Clark Ashton Smith papers (Ms.79.3)

Among the more valuable items found in this collection are Smith's working manuscripts. Consisting of over 200 items of fiction--mostly in the form of carbon copies--these manuscripts include some of his most famous tales of fantasy. Included also are a number of original manuscripts (hand written and typewritten) of his juvenalia, prose poems (some of which are unpublished or never collected into his volume Poems in Prose), and other fiction. Some of the fantasy tales bear the date of writing, and others bear annotations and revisions by Smith and others to whom he sent the manuscripts before publication.

The poetry manuscripts (nearly 1000 items) are largely handwritten rough drafts, some scribbled on envelopes and other odd scraps of paper. A few, unfortunately, were partly damaged by the fire which struck Smith's home in 1957. The poems are in English, French, Spanish and Latin. Many drafts of Smith's translations of French and Spanish poetry exist; of particular note are his translations of Baudelaire, which run the gamut from literal prose translations to rough drafts to final drafts.

Few non-fiction manuscripts exist, but included among them are several drafts of Smith's memoir of the eminent American poet Geroge Sterling (with whom he had engaged in lengthy correspondence) and essays on the aesthetics of poetry and fantasy fiction.

Book-length manuscripts include original typescripts or carbon copies of several of his published books--The Hill of Dionysus, Selected Poems, etc.--and other colelctions of unpublished tales or poems. Most of these latter were prepared by Smith, Mrs. Clark Ashton after her husband's death.

There are numerous letters from noted figures in modern fantasy and science fiction, including Derleth, August, Wandrei, Donald, Lovecraft, H.P., Wollheim, Donald A., Howard, Robert E., Barlow, R.H., Bradbury, Ray, Sprague de Camp, L., Cockcroft, T.G.L., Kuttner, Henry, Carter, Lin, Crawford, William L., Miller, William Jr. and others as well. In addition, the colelction includes correspondence from personal friends (Sully, Genevieve K., Heiple, Ethel, Novack, Marilyn, Mihan, Leo, Bender, Albert M. and others) and correspondence from various publishers (Farrar, Straus & Co., Weird Tales, Wonder Stories, Poetry, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Esquire and others). Much of the correspondence discusses Lovecraft, H.P., Sterling, George and other important literary figures. Much light is also shed on the writing and publication of Smith's own work.

Appended to the correspondence by or to Smith is correspondence received by Smith's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Timeus Smith. This small series consists largely of greeting cards received over the years from friends and acquaintances.

The printed material within the collection consists of periodicals or tearsheets of periodicals containing Smith's work; newspaper clippings of Smith's poetry; whole issues of newspapers (particularly the Auburn Journal, San Francisco Examiner, and other San Francisco Chronicle); and many book catalogs, some from France, others from Germany, Spain and Holland. Finally, there are a great number of photographs of Smith, his family, and his artwork, and old photographs apparently collected by Smith's parents.