Main content

Stanley G. Weinbaum Papers

Notifications

Held at: Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
SCRC 76
Repository:
Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center
Extent:
5.5 linear feet (10 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Stanley G. Weinbaum Papers, SCRC 76, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Date:
1922-1997 (inclusive)
Creator:
Weinbaum, Stanley Grauman, 1902-1935
Form:
Books, Clippings, Correspondence, Ephemera, Manuscripts, Periodicals, Photocopies, Photographs, Proofs, and Publications (documents)
Abstract:

In 1934, in what is now regarded as the Golden Age of Science Fiction publishing, "A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum appeared in Wonder Stories. It was the first published science fiction story of the author and the first alien story to probe the alternative psyche of beings from extra-terrestrial bodies and explore the eco-systems of other planets all from a non-earth based view. It was also the first of the author's stories to appear during his short two year period of publishing before he died prematurely of cancer in 1935.

Prior to the initial acceptance of his science fiction stories Weinbaum wrote numerous manuscripts for the freelance romantic and mystery market under the pseudonym Marge Stanley, the majority unsold.

Following Weinbaum's death, the demand from readers of his fiction in the science fiction pulp magazines of the period continued unabated. Posthumously published short stories and novels of Stanley G. Weinbaum only enhanced the reputation gained in his short years of active publication. His contemporary agents, his widow, and later Forrest J. Ackerman, as agent, continued to publish new stories from Weinbaum's legacy of typescripts, that Weinbaum anthologies were issued, and that his work continued to appear in general anthologies throughout the world.

Stanley Weinbaum wrote in longhand without extensive revision, his manuscripts typed by his wife for submission. The drafts and holograph manuscripts described in this inventory exhibit his clarity of description and plot as he wrote, only occasionally and for major novels (such as The New Adam) did he approach writing with extensive planning: most of his work was created and revised before placing on paper.

The Stanley G. Weinbaum collection contains manuscripts, photographs, correspondence, fan letters, published stories, and other materials by and about Weinbaum. Manuscripts include science fiction stories and novels as well as for Weinbaum's romance and mystery fiction. Correspondence is primarily with Weinbaum's agents-particularly Lurton Blassingame-editors, publishers and lawyers. Fan letters in response to his stories on his work prior to and following his is also preserved in this collection, as well as responses to his death. Published stories in Series 6 are within full, original copies of the publishing magazine. Several later articles about Weinbaum, including several by Eric Leif Davin, are also included within the collection.

The collection is arranged into 8 series as follows:

Series 1: Manuscripts, undated
Series 2: Non-Science Fiction Manuscripts, undated
Series 3: Photographs, 1930s, undated
Series 4: Correspondence, 1933-1980
Series 5: Fan Letters, Obituaries, Other Materials, 1922-1992
Series 6: Published Stories, 1934-1994
Series 7: Microfilm and Other Publications, 1923-1997, undated
Series 8: 2012 Addition, undated

Gift of Margaret Kay, 1993. Three books inscribed to Kay by Weinbaum (Box 8) were gift of Margaret Kay, 1994. Kay also provided funding for the microfilming of the collection, which was completed in November 1996. The 2012 addition was a gift Eric Leif Davin.

Microfilm of the parts of the collection is available in Box 8.

Finding aid revised according to contemporary archival standards in July 2014 by Katy Rawdon, Coordinator of Technical Services.

People
Organization
Subject

Publisher
Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center
Finding Aid Author
Machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan, Sky Global Services India (P) Ltd.
Finding Aid Date
May 2024
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

The Stanley G. Weinbaum Papers are the physical property of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. Temple University holds intellectual property rights only for material donated to the university with such rights specifically assigned. For all other material, intellectual property rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for determining the identity of rights holders and obtaining their permission for publication and for other purposes where stated.

