March Laumer Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS-0129

Collection Overview

Abstract

The March Laumer Papers consist of manuscript materials, diaries, correspondence, and miscellaneous materials created and/or collected by March Laumer.

Dates

  • Creation: 1932-1992, undated

Extent

19.3 Cubic Feet (17 archives boxes)

Creator

Scope and Contents

The March Laumer Papers consist of a wide range of materials relating to Mr. Laumer's life and work. The collection includes many personal diaries, correspondence files, handwritten and typed drafts of published works, and materials relating to the operation of his Vanitas Press and Opium Press publishing companies.

The scope of these materials span the entirety of March Laumer's life, and will be of great interest to anyone interested in studying the author and/or the continuation of Frank Baum's Oz after the original 40 books ceased publication.

This collection is currently unprocessed, but the preliminary inventory (included here) is believed to be accurate but incomplete. There appear to be unprocessed boxes that have not been accounted for in the preliminary inventory. The collection is available for research upon request.

Biographical / Historical

March (Marsh) Laumer (1923-2000) was an American author of numerous books based in Frank Baum's Oz. He was a world traveler who taught in Hong Kong for a time. He created two publishers headquartered in Hong Kong to publish his books, Vanitas Books and Opium Books. He was a linguist and philatelist, as well.

March Laumer was best known for his books set in Oz. His books often presented a more adult take on Baum's world, making him a source of controversy. He edited and completed an unfinished Baum excerpt titled The Green Dolphin of Oz, and translated Alexander Volkov's Russian Oz books.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright and other restrictions may apply to the materials in this collection. Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Separated Materials

The initial accession contained a number of books which have been separated and cataloged with the regular Browne Popular Culture Library materials. Information about the titles of these books may not have been retained.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The materials in this collection were transferred to the Browne Popular Culture Library by March Laumer in a series of donations beginning in 1969 until his death in 2000.

Processing Information

A preliminary finding aid was created at an unknown date prior to 2021. This finding aid was revised and input into ArchivesSpace by Tyne Lowe, Manuscript Archivist, in March 2024.

Title
Guide to the March Laumer Papers
Author
Tyne Lowe
Date
March 2024
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin