Guide to the Bob Witz Papers/Appearances Magazine
ca. 1980-1996

Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012

Phone: (212) 998-2596
Fax: (212) 995-3835
Email: fales.library@nyu.edu

URL: http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/fales/cdfa.htm

© 2002 Fales Library and Special Collections . All rights reserved.
New York University Libraries, Publisher
Processed by Daniel Sokolow in 1997
Machine-readable finding aid created by Brian Stevens derived from an HTML finding aid, 2002. Description is in English.
2003, Witz finding aid converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by one2two.xsl.

Descriptive Summary

Creator: Witz, Bob
Title: The Bob Witz Papers/Appearances Magazine
Dates: ca. 1980-1996
Abstract: Appearances Magazine is a small arts magazine first published in the East Village during the 1980s. Bob Witz, the editor, is also an artist, writer and sculptor who lives in New York.
Quantity: 2 linear feet
Call Phrase: The Bob Witz Papers/Appearances Magazine
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Historical/Biographical Note:

Bob Witz is a painter/sculptor, writer, poet, and editor of Appearances Magazine. Appearances is a small, low-budget magazine which was started in the East Village and has been published from the 1980's to the present. It is devoted mostly to the art scene with a focus on the alternative currents of this scene. Witz also published/produced small chapbooks, including an early book by Keith Haring, and 'Leaves of Grass II: a book/by Bob Witz' (1972). Witz is, along other writers represented in the Downtown collection (Ron Kolm and Tom Savage, 1948- ), is also closely associated with the Unbearables literary group.

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Scope and Content Note

The Bob Witz Papers are a part of the Downtown Collection at the Fales Library, New York University. The Fales Library is the primary special collections division of the NYU libraries, housing over 200,000 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 Downtown Collection, of which the Witz Papers are a part, is a comprehensive collection of printed materials, archives, and other materials related to the Downtown New York scene from ca. 1975 to the present.

SERIES I: APPEARANCES: consists primarily of notebooks compiled by Witz over his years as publisher of the magazine. Included within the notebooks are poems, drawings, phone numbers, and other assorted items. Also included in the series are financial documents and artwork from the magazine, as well as notebooks from before the beginning of the magazine.

SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE: consists of correspondence between Witz and others, both personal and professional.

SERIES 3: MISCELLANEOUS: contains other materials collected by Witz including writings of his own and others, and additional notebooks apparently unrelated to Appearances.

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Arrangement

Folders are arranged alphabetically by subject/author heading.
The files are grouped into three series.
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Related Material at the Fales Library and Special Collections

The Downtown Collection

Ron Kolm Papers

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Separated Material

Items written by Witz (Leaves of Grass II, Berserker, and the Unbearable Manual of Style)are available to view at the Fales Library. Recent accretions to the collection have yet to be processed.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Open to researchers. Appointments are necessary for the use of manuscript and archival materials.

Use Restrictions

Collection use is subject to all copyright laws. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Director of Fales Library and Special Collections. For more information, contact
Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012Phone: (212) 998-2596
Fax: (212) 995-3835
Email: fales.library@nyu.edu

URL: http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/fales/cdfa.htm

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Access Points

Subject Names:
Anthony, William.
Cardin, Jorga.
Isaac, Jeffrey.
Madore, Michael.
Sandlin, David, 1956-
Spiegelman, Art.
Tisa, Ken, 1945-
Zummer, Thomas.
Subject Organizations:
Appearances (Firm)
Subject Topics:
Authors, American--20th century.
Avant-garde (Aesthetics)--United States--History--20th century--Periodicals.
Literature, Experimental.
Literature, Modern--20th century.
Literature, Modern--20th century--Periodicals.
New York (N.Y.)--Intellectual life--20th century.
Poets, American--20th century.
Small presses--New York (State)--New York.
Subject Places:
New York (State)--New York
Document Types:
Business records.
Correspondence.
Ephemera.
Manuscripts for publication.
Manuscripts.
drawings.
notes.
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Administrative Information

Provenance

The Bob Witz Papers were donated to the Fales Library by Mr. Witz in the Fall of 1996.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date (if known); The Bob Witz Papers/Appearances Magazine; MSS 80; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections , New York University Libraries.

