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Finding Aid to the Adrian Wilson Papers, 1884-1993 (bulk
1941-1988)
BANC MSS 81/151 c
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Table of contents
Collection Title: Adrian Wilson papers
Date (inclusive): 1884-1993
Date (bulk): 1941-1988
Collection Number: BANC MSS 81/151 c
Creators:
Wilson, Adrian
Extent:
Number of containers: 16 boxes, 20 cartons, 15 oversize boxes, 4 oversize folders, 3
volumes
Linear feet: 35
Repository: The Bancroft Library.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
Abstract: The Adrian Wilson Papers, 1884-1993, document Wilson's personal and
professional life as a fine art printer. Despite a lack of formal training, Wilson founded a
respected fine press, The Press at Tuscany Alley, and his work is well documented in this
collection. Included are client files, designs, and mockups. In addition to the Papers, The
Bancroft Library holds a significant collection of Wilson's published works and ephemera
that have been cataloged separately within the library's general collection. The Papers give
great insight into Wilson as an individual, and include personal correspondence and
journals. Family papers extend to Wilson's parents, Adrian P. and Christine Wilson and the
papers of his wife, Joyce Lancaster.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite
and advance notice may be required for use. For current information on the location of these
materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Collection is open for research.
Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17,
U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be restricted by terms of
University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and
publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of
the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited
without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively
with the user.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials
must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library,
University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See:
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html .
[Identification of item], Adrian Wilson Papers, BANC MSS 81/151 c, The Bancroft Library,
University of California, Berkeley
There are no alternate forms of this collection.
Printing and book designing: oral history transcript/ Adrian Wilson, BANC MSS C-D
4101
Adrian Wilson printed ephemera, 1944-1987, TYP z239.3.w54
Adrian Wilson photograph collection, BANC PIC 1981.093--PIC
Printed materials have been transferred to the book collection of The Bancroft
Library.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library's online public access catalog
Wilson, Adrian
Wilson, Joyce Lancaster
Press in Tuscany Alley
Printers--California--San Francisco
Printing--California--History
The Adrian Wilson Papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Adrian Wilson in 1981.
Additions were made by Joyce Lancaster Wilson in 1989 and 1993 and by Melissa and Craig
Marshall in 2000.
No additions are expected.
Arranged to the folder level.
Processed by Mary L. Morganti, with assistance from Professor Emeritus Robert Harlan, in
1998; completed by Teresa Mora in 2007.
Adrian Wilson was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan on July 1, 1923 to Dutch immigrants, Adrian
P., a horticulturist at the University, and Christine Wilson. When Adrian was seven years
old, Adrian P. Wilson moved the family to Amherst, Massachusetts, where he worked at Smith
College.
Adrian graduated high school in 1941 and went onto study at Wesleyan University in
Connecticut. However, his studies were cut short by World War II and he was drafted in 1943.
Possibly due to the influence of his mother, a pacifist, Adrian registered as a
conscientious objector (CO) and was sent to a Civilian Public Service camp in upstate New
York. Throughout the course of the war, he worked at a number of different camps, finally
finding himself in Waldport, Oregon. It was in Waldport, at a camp that had been established
for artists and craftsmen, that he first began his printing career, printing the camp
newsletter, the
Compass, on a platen press. Working to plant
trees as part of a reforestation project during the day, the COs spent their leisure time
pursuing the arts, producing plays and concerts. It was also at Waldport that Adrian met his
future wife, actor Joyce Lancaster.
Upon the conclusion of the war he and Joyce married and moved to San Francisco (1946) with
other friends from Waldport to found a theater company, The Interplayers, for which Adrian
printed programs and posters. In 1948, Adrian began to work with Jack Stauffacher at
Greenwood Press. In 1950, he founded his own press and in 1958 Adrian, Joyce, and their
daughter Melissa spent a year in Europe studying the history of typography and the book.
Upon the family's return in 1959, Adrian set up his design studio and press in what
would become its permanent location, One Tuscany Alley.
Joyce's own interests in art extended far beyond the theater. She was an avid
writer and artist, writing and designing numerous children's books, often using her
own block prints. She coauthored a number of Adrian's books. While conducting
research for
The Design of Books in Europe in 1965, the
couple discovered the earliest known layouts for a printed book,
The
Nuremberg Chronicle
(1493). Adrian and Joyce spent years researching these
layouts, an endeavor which culminated in the publication of
The
Making of the Nuremberg Chronicle
in 1978.
In 1983, Wilson was named a MacArthur Fellow to facilitate his work as a designer, printer,
and scholar. At the time, in addition to his work at One Tuscany Alley, he and Joyce were
working closely with researchers at the University of California, Davis to develop a method
for analyzing ancient books using the cyclotron at the Crocker Nuclear Laboratory.
Adrian Wilson suffered from heart problems and underwent the first of numerous open heart
surgeries in 1964. He died in 1988 at the age of 64 awaiting a heart donor. Joyce continued
the Press at Tuscany Alley until her death in 1996.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Adrian Wilson Papers, 1884-1993, document Wilson's personal and professional
life as a fine art printer. Despite a lack of formal training, Wilson founded a respected
fine press, The Press at Tuscany Alley, and his work is well documented in this collection.
Included are client files, designs, and mockups. In addition to the Papers, The Bancroft
Library holds a significant collection of Wilson's published works and ephemera
that have been cataloged separately within the library's general collection. The
Papers give great insight into Wilson as an individual, and include personal correspondence
and journals. Family papers extend to Wilson's parents, Adrian P. and Christine
Wilson, and the papers of his wife, Joyce Lancaster.
The collection has been divided into seven series: Correspondence; Job Files; Projects;
Subject Files; Lectures, Seminars, Speeches, and Events; Atlas Advisory Group; and Family
Papers. The bulk of the collection documents Wilson's professional and artistic
pursuits.
Both Adrian and Joyce Wilson's early lives are well represented in the collection.
Included are numerous pieces of memorabilia from Joyce's high school career.
Adrian's two years at Wesleyan University are documented through journals and a
constant correspondence with his parents and brother. Of special note is Adrian's
correspondence with his parents during his tenures at various Civilian Public Service Camps
during World War II (Series 7.3).
The most comprehensive series are those documenting Wilson's work as a printer:
Series 2, Job Files and Series 3, Projects. The Job Files series includes files on work for
hire while the Projects series includes working files for Adrian and Joyce Wilson's
own publications. Additional documentation of the Wilson's professional lives can
be found in Series 4, Subject Files and Series 7, Family Papers.
Correspondence has been divided out according to the relationship with the correspondent.
General correspondence with clients, colleagues, and friends can be found in Series 1.
Correspondence relating directly to various projects can be found in Series 2 and family
correspondence is found in Series 7.
Succinct series descriptions provide a basic outline of the records available. The
researcher should consult the container list to determine if the records contain a topic of
interest as not all subjects are mentioned in these brief descriptions.