Caterpillar Archive
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Abstract
Caterpillar was a highly regarded avant-garde poetry magazine which was issued quarterly between 1967 and 1973. Edited by Clayton Eshleman, the magazine sought to publish and promote experimental poetry and writing produced in North America during the late 1960s. This collection consists of correspondence, announcements, notes, manuscripts, typescripts and photographs related to Caterpillar's run. Among the noteworthy contributors: Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Denise Levertov, Robert Kelly, Gary Snyder, Gerard Malanga, Diane Wakoski, Luis Zukofsky, Gilbert Sorrentino, Vito Acconci, Georges Bataille, Carol Berg, Robert Bly, Charles Bukowski, Robert Creeley, Leon Golub, Thomas Merton, Anais Nin, Adrienne Rich, and Nancy Spero, among others.
Historical/Biographical Note
Twenty issues of Caterpillar appeared between 1967 and 1973. It was published in New Yorkand later in Sheman Oaks, Ca. In 1971, the magazine was anthologized by Doubleday-Anchor as: 'A Caterpillar Anthology.' Caterpillar has been regarded as one of the seminal literary magazines of its period. Containing what Hayden Carruthcalls, "the best cross section we have of the Black Mountain movementfrom 1967 to 1971." Caterpillar's editor, Clayton Eshleman, is an established poet and also editor of the literary magazine: Sulfur.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged alphabetically by subject/author heading then chronologically within each subject/author heading.
The files are grouped into four subject-based series.
Missing Title
- Series I: Clayton Eshleman, Correspondence, Manuscripts, and Related Material
- Series II: Caterpillar Correspondence
- Series III: Caterpillar Issues
- Series IV: Caterpillar Galleys
Scope and Content Note
The Caterpillar Archive is a part of the Avant Garde Collection at the Fales Library, New York University. The Fales Library is the primary special collections division of the NYU libraries, housing over 170,000 volumes of English and American literature from 1700 to the present. Strengths of the collection include the development of the English and American novel, with an emphasis on the Gothic and the Victorian novel. The Caterpillar Archive is a part of the Avant Garde Collection, collected at Fales Library during the 1960's and 70's by Mel Edelstein and Theodore Grieder. Though the date range of this collection includes material that predates and was written subsequently, the run of Caterpillar was from 1967-1971.
The materials were collected by Eshleman and were arranged in alphabetical order by subject/name and then chronologicaly within that subject. Oversized materials from the various series are located in an oversize box at the end of the collection.
The Caterpillar Archive is an archive comprised of all the correspondence and manuscript material that created Caterpillar's issues, such as: business records, magazine layouts, page proofs, advertisements, and rough drafts. Also included are Clayton Eshleman's personal papers including correspondence and his manuscripts written between 1958-76. Noted correspondents include: Robert Duncan, Cid Corman, Norman O. Brown, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Denise Levertov, Robert Kelly, Gary Snyder, Gerard Malanga, Diane Wakoski, Luis Zukofsky, Gilbert Sorrentino, Vito Acconci, Georges Bataille, Carol Berg, Robert Bly, Charles Bukowski, Robert Creeley, Leon Golub, Thomas Merton, Anais Nin, Adrienne Rich, and Nancy Spero.
SERIES DESCRIPTION Series I: Clayton Eshleman: contains four boxes of Clayton Eshlemans personal documents, pertaining to the magazine Caterpillar. Included are his manuscripts, correspondence, and related material.Series II: Caterpillar Correspondence: contains ten boxes of correspondence and manuscripts to Caterpillar, included are writings from: Vito Acconci, Georges Bataille, Carol Berg, Robert Bly, Charles Bukowski, Robert Creeley, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Leon Golub, Denise Levertov, Thomas Merton, Anais Nin, Adrienne Rich, Gary Snyder, and Nancy Spero.Series III: Caterpillar Issues: contains eight boxes of page proofs, front/back covers, manuscript layouts, rough drafts, advertisements, and a author/artist index for Caterpillar issues 1-20.Series IV: Caterpillar Galleys: contains one oversize box of galleys for issue's 1, 3, and 5.
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Access Restrictions
Materials are open to researchers. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.
Use Restrictions
Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.
Preferred Citation
Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Caterpillar Archive; MSS 010; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University Libraries.
Provenance
The Caterpillar Archive was acquired via purchases from the editor, Clayton Eshleman in 1968, 1970, and 1972.