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Container List

[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]

 

Series I: Appearances

Scope and Content:

The series consists primarily of notebooks compiled by Witz over his years as publisher of the magazine. Included within the notebooks are poems, drawings, phone numbers, and other assorted items. Also included in the series are financial documents and artwork from the magazine, as well as notebooks from before the beginning of the magazine. Two boxes.

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Appearances Notebook - Issue #1 - n.d. undated
1 2 Appearances Notebook - Issue #1 - n.d. undated
1 3 Appearances Notebook - Issue #1 & 2 - n.d. undated
1 4 Appearances Notebook - Issue #2 - n.d. undated
1 5 Appearances Notebook - Issue #3 - n.d. undated
1 6 Appearances Notebook - Issue #3 & 4 - ca. 1978
1 7 Appearances Notebook - Issue #4 - ca. 1979-1980
1 8 Appearances Notebook - Issue #5 & 6 ca. 1980-1981
1 9 Appearances Notebook - Issue #8 - n.d. undated
1 10 Appearances Notebook - Issue #8 & 9 - n.d. undated
1 11 Appearances Notebook - Issue #9 & 10 ca. 1983
1 12 Appearances Notebook - Issue #10 - Layout-ca. 1983
1 13 Appearances Notebook - Issue #11 undated
1 14 Appearances Notebook - Issue #12 Ads - n.d. undated
1 15 Appearances Notebook - Issue #12, 13, 14 - n.d. undated
1 16 Appearances Notebook - Issue #13 Ads - n.d. undated
1 17 Appearances Notebook - Issue #13 Show - n.d. undated
1 18 Appearances Notebook - Issue #13 Ads - n.d. undated
1 19 Appearances Notebook - Issue #14 Ads - n.d. undated
1 20 Appearances Notebook - Issue #15 Ads; Show - Speed Limit 55 - n.d. undated
1 21 Appearances Notebook - Issue #16 Ads - n.d. undated
1 22 Appearances Notebook - Issue #14, 15, 16 - n.d. undated
1 23 Notebook - 1974-1975
1 24 Notebook - ca. 1975
1 25 Notebook - 1975-1976
1 26 Notebook - ca. 1980
1 27 Appearances - ca. 1981?
1 28 Appearances - ca. 1987
1 29 Show - Neo P. - 1990
1 30 Notebook - 1992-1993
1 31 Appearances - Financial - 1978-1981
Box Folder Title Date
2 (oversize) 31 1 Loose Artwork undated

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Series II: Correspondence

Scope and Content:

The series consists of correspondence between Witz and others, both personal and professional. Organization is alphabetical. One box.

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Correspondence - A-F - 1980-1996
1 2 Correspondence - G-N - 1980-1988
1 3 Correspondence - O-W - 1982-1996
1 4 Correspondence - Unidentified - 1984-1991

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Series III: Miscellaneous

Scope and Content:

The series contains other materials collected by Wirtz including writings of his own and others, and additional notebooks apparently unrelated to Appearances. One box.

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Writings - Alan Ginsberg... - 1995
1 2 Writings - Leaves of Grass II - 1972
1 3 Writings - Quixote 10-Jul - ca. 1972
1 4 4 Publications by Others-Abstractions Per Se - 1993
1 5 Publications by Others - I read it... - 1980
1 6 Publications by Others - Quixote 2-Jun - 1970
1 7 Publications by Others - Quixote 3-Jun - n.d. undated
1 8 Publications by Others - Quixote 6-Jun - n.d. undated
1 9 Publications by Others - Quixote 8-Oct - 1976?
1 10 3 Small Spiral notebooks undated
1 11 1 Large Spiral notebook undated
1 12 3 Bound notebooks undated

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