Clyde Browne and the Abbey Press Collection MS.2007.016
Jamie Henricks
William Andrews Clark Memorial Library
2009
Contributing Institution:
William Andrews Clark Memorial Library
Title: Clyde Browne and the Abbey Press Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS.2007.016
Physical Description:
0.42 Linear Feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1918-1988
Abstract: Items related to, written by or about Clyde Browne, the printer and proprietor at the Abbey Press.
Physical Location: This collection is stored at the Southern Regional Library Facility. Please contact Clark Library staff at least 2 weeks in
advance if you would like to view the materials in this collection.
Language of Material:
English
.
Collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, UCLA. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Clark Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, UCLA 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.
[Identification of item], Clyde Browne and the Abbey Press Collection, MS.2007.016, William Andrews Clark Memorial Library,
University of California, Los Angeles.
Acquired in February 2007, along with a collection of printed books and ephemera printed by Clyde Browne. These books are
cataloged individually under the call number "Press coll. Browne" and can be found via the UCLA Library online catalog.
The majority of this collection was formerly in the possession of Edwin H. Carpenter.
Clyde Browne established the Abbey Press and was a printer in the Los Angeles area for approximately forty years until his
death in 1942. Browne was born in 1872 in Old Hickory, Ohio. After moving around the Midwest and California, he worked at
many newspapers in the San Francisco Bay area. In 1902 or 1903, Browne moved to Los Angeles, where he worked at the Los Angeles
Examiner for four years. In 1909, he set up his own print shop, and by 1910 had established the firm of Browne and Cartwright
with Alexander Cartwright. Soon after, he helped Occidental College and the University of Southern California start their
own school newspapers.
Beginning in 1915, Browne started building what would eventually become the Abbey San Encino, where he did most of his printing.
The Abbey was finished in July of 1924. Browne printed his own work (including poems, books, and ephemera) as well as for
others, including Occidental College. Various printers rented studio space from Browne, including Ward Ritchie, House Olson,
and Scott Haselton. Lawrence Clark Powell also rented one of Browne's studios before becoming the University Librarian at
UCLA and director of the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Browne was active with the Sea Scouts (a division of the Boy Scouts of America). He later was the
chairman of the Democratic Party Committee in the 54th district, and ran for the State Assembly. After Clyde Browne's death
on July 1, 1942, his son closed the press and sold most of the equipment. As of the 1980s, the Abbey was owned by Browne's
grandson, Severin.
This collection contains items related to, written by or about Clyde Browne, the printer and proprietor at the Abbey Press.
The majority of the items are newspaper clippings or other articles, but materials also include photographs, pamphlets, letters,
a half-tone printing block, and examples of items printed by the Abbey Press. Items range in date from 1918 to 1988, but the
bulk of the printed materials are found in the range of 1918 to 1947.
The collection is arranged in original order, with the exception of a few folders titled "miscellaneous" broken into multiple
folders at logical divisions.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Clippings -- 20th century
Sea scouts -- California -- 20th century
Ephemera -- 20th century
Printers -- California -- 20th century
Boy scouts -- California -- 20th century
box 1, folder 1
box 1, folder 2
Newspaper Article -- "The House that Browne Built", by Lannie Haynes Martin ca. 1930
box 1, folder 3
box 1, folder 4
box 1, folder 5
box 1, folder 6
Newspaper Articles 1926, 1934, 1947, 1967, 1974
box 1, folder 7
box 1, folder 8
box 1, folder 9
Research notes about Clyde Browne 1937, 1942, 1947
Includes copies of newspaper articles about the life of Clyde Browne, questions to direct the collector's research, statements
from conversations about Clyde Browne by colleagues, and bibliographic records of books by or printed by Clyde Browne. Statements
are available from Mr. Aultman, Edwin Carpenter, Mrs. Mabel Carruthers, Dr. Carruthers, Grant Dahlstrom, John Harris, and
Scott B. Haselton.
box 1, folder 10
box 1, folder 11
box 1, folder 12
Articles about Clyde Browne and the Abbey San Encino 1934, 1966, 1967
box 1, folder 13
box 1, folder 14
box 1, folder 15
box 1, folder 16