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[Identification of item], Margaret Fishback Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University
The Margaret Fishback Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library as a gift from Anthony Antolini in 2005.
Processed by Angela McClendon and Stacy Lavin, March 2007
Encoded by Angela McClendon
Completed May 2007
Accession 2005-0015 is described in this finding aid.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory:
Margaret Fishback Antolini was an advertising copywriter and author of light verse and prose. She was known for her wry, cynical attitudes towards domesticity, and her marriage to Alberto Gastone Antolini in 1935 prompted headlines such as
Fishback contributed light verse and prose to a number of national publications, including
Fishback was described in a 1932 New York newspaper article as
The Margaret Fishback Papers span the years 1863 through 1978 and
document Fishback's dual careers in
The collection is organized into three series:
The
The
The
Large-format print materials have been removed from their original
series locations and relocated to
These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.
Materials related to this collection may be found in other Hartman
Center collections, including the
A set of Fishback's published books, listed below, has been cataloged separately and is available in the Duke David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Individual titles can be found in the online library catalog. Duplicate copies of these books have remained with the collection.
This series chiefly documents Fishback's personal life through personal correspondence, datebooks, diaries, and photographs. Also included are a number of items collected by Fishback such as etiquette books, newspaper clippings, church bulletins, and travel memorabilia. Biographical data, chiefly news articles, provide secondary source material about Fishback and her family. Materials that predate Fishback's birth consist of a small collection of 19th-century prints and illustrations.
The series is arranged into six subseries--
Large-format materials have been removed to Oversize Materials. Where entire folders have been removed, their logical location in the container list has been indicated by dummy folders enclosed in brackets that indicate the physical location. Where single items have been removed, the relocation has been enumerated within parentheses.
Materials, chiefly news clippings, providing biographical information about Margaret Fishback, husband Alberto Antolini, son Tony Antolini, and other family members. The bulk of the Fishback clippings pertain to her marriage to Antolini in 1935.
Includes chiefly letters to and from friends and family members,
who are often indicated by various nicknames. Son Tony is referred to as
Other notable correspondents include author and playwright W. Somerset Maugham, with whom Fishback exchanged letters in 1961; illustrator Dick Sargent; author Frank Sullivan; actress Jane (Quigley) Alexander, who asked Margaret for writing advice as a child in 1949; elected officials, and various businesses.
Datebooks and calendars frequently offer daily records of Fishback's activities. They are available for almost every year in the date range, with multiple datebooks or calendars in certain years. Diaries tend to also record daily activities without personal reflection.
Loose materials that had been inserted into the datebooks, including clippings, notes, letters, photographs, financial materials, and grocery lists, were removed from the books and placed either next to the book or in a second folder.
Chiefly etiquette books and booklets collected by Fishback.
A schedule of weekly presentations on various etiquette
topics. Certain sessions have been highlighted in pencil by Fishback, including
Chiefly candid photographs dated 1942-1944 of Margaret with young son Tony in various New York locations including Central Park and East River, as well as at their home in Thomaston, Maine.
Miscellaneous personal items collected by Fishback.
Titles include:
Materials chiefly document Fishback's involvement with the
From an envelope titled
The materials in this series document Fishback's writing career, containing her published works as well as a large amount of work in unpublished form. Writings include articles and light poetry written for national news and general-interest publications such as
The series is arranged into seven subseries--
General files document the administrative aspects of Fishback's writing career. These files contain correspondence, chiefly between Fishback and various editors and publishers, as well as financial and legal materials.
A set of Fishback's published books has been cataloged separately and is available in the Duke Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library. Individual titles can be found in the online library catalog. Duplicate copies of these books have remained with the collection.
Large-format materials have been removed to Oversize Materials. Where entire folders have been removed, their logical location in the container list has been indicated by dummy folders enclosed in brackets that indicate the physical location. Where single items have been removed, the relocation has been enumerated within parentheses.
General files include materials documenting administrative aspects of Fishback's writing career.
Chiefly correspondence with magazine and newspaper publishers,
these materials include a large amount of acceptance and rejection letters,
materials related to copyright permissions, and some fan mail. Accompanying
several letters is a wealth of Fishback's writing submissions, which have
remained attached. Note that correspondence related to specific book projects
has been filed under each book project in the
Fishback worked with Kenneth Collins at Macy's, where Collins worked from 1926-1932, becoming the executive vice president of the store in 1929. By the 1950s, he was a columnist for
Gurney Williams worked at
Includes royalty and remittance statements, manuscript invoices, check stubs, and purchase agreements. Ledgers contain handwritten lists of compensation received for published writings.
Includes poetry and prose for freelance greeting card projects.
Materials in this subseries include published and unpublished poems. Materials related to poetry compilations include book preparation materials, with clippings, correspondence, drafts, indices, notes, photographs, publicity materials, reviews, and tables of contents related to Fishback's published poetry compilations.
This subseries also includes poems, published and unpublished,
that appeared individually in magazines and newspapers. Many published versions
of these poems were compiled as scrapbooks, and can be found in the
Includes book preparation materials, with clippings, notes, drafts, indices, tables of contents, correspondence, photographs, publicity materials, and reviews related to Fishback's published poetry compilations. A complete set of Fishback's published poetry compilations has been cataloged separately and is available in the Duke Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library. Individual compilations can be found in the online library catalog. Duplicate copies of these books have remained with the collection.
Arranged alphabetically by compilation title.
Includes poems, published and unpublished, that appeared individually in magazines and newspapers. Also includes a list, compiled by Fishback, of her published poems from 1926-1930.