Collection Inventory

"The Adaptive Ultimate." Holograph in pencil, with decorative heading on page one. 42p. on 42 leaves. Minimal reworking of text. 8vo., undated.
Box 1 Folder 1
"The Black Flame." Typed, carbon and direct. 269p. on 242 leaves (pp.1-6, 8-34, 47-56, 58-92 [12] 117 [1] 120-174 [7] 181-189 [1] 192-269). Incomplete. 8vo., undated.
Box 1 Folder 2
"The Circle of Zero." Typed, carbon. 25p. on 25 leaves. 8vo., undated.
Box 1 Folder 3
"The New Adam." Original drafts: two college notebooks (French, and English & Chemistry) with his collegiate notes. Apparently used during his sales travelling in 1926 for a Chicago chemical firm in Wisconsin and Minnesota as note books and contain on 64 pages his first draft of "New Adam." First sentence: "Anna Hall died as stolidly as she had lived." 12mo. Ink on paper, undated.
Box 1 Folder 4
"New Adam." Holograph in pencil, decorative headings on four leaves. 23 leaves (24p.). Includes: Contents leaf (2p.), Proem (8p.), and of Book I, chapter 1 (12p.) and two pages of chapter, undated.
Box 1 Folder 5
"The Planet of Doubt." Holograph in pencil, decorative heading on page one. 52p. on 52 leaves, wanting page 7. With author's changes, undated.
Box 1 Folder 6
"The Point of View." Typed carbon. 22p. on 22 leaves. Clean copy, undated.
Box 1 Folder 7
"Proteus Island." Holograph in pencil, decorative heading on page one. 62p. on 62 leaves. Few author changes, undated.
Box 1 Folder 8
"The Red Peri." Typed carbon. 64p. on 64 leaves, undated.
Box 1 Folder 9
"Redemption Cairn." typed carbon. 40p. on 40 leaves, undated.
Box 1 Folder 10
"Shifting Seas." Holograph in pencil. 43p. on 43 leaves, undated.
Box 1 Folder 11
"What's It All About? Holograph in pencil. 420p. Decorative chapter headings, undated.
Box 2 Folder 1
"What's It All About?" Typed carbon. 362p. Incomplete; Preface and Chapter 4 to end: first three chapters wanting, undated.
Box 2 Folder 2
"What's It All About?" By Edward N. Schoolman, M.D. and Stanley G. Weinbaum. "Suggested Alternative Titles: New Lives for old [and] Utopia Bound." [2]xviii, 362p. on 382 leaves. Original typed copy, in binder with stamp of Otis Kline Associates, Agents. Holograph name and address of Margaret Kay, undated.
Box 2 Folder 3
"The World's Luckiest." Holograph in pencil. Fragments: 5 pages of Chapter one, ending in mid-sentence, two pages on one of chapter outline, and one page of notes. Decorative headings on chapter list and page one of Chapter one, undated.
Box 2 Folder 4

"After Dinner Love" By Marge Stanley [pseud.]. Original typed copy in binder. 260p. Title page on submission-return letterhead of Lurton Blassingame, Agent, N.Y.C., undated.
Box 3 Folder 1
"The Lady Dances" By Marge Stanley [pseud.] "Synopsis." Typed copy. 10p. on 10 leaves, undated.
Box 3 Folder 2
"The Lady Dances" By Marge Stanley [pseud.]. Syndication 3-column sheets with illustrations by Hammon, one sheet per chapter. "Copyrighted 1934, by King Features Syndicate, Inc." Pasted into oversize scrapbook (filed in oversize box), with International Literary Bureau, New York scratched out on cover label. 36 sheets, undated.
Box 9 Folder 1
"The Lady in the Rain." [Title of Chapter One, no title page]. Original typing. 245p., undated.
Box 3 Folder 3
"She Tried to be Bad." By Marge Stanley [pseud.]. Original typing. 21p. on 21 leaves. For Weinbaum, heavily pencil changed, revisions, emendations. (6, 000 words). With "She Tried to be Bad." By Marge Stanley [pseud.]. Original typing, 18p. Revised typing from above changes . With cover title page on submission-return letterhead of Lurton Blassingame, Agent, N.Y.C. (4, 000 words), undated.
Box 3 Folder 4
"Without Love" [By Marge Stanley, pseud.]. Typed carbon, 202 pages. Some typing on verso of blank letterhead sheets of Leban-Kasson Co., Inc., Manufacturers Representatives, Cleveland, Ohio, undated.
Box 3 Folder 5

Stanley G. Weinbaum. Studio portrait, photo print, photographer unidentified. 21.5 x 16 cm., circa 1930s.
Box 3 Folder 6
General

This is the portrait used by Fantasy Press on the dust jacket for The Black Flame and in The Dawn of Flame and Other Stories.

Stanley G. Weinbaum. As above, photo print, reduced to 14.7 x 9.7 cm., undated.
Box 3 Folder 7
Margaret Weinbaum. Photo print, posing on stairs outside building in Waco, Texas, 12.4 x 9.8 cm., early 1930s.
Box 3 Folder 8
Original mat and contemporary frame for the two S.G.W. photo prints, above, undated.
Box 3 Folder 9

