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Sunset Magazine records
M2065
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Sunset Magazine records
Creator:
Sunset Magazine (Firm)
source:
Sunset Magazine (Firm)
Identifier/Call Number: M2065
Identifier/Call Number: 19396
Physical Description:
172 Linear Feet
(437 boxes, 2 map folders)
Date (inclusive): 1931-1998
Date (bulk): 1948-1969 ; 1977-1998
Abstract: The records of Sunset Magazine primarily consist of over 100,000 photographs as published in the magazine from 1948-1969 and
1977-1998.
Following Sunset's move to Oakland from their iconic Willow West offices in Menlo Park in 2015, the magazine gave a great
deal of material to Stanford University. The main part of the collection consists of the magazine's photo archive (frequently
refered to as a periodical's "morgue") with prints, slides, transparencies and layouts from issues dating from 1948 to 1998,
with an unfortunate gap from 1970 to 1976. There is also a small amount of administrative files, as well as sales presentation
transcripts, advertising proofs, staff newsletters, a scrapbook, posters reproducing covers, and audiovisual media including
a 1980 oral history with senior staff. Also present is a series of mounted photographs and depicting California Missions in
the late 1930s and early 40s by Henry P. Schmidt from an exhibition sponsored by Sunset's Lane Publishing Company.
Sunset's photograph files contain approximately 100,000 photos. Prints are numbered "month-year-sequence" such as 1-85-001
for the first photo in the file for the January 1985 issue. The images were originally filed along with a notated issue indicating
where the photos were printed as well as clippings from the magazine. Sunset published regional editions (South, North, and
Central/Desert) mostly in order to tailor appropriate gardening advice; these are indicated in the listing. Some full issues
starting in the late 1960s also include a "Guide for Cost of Contents." Following the last of the regular issue files, there
are a few folders of prints from related publications Quick, Light, & Healthy (1997), Western Campsites (1972-1980) and Western
Travel Adventures (1978-1980). The photographers most frequently credited on prints include Ged T. Fitzgerald, Robert Cox,
Moulin Studios, Jon Brenneis, Ernest Braun, Dennis Galloway, Laing Photos, Russell Illig, Blair Stapp, Tom Burns, and Glenn
Christiansen.
While the collection does contain published issues along with selected prints used in them, no effort has been made to describe
the images themselves here. Given Sunset's focus as the "Magazine of Western Living," however, one may expect to find photographs
of gardening and landscaping, architecture and home improvement, cooking and food, entertaining, travel, nature, and recreation.
In order to use the collection, patrons should refer to indices to the magazine.
An index from 1997-2009 is available from Sunset here: http://www.sunset.com/sunset-magazine-annual-index.
As part of a 1998 centennial project, Stanford hosts a bibliography of select articles here: http://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/library/sunset-magazine/html.
Physical copies of indices from 1952-2009 printed by Sunset have been cataloged: https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/11813180.
Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use. Audiovisual materials
are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.
[identification of item], Sunset Magazine records (M2065). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford
University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Sunset Magazine, 2015.
While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not
an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission
or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.
Stanford holds several collections related to Sunset, including the following:
Laurence W. "Bill" Lane, Jr. papers, circa 1953-2010 (M1811)
https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/9153981
Sunset Magazine : video, 18 Oct. 1998 (MISC 596)
Produced by Channel 7 as "Sunday on Seven: Bay Area Trends; People, Places, Events" and hosted by Rose Guilbault. Includes
interviews of Mel and Bill Lane.
https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/4084868
A Century of Western Living, 1898-1998 : centennial keepsakes, 1998 (MISC 548)
Exhibit catalog, copy of the original May 1898 issue, pin, and ephemera.
https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/4084799
Stanford also has catalogued most of the many books published by Sunset.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
West (U.S.) -- Pictorial works
West (U.S) -- Periodicals
Photograph morgues (Collections)
Sunset Magazine (Firm)