Scope and Contents
The records document all aspects of the production and distribution of the little magazine The Tiger's Eye, from its inception in 1947 through the decision to cease publication in 1951. Correspondence, manuscripts, and business records document the creative and editorial process, the enthusiasm of its readership, its subscription base, and the work involved in producing and distributing the issues.
Dates
- 1939-1955
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Tiger's Eye Records is the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Ruth and John Stephan, 1958; Gift of Ruth W. Franklin, 1971.
Arrangement
Organized into five series: I. Correspondence, 1939-1955. II. Index Cards, 1947-1951. III. Manuscripts, 1947-1949. IV. Business Records, 1947-1951. V. 1971 Addition, 1946-1951.
Extent
26 Linear Feet (57 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Overview
The records document all aspects of the production and distribution of the little magazine The Tiger's Eye, from its inception in 1947 through the decision to cease publication in 1951. Correspondence, manuscripts, and business records document the creative and editorial process, the enthusiasm of its readership, its subscription base, and the work involved in producing and distributing the issues.
The Tiger's Eye (1947-1949)
The little magazine The Tiger's Eye was founded in New York in 1947 by the poet Ruth Walgreen Stephan (1910-1974) and her husband, the painter John Stephan (1906-1995), and in its short existence earned acclaim for its discerning exposure of contemporary art and literature. Taking its title from William Blake, the magazine published the work of artists and writers both established and unknown, and documented the New York art world as well as international art movements, with particular emphasis on abstract expressionism. Its editorial selection process was based on the questions, "Is it alive? Is it valid as art? How brave is its originality? How does it enter the imagination?" (Issue 1, October 1947). The magazine did not publish reviews, and content was presented without immediate attribution so that readers could experience the works without preconception, although a list of contributors was included. Each issue was organized around a theme, such as modern sculpture, Peruvian art, or "the sublime."
The Tiger's Eye was published in nine quarterly issues between October 1947 and October 1949, when publication was suspended because the work became too much for the Stephans to manage. They initially intended to bring out further issues, but by 1951 realized that it would not be possible.
The Tiger's Eye was published in nine quarterly issues between October 1947 and October 1949, when publication was suspended because the work became too much for the Stephans to manage. They initially intended to bring out further issues, but by 1951 realized that it would not be possible.
Processing Information
This collection received a basic level of processing, including rehousing and minimal organization. The arrangement of the material reflects the order of the files as they were acquired by the library. Much of the processing was done by library staff in the 1960s; final housing and description were completed in 2010.
- Abel, Lionel
- Aiken, Conrad, 1889-1973
- Albers, Josef, 1888-1976
- Arp, Jean, 1887-1966
- Art -- Periodicals
- Authors and publishers -- United States
- Barnard, Mary, 1909-2001
- Barrault, Jean-Louis, 1910-1994
- Bataille, Georges, 1897-1962
- Borges, Jorge Luis, 1899-1986
- Brooks, Van Wyck, 1886-1963
- Char, René, 1907-1988
- Crews, Judson, 1917-2010
- Cummings, E. E. (Edward Estlin), 1894-1962
- Dodson, Owen, 1914-1983
- Eberhart, Richard, 1904-2005
- Editors
- Editors -- United States
- Eliot, T. S. (Thomas Stearns), 1888-1965
- Ernst, Max, 1891-1976
- Fitts, Dudley, 1903-1968
- Ford, Charles Henri, 1908-2002
- Garrigue, Jean, 1912-1972
- Genet, Jean, 1910-1986
- Gregory, Horace, 1898-1982
- Hays, H. R. (Hoffman Reynolds), 1904-1980
- Laughlin, James, 1914-1997
- Literature -- Periodicals
- Little magazines -- Archives
- MacIver, Loren, 1909-1998
- Moore, Marianne, 1887-1972
- Moss, Stanley
- Neruda, Pablo, 1904-1973
- Nin, Anaïs, 1903-1977
- Pasternak, Boris Leonidovich, 1890-1960
- Periodicals -- Publishing -- United States
- Prévert, Jacques, 1900-1977
- Queneau, Raymond, 1903-1976
- Rexroth, Kenneth, 1905-1982
- Roethke, Theodore, 1908-1963
- Roskolenko, Harry, 1907-1980
- Seligmann, Kurt, 1900-1962
- Stamos, Theodoros, 1922-1997
- Stephan, John Walter, 1906-1995
- Stephan, Ruth, 1910-1974
- Tiger's eye
- Tyler, Parker, 1904-1974
- Vazakas, Byron
- Weber, Brom, 1917-1998
- Wilbur, Richard, 1921-2017
- Williams, William Carlos, 1883-1963
- Wright, Richard, 1908-1960
- Young, Marguerite, 1908-1995
- Title
- Guide to the Tiger's Eye Records
- Author
- by Clayton McGahee and Ellen Doon
- Date
- 2010
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.