Ackerman, Forrest J. (as Agent), 1945-1949.
Box 4 Folder 1
Ackerman, Forrest J., publicity news clippings, 1970s-1980.
Box 4 Folder 2
American Fiction Guild (Norvell W. Page), 1935.
Box 4 Folder 3
Blassingame, Lurton (as Agent), 1935-1936.
Box 4 Folder 4
International Literary Bureau (as Agent), 1934-1936.
Box 4 Folder 5
King Features Syndicate, with financial statements, 1933-1935.
Box 4 Folder 6
Moskowitz, Sam (as editor and historian), 1946-1947.
Box 4 Folder 7
Otis Kline Associates (Oscar Friend), 1948-1956.
Box 4 Folder 8
Schwartz, Julius (as Agent), 1934-1953.
Box 4 Folder 1
Tibbs & Tibbs, (Attorneys), 1939-1945.
Box 4 Folder 2
Weisinger, Mortimer (Astounding, Fantasy Magazine, etc.), 1934-1936.
Box 4 Folder 3
Wonder Stories (Hugo Gernsback, Continental Publications, Charles Hornig, Samuel Scheff), 1934-1935.
Box 4 Folder 4
Ziff-Davis Publishing Co., 1939.
Box 4 Folder 5
Various Agents and Publishers, 1934-1955.
Box 4 Folder 6

Fan letters, 1922-1946.
Box 4 Folder 1
Wonder Stories. 1935 Nov./Dec. (v.7, no.6). Page 673 announcement, pp.756-757 fan mail on Weinbaum, 1935.
Box 4 Folder 2
Astounding Stories. 1936 February (v.16, no.6). Pages 151-160 Fan mail on Weinbaum, 1936.
Box 4 Folder 3
Astounding Stories 1936 April (v.17, no.2). Pages 151-160, Fan mail and condolences, 1936.
Box 4 Folder 4
Wonder Stories 1936 April (v.7, no.8). Page 907, obituary, 1936.
Box 4 Folder 5
Astounding Stories 1936 May (v.17, no.3). Pages 155-160, fan mail on Weinbaum, 1936.
Box 4 Folder 6
Thrilling Wonder Stories 1936 October (v.8, no.2). Page 125, announcement by Raymond Palmer of the Weinbaum Memorial Volume, Milwaukee, 1936.
Box 4 Folder 7
Startling Stories 1939 March (v.1, no.2). Pages 122-129, fan mail on "The Black Flame", 1939.
Box 5 Folder 1
Satellite Science Fiction 1959 May (v.3, no.6). Pages 28-34: "Stanley G. Weinbaum: Dawn of Flame" by Sam Moskowitz. Also: pp.59-60: "Graph" by Weinbaum, 1959.
Box 5 Folder 2
Name a Star. Immortality Inc., 1978. Naming star number 00-229 (82 degrees 56 minutes 34.02 seconds 1H 17M 27.125S Constellation Cepheus) as the Stanley Grauman Weinbaum star, 1978.
Box 5 Folder 3
Insight. The Sunday Magazine of the Milwaukee Journal. 1980 January 20. Cover and pp.6-9: "From Milwaukee to Mars: The Odyssey of Stanley G. Weinbaum" by Frank William Puncer. Cover art by Gregg Klees (Flat box), 1980.
Box 5 Folder 4
Fantasy Commentator. 1991 Fall (v.7, no.2): Weinbaum Memorial Issue with articles by Eric Leif Davin, Sam Moskowitz, R. Alain Everts, Octavio Ramos, Jr. and SGW's "Last Citizen of Earth, " verse, p.125, 1991.
Box 5 Folder 5
"Sources of Inspiration? Stanley G. Weinbaum's Shirt Pocket Library" by Eric Leif Davin. Typescript, 1992? 13p., circa 1992.
Box 5 Folder 6
Bibliographical folder: card file of stories with composition dates, agents, submissions, purchasers and prices paid. Late or post 1950. 4p. lists of Weinbaum stories published and unpublished, 1950.
Box 5 Folder 7
From SGW's Library: 21 Haldeman-Julius Little Blue Books (2 folders): Daniel Bonus, Anton S. Booker, Hereward Carrington, Will Durant (2), Charles Finger (2), Gloria Goddard, Leo Markun (2), Joseph McCabe (2), Maynard Shipley (4), Upton Sinclair, Robert Louis Stevenson, Clement Wood, and "Self-Contradictions of the Bible", 1922-1927.
Box 5 Folder 8-9

