Kent D. Currie papers
Scope and Contents
The Currie papers provide an overview of the history of printing and typography in the first part of the 20th century. The bulk of the collection is formed by Currie's collection of type samples. It includes brochures from Europe, in particular Holland and United States, with a significant attention to Baltimorean type designers. Noteworthy is also Currie's correspondence. The numerous letters Currie sent and received from important type designers such as Goudy and Hess expose the reader to the complex process of creating new type. The papers span the 1920s to 1950s.
Dates
- Creation: 1920s-1950s
Creator
- Currie, Kent D. (Person)
- Goudy, Frederic W. (Frederic William), 1865-1947 (Person)
- Hess, Sol, 1886-1953 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is housed off-site and requires 48-hours' notice for retrieval. Please contact Special Collections for more information.
The collection is open for use.
Conditions Governing Use
Single copies may be made for research purposes. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions. It is not necessary to seek our permission as the owner of the physical work to publish or otherwise use public domain materials that we have made available for use, unless Johns Hopkins University holds the copyright.
Biographical / Historical
Kent D. Currie was an expert of printing and typography. While he was the sales manager of the Pittsburgh
Plate Glass Company, he lived in Baltimore where he also became the Vice President of the Olympic Press, situated on Lombard Street. He was close friend of important type designers such as Frederic W. Goudy and Sol Hess.
Currie's eye for artistic design influenced many typographers to create new type creations which appealed to the American market. He designed books for the University of Pennsylvania Press and special pieces for Johns Hopkins University, such as the greetings card that the Baltimorean publisher sent to the King of Siam in 1931.
Extent
6.61 Cubic Feet (4 record center cartons, 3 letter size document boxes, 1 legal size document box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Kent D. Currie was a printer and typographer who lived in Baltimore, Maryland. The bulk of the collection is formed by Currie's collection of type samples. It includes brochures from Europe, in particular Holland and United States, with a significant attention to Baltimorean type designers. Noteworthy is also Currie's correspondence. The papers span the 1920s to 1950s.
Other Finding Aids
An offline inventory is available for this collection. Contact Special Collections for additional information.
Custodial History
This collection was part of Baltimore Bibliophiles Collection at Garrett Library. It was transferred to Special Collection in 2007.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
There is no known acquisition information for this collection.
Processing Information
Finding aid prepared by Massimo Petrozzi in 2008, with additional processing by Annie Tang in December 2015.
- Title
- Currie (Kent D.) papers
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
The Sheridan Libraries
Special Collections
3400 N Charles St
Baltimore MD 21218 USA
specialcollections@lists.jhu.edu