Erotica collection, 1940-1969
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Summary
- Abstract:
- Creator of this archive is unknown. An archive of original illustrations, sketchbooks, and erotic stories, depicting transgressive sex acts including (but not limited to) lesbian and heterosexual sex, incest, pedophilia, sadomassochistic behavior, and copulation with objects as varied as sex toys, produce, and household appliances. The stories and illustrations appear to be the work of a single individual, with nearly all narrative told from a female's point of view. Also includes some amateur pornographic photography and magazine clippings.
- Extent:
- 0.75 Linear Feet
400 Items - Language:
- Material in English
- Collection ID:
- RL.00365
Background
- Scope and content:
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This collection contains an archive of original illustrations, four sketchbooks, and erotic stories, depicting transgressive sex acts including (but not limited to) lesbian and heterosexual sex, incest, pedophilia, sadomassochistic behavior, and copulation with objects as varied as sex toys, produce, and household appliances. The stories and illustrations appear to be the work of a single individual, with nearly all narrative told from a female's point of view. Also includes some amateur pornographic photography and magazine clippings.
The stories included in the collection range in length from one page to 46 pages. Two of the four sketchbooks include drafts of multiple storylines. Most stories are handwritten in the style of a graphic novel; some are typed. All include accompanying hand-drawn illustrations. There are also loose, miscellaneous illustrations in the collection with no correlating story. The collection's photographs and magazine clippings appear to have been used as models for some of the sketches and artwork. The photographs include at least one image of a hermaphroditic woman who appears in some of the accompanying stories.
- Biographical / historical:
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The creator of this archive is unknown, although one could speculate that the author and illustrator was Mercedes Miller of Seattle, Washington. Two pieces of correspondence addressed to her, dating from 1947 and the 1950s, were found inlaid in one of the collection's sketchbooks. This is strictly a circumstantial speculation; there is no way to match the handwriting style of the erotica with Miller's handwriting, and none of the stories or illustrations are autographed or signed with any identifying information.
- Acquisition information:
- The Erotica Collection were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2013.
- Processing information:
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Processed by Meghan Lyon, March 2014
Encoded by Meghan Lyon, March 2014
Accession(s) described in this collection guide: 2013-0204
- Physical location:
- For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
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Contents
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Using These Materials
- Restrictions:
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Collection is open for research.
Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.
All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48-hours to retrieve these materials for research use.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.
- Terms of access:
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The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
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- Preferred citation:
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[Identification of item], Erotica Collection, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.