"The Black Flame." In: Startling Stories, January 1939.
Box 5 Folder 10
Physical Description

v.1, no.1

"The Brink of Infinity." In: Thrilling Wonder Stories, December 1936.
Box 5 Folder 11
Physical Description

v.8, no.3

"The Circle of Zero." In: Thrilling Wonder Stories, August 1936.
Box 5 Folder 12
Physical Description

v.8, no.1

"Dawn of Flame." In: Thrilling Wonder Stories, June 1939.
Box 5 Folder 13
Physical Description

v.13, no.3

"Flight on Titan." In: Astounding Stories, January 1935.
Box 6 Folder 1
Physical Description

v.14, no.5

"Green Glow of Death." In Crack Detective and Mystery Stories, July 1957.
Box 6 Folder 2
Physical Description

v.17, no.1

"The Lotus Eaters." In: Astounding Stories, April 1935.
Box 6 Folder 3
Physical Description

v.15, no.2

"The Mad Moon." In: Astounding Stories, December 1935.
Box 6 Folder 4
Physical Description

v.16, no.4

"[The Mad Moon]" trans. "Sileny mesic."In: Ikarie (Prague), July 1990.
Box 6 Folder 5
"Parasite Planet." In: Astounding Stories, February 1935.
Box 6 Folder 6
Physical Description

v.14, no.6

"Planet of Doubt" In: Astounding Stories, October 1935.
Box 6 Folder 7
Physical Description

v.16, no.2

"The Point of View." In: Wonder Stories, February 1936.
Box 6 Folder 8
Physical Description

v.7, no.7

"Proteus Island." In: Astounding Stories, August 1936.
Box 7 Folder 1
Physical Description

v.17, no.6

"Pygmalion's Spectacles." In: Wonder Stories, June 1935.
Box 7 Folder 2
Physical Description

v.7, no.1

"Pygmalion's Spectacles." In: Fantastic Story Magazine, Spring 1955.
Box 7 Folder 3
Physical Description

v.8, no.2

"The Red Peri." In: Astounding Stories, November 1935.
Box 7 Folder 4
Physical Description

v.16, no.3

"Redemption Cairn." In: Astounding Stories, March 1936.
Box 7 Folder 5
Physical Description

v.17, no.1

"Revolution of 1950. Part 2." In: Amazing Stories, November 1938.
Box 7 Folder 6
Physical Description

v.12, no.6

"Smothered Seas" by Ralph Milne Farley and Stanley G. Weinbaum. In: Astounding Stories, January 1936.
Box 7 Folder 7
Physical Description

v.16, no.5

"Valley of Dreams." In: Wonder Stories, November 1934.
Box 7 Folder 8
Physical Description

v.6, no.6

"The Worlds of If." In: Wonder Stories, August 1935.
Box 7 Folder 9
Physical Description

v.7, no.3

"A Martian Odyssey." With: "Forrest J. Ackerman selects…" In: Expanse. (number 2), Winter 1994.
Box 7 Folder 10

"Sources of Inspiration? Weinbaum's Shirt Pocket Library." By Eric Leif Davin. In: Fantasy Commentator, Fall 1997 (vol. 9, no. 2). pp. 133-140, 153-156, 1997.
Box 7 Folder 11
"Biography of Stanley G. Weinbaum." By RAE [R. Alain Everts]. Stanley Grauman Weinbaum, Pts. I-IV. (Madison, Wis., The Strange Co., 1990-1991). EOD?, 1990-1991.
Box 7 Folder 12
General

Photocopy of a copy sent by Everts to A. Langley Searles, now in the Searles H.P.L. Files, Temple

One set (4 reels) of the Weinbaum microfilm (service copy).
Box 8
India's Love Lyrics, including The Garden of Kama. Collected & arranged in verse by Laurence Hope. New York, Dodd, Mean and Company, 1923. Book from the library of Margaret Kay, inscribed with a 16 line holograph verse "To Margaret" from Stanley Weinbaum.
Box 8
The Eve of Saint Agnes. John Keats. Philadelphia, George W. Jacobs & Co. [n.d.]. Book from the library of Margaret Kay, inscribed with a 14 line holograph verse "Margaret" from Stanley Weinbaum.
Box 8
The Uplands of Dream. Edgar Saltus. Edited with an introduction & a bibliography by Charles Honce. Chicago, Pascal Covici, 1925, Book from the library of Margaret Kay, inscribed with a 12 line holograph verse "Margaret" from Stanley Weinbaum.
Box 8

"The Mad Brain" Holograph manuscript in pencil on 319 leaves. Published in 1950 by Fantasy Publishing Co., Inc. as The Dark Other. Novel, undated.
Box 10 Folder 1
"The Mad Brain" Holograph manuscript in pencil on 319 leaves. Published in 1950 by Fantasy Publishing Co., Inc. as The Dark Other. Novel, undated.
Box 10 Folder 2
"Don't Tell Tony". Holograph manuscript in pencil on 18 leaves of a story, apparently unpublished, undated.
Box 10 Folder 1
"Don't Tell Tony". Holograph manuscript in pencil on 18 leaves of a story, apparently unpublished, undated.
Box 10 Folder 2

Print, Suggest