Erotica Society. Look
Homeward Erotica was published in 1986, followed by the society’s final publication, Sex, Death, and Other Distractions (2002).
These books can be searched in the general catalogue.
Arrangement
Files are arranged alphabetically by authors’ pseudonym (last name, first name), then alphabetically by title, and then by
draft edition number.
Books have been cataloged in the OPAC.
Folder 1: Ann Fisher (Susan Hutchinson)
1985-1986
Folder 2: Jenna York (Velora Moore)
1979-2000
Folder 3: Jenna York (Velora Moore)
1980-2000
Folder 4: Notebooks of Jenna York (Velora Moore)
No dates
Folder 5: Notebook of Jenna York (Velora Moore)
1998
Folder 6: Illustrated stories
1974
Series VI: Sound Recordings
1985-1986
Physical Description: 1 Box, 1 Folder
Scope and Contents
The material in this series consists of six cassette tapes.
Arrangement
This series is arranged in a folder.
Folder 1: Six cassette tapes
1985-1986