Several published versions of these poems were compiled by
Fishback into scrapbooks and can be found in the
Folders titled
Includes poems, notes, clippings, pamphlets, and correspondence with Gurney Williams.
Includes poems written for anniversaries, birthdays, holiday greetings, and other events; some poems were written for people to give to other people.
Folders titled
The materials in this subseries document Fishback's prose work,
including published and unpublished articles, book projects, a column called
Several published versions of works in this subseries were
compiled by Fishback into scrapbooks and can be found in the
Materials include published articles, drafts, and preparatory materials such as news clippings and handwritten notes.
Includes draft, notes, and clippings.
Includes draft, notes on the draft, and the published article.
This article about Lesley Frost, children's author and daughter of Robert Frost, was commissioned by
Materials include drafts of individual articles, titled and untitled, arranged chronologically.
Materials include published prose works and an unpublished book project, with accompanying preparatory materials such as drafts, manuscripts, notes, and clippings, as well as publicity materials and reviews.
Arranged alphabetically by book title.
This book collaboration was designed as a follow-up to a book written by Hunter's late wife, Pat Bowman, entitled
The
This subseries includes scrapbooks assembled by Fishback, some
in preparation for poetry compilations. The scrapbooks contain chiefly
clippings of published poetry, but also include unpublished drafts,
correspondence, and other clippings. A scrapbook of Macy's advertisements is
located in the
Includes clippings of Fishback's published works, chiefly
poetry, as well as unpublished drafts with Fishback's notes regarding their
sale. Also in this scrapbook is a set of notecards including titles of poems
and their publication information. The
Includes chiefly clippings of Fishback's published poetry, as well as correspondence with Kenneth Collins and clippings of his
The speeches in this subseries were prepared for a variety of events, including an advertising convention, a convention of the American Gas Association, a book and author luncheon, a school meeting, and other events.
This subseries contains a variety of miscellaneous Fishback writings, including writings in genres atypical of Fishback such as song lyrics and limericks. Also included are poems by Fishback's son Tony, on which Fishback occasionally collaborated.
Materials pertaining to the production of a series of elementary school textbooks containing folk songs from around the world. Materials include correspondence, musical scores, lyrics, drafts, notes, and financial and legal records.
The Advertising Series documents Fishback's advertising work for R.H. Macy and Co., as well as work for advertising agencies and freelance work. Included in this series are advertisements in various stages of production: notes, drafts, proofs, and tear sheets. Administrative materials, such as correspondence, often accompany the advertisements. Also represented in this series is evidence of Fishback's professional affiliations, particularly with the Advertising Women of New York (AWNY). Materials generated or collected in the process of preparing for speaking engagements with professional societies are also included. The series also includes a small collection of trade literature, chiefly books on advertising topics written by other authors.
The series is arranged into four subseries--
Large-format materials have been removed to Oversize Materials. Where entire folders have been removed, their logical location in the container list has been indicated by dummy folders enclosed in brackets that indicate the physical location. Where single items have been removed, the relocation has been enumerated within parentheses.
Materials in this subseries document Fishback's advertising work
for R.H. Macy and Co. (Macy's), where she was employed as a copywriter from
1927-1942. Materials represent her work as a divisional copywriter as well as
her institutional work. Institutional advertisements often contain the Macy's
slogans
Arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Two plaques, Annual Advertising Awards (1937) and Publishers Service Company Annual Award (1939)
Obituary and photograph,
Company publications, including brochures and copies of internal newsletters
Includes advertising proofs, advertising copy, tear sheets, correspondence, photographs, clippings, competitive advertisements, and other materials related to work Fishback completed for specific clients. Advertising work in this subseries was completed both freelance and while Fishback worked for advertising agencies.
Arranged alphabetically by client name.
Advertising work comprising a single item or few items per
client. Clients include
This subseries contains materials relating to Fishback's affiliations with various professional societies, as well as materials generated or collected for speaking engagements on advertising topics at other conferences.
Includes materials from the 1965 convention of the American
Gas Association in Miami Beach, Florida. Fishback was invited to the conference
to deliver a speech,
This folder contains a Fishback article that was reprinted in a convention program of the Advertising Club (1931); a letter regarding New York City's Tribute Dinner to Career Women, at which Fishback was the Guest of Honor; a 1954 issue of Independent Woman, the magazine of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc.; a letter from Associated Writers and Producers; and correspondence with the Zonta Club of New York.
This subseries contains materials related to the advertising agencies for which Fishback worked, general advertising correspondence, assorted advertising writings by other authors, and other materials pertaining to Fishback's advertising career.
Includes correspondence, some internal publications, and other
administrative files relating to Fishback's work for advertising agencies.
Materials related to specific advertising campaigns are located in the
Includes correspondence pertaining to Fishback's advertising
career, but unassociated with any particular agencies or clients.
Correspondence related to specific advertising agencies is located in the
Contains books by other authors on the subject of advertising. One book, Don Herold's
Arranged alphabetically by book title.
Fishback contributed to this compilation of humorous advertisements and writings about humor in advertising. The book is inscribed to Fishback from author Don Herold. A second folder contains book preparation materials. These materials comprise correspondence between Fishback and Herold, as well as Photostat copies of Macy's advertisements.
Other advertising-related materials collected by Fishback.
Includes correspondence between Fishback and the Coca-Cola Company regarding an advertisement idea Fishback submitted to the company. A Photostat of the proposed advertisement is also included.
Due to limitations of physical storage, box numbers of oversize materials do not necessarily run in sequence.