Guide to the John Borsdamm Papers
Daniel Hartwig
Stanford University. Libraries.
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
October 2010
Copyright © 2015 The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved.
Note
This encoded finding aid is compliant with Stanford EAD Best Practice Guidelines, Version 1.0.
Overview
Call Number: SC0510
Creator:
Borsdamm, John.
Title: John Borsdamm papers
Dates: 1930-1972
Physical Description:
1.5 Linear feet
Summary: These papers pertain to Borsdamm's career as bookbinder and consist primarily of letters received, with some biographical
materials, clippings, ephemera, and two photographs of Borsdamm. The bound volume, "Letters of appreciation to John Borsdamm
on the occassion of his retirement from Stanford University Press, June 1, 1950," includes letters from J. E. Wallace Sterling,
Herbert Hoover, Jessie Knight Jordan, Pedro deLemos (Pedro J. Lemos), William F. Durand, Carol Green Wilson, David S. Jacobson,
Ray Lyman Wilbur, and Borsdamm's colleagues at the Press. Of note are letters from Julius A. Quelle and Jessie Dunten Whittern
recounting the history of the Press. The papers also include the original design of a phoenix by Nathan Van Patten that was
used on the binding Borsdamm did for THE LETTERS OF D. H. LAWRENCE.
Language(s): The materials are in English.
Repository:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-6064
Email: specialcollections@stanford.edu
Phone: (650) 725-1022
URL: http://library.stanford.edu/spc
Administrative Information
Information about Access
Gift of Felicia Hassell Pearce, 1996.
Ownership & Copyright
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the
Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California 94304-6064. Consent
is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission
from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/pubserv/permissions.html.
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research
and educational purposes.
Cite As
John Borsdamm Papers (SC0510). Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford,
Calif.
Biographical/Historical Sketch
John Borsdamm, bookbinder, joined the Stanford University Press in 1915. He was born in Germany and served an apprendiceship
as bookbinder in Leipzig before coming to the United States. His work was exhibited at the Golden Gate Exposition in 1939
and elsewhere. While at the Press, he designed the "Borsdamm Binding," an economical method of binding papers and magazines
for library use. He retired in 1960.
Description of the Collection
These papers pertain to Borsdamm's career as bookbinder and consist primarily of letters received, with some biographical
materials, clippings, ephemera, and two photographs of Borsdamm. The bound volume, "Letters of appreciation to John Borsdamm
on the occassion of his retirement from Stanford University Press, June 1, 1950," includes letters from J. E. Wallace Sterling,
Herbert Hoover, Jessie Knight Jordan, Pedro deLemos (Pedro J. Lemos), William F. Durand, Carol Green Wilson, David S. Jacobson,
Ray Lyman Wilbur, and Borsdamm's colleagues at the Press. Of note are letters from Julius A. Quelle and Jessie Dunten Whittern
recounting the history of the Press. The papers also include the original design of a phoenix by Nathan Van Patten that was
used on the binding Borsdamm did for THE LETTERS OF D. H. LAWRENCE.
Access Terms
Borsdamm, John.
Durand, William Frederick, 1859-1958
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964
Jacobson, David S.
Jordan, Jessie Knight, 1867?-1952
Lemos, Pedro J. (Pedro Joseph), 1882-1945
Quelle, Julius A.
Stanford University. Press.
Van Patten, Nathan, 1887-1956.
Whittern, Jessie Dunten.
Wilson, Carol Green, 1892-
Bookbinding.
Box 1, Folder 1
Biographical clippings and notices
Box 1, Folder 2
Book Week Exhibition (S.U. Libraries), 1934 - program and clippings
Box 1, Folder 3
Borsdamm, Mrs. Gertrude - letter received 1972
Box 1, Folder 4
Galvin, John A. T. - letter to Borsdamm, 1964, and clippings on Galvin, 1965
Box 1, Folder 5
Hoover, Herbert - letters to Borsdamm, 1938-1949
Box 1, Folder 7
Miscellaneous items - clippings and ephemera
Box 1, Folder 8
Non-Stanford correspondence, 1943-1960
Box 1, Folder 10
Stanford correspondence, 1930-1952
Box 1, Folder 11
Suttenfield, George - letters received re commemorative book of letters for Borsdamm, 1950
Box 1, Folder 12
Wilbur, Ray Lyman - letters to Borsdamm, 1936-1947
Box 2, Folder 1
[Nathan Van Patten], phoenix design for D. H. Lawrence binding
Box 2, Folder 2
Bound volume: Letters of appreciation to John Borsdamm on the occasion of his retirement from Stanford University Press, June
1, 1950