Jacob Israel Zeitlin (November 4, 1902 – August 30, 1987) was an American bookseller, publisher, collector, poet and intellectual in Los Angeles in the mid-twentieth century.
He was born in Racine, Wisconsin, but moved with his family to Fort Worth, Texas in his childhood and to Los Angeles in 1925. For many years, Zeitlin lived in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles.[1] He opened his first bookshop in 1928, on Hope Street near 6th Street in downtown Los Angeles, and over the years moved his shop a number of times, its final location being in a converted barn on La Cienega Boulevard. He founded the Primavera Press, to produce fine printed books, and was a co-founder of the Rounce & Coffin Club,[2] which supported and encouraged fine printing in Southern California for many years. During his sixty years as a rare book seller, he, along with his many friends and associates, known as the "Zeitlin circle," was a significant force in the cultural and intellectual life of Los Angeles.[3] In 1963, he testified in a California Supreme Court obscenity hearing on Henry Miller's novel Tropic of Cancer.[4][5]
Zeitlin was one of the first people to exhibit the woodcuts of fellow Echo Park resident Paul Landacre[1] and the photographs of Edward Weston, as well as the first in America to exhibit the work of German artist Käthe Kollwitz. Zeitlin was also a poet and the editor of Opinion, a short-lived but influential Angeleno intellectual journal. A liberal in politics, Zeitlin was the campaign manager for Helen Gahagan Douglas' Senatorial campaign.[2] He also lobbied against the La Cienega Boulevard highway, bringing artistic friends such as actor and art dealer Joan Ankrum to Sacramento to protest.[6]
Personal life and deathedit
Zeitlin was married to Josephine Ver Brugge, who became his business partner, and together they had four children. He died on August 30, 1987 in West Hollywood, California.[7][8]
Archival collectionsedit
Zeitlin's extensive archives and papers are held at the UCLA Library Special Collections.[9]
Notesedit
^ ab"Historic Echo Park: Jake Zeitlin". Archived from the original on 2013-04-14. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
^"Court to Rule on Lewdness of Miller's 'Tropic'". Independent. February 14, 1963. p. 39. Retrieved July 9, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^"City Loses 'Tropic of Cancer' Fight". Los Angeles Times. December 17, 1963.
^Paul Karlstrom (1997–1998). "Oral history interview with Joan Ankrum, 1997 Nov. 5-1998 Feb. 4". Archives of American Art Oral History Program. Archives of American Art. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
^Folkart, Burt A. (August 31, 1987). "Jacob Zeitlin, Authors' Friend and Noted Book Seller, 84, Dies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
^Ritchie, Ward (September 6, 1987). "Los Angeles' Man About Fine Letters". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
^"Jake Zeitlin papers, ca. 1926-1987". Online Archive of California. California Digital Library. 1999. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
Referencesedit
Daniel Hurewitz (1997). Bohemian Los Angeles and the Making of Modern Politics. University of California Press. ISBN9780520249257.
Kevin Starr (1990). Material Dreams: Southern California through the 1920s. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN978-0-19-504487-4.
External linksedit
Articles, speeches, and essays by and about Jacob Zeitlin posted at HistoryofScience.com
Interview of Jake Zeitlin, Center for Oral History Research, UCLA Library Special Collections, University of California, Los Angeles.
November 15, 2023
jacob, zeitlin, jacob, israel, zeitlin, november, 1902, august, 1987, american, bookseller, publisher, collector, poet, intellectual, angeles, twentieth, century, contents, early, life, career, personal, life, death, archival, collections, notes, references, e. Jacob Israel Zeitlin November 4 1902 August 30 1987 was an American bookseller publisher collector poet and intellectual in Los Angeles in the mid twentieth century Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Personal life and death 3 Archival collections 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksEarly life and career editHe was born in Racine Wisconsin but moved with his family to Fort Worth Texas in his childhood and to Los Angeles in 1925 For many years Zeitlin lived in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles 1 He opened his first bookshop in 1928 on Hope Street near 6th Street in downtown Los Angeles and over the years moved his shop a number of times its final location being in a converted barn on La Cienega Boulevard He founded the Primavera Press to produce fine printed books and was a co founder of the Rounce amp Coffin Club 2 which supported and encouraged fine printing in Southern California for many years During his sixty years as a rare book seller he along with his many friends and associates known as the Zeitlin circle was a significant force in the cultural and intellectual life of Los Angeles 3 In 1963 he testified in a California Supreme Court obscenity hearing on Henry Miller s novel Tropic of Cancer 4 5 Zeitlin was one of the first people to exhibit the woodcuts of fellow Echo Park resident Paul Landacre 1 and the photographs of Edward Weston as well as the first in America to exhibit the work of German artist Kathe Kollwitz Zeitlin was also a poet and the editor of Opinion a short lived but influential Angeleno intellectual journal A liberal in politics Zeitlin was the campaign manager for Helen Gahagan Douglas Senatorial campaign 2 He also lobbied against the La Cienega Boulevard highway bringing artistic friends such as actor and art dealer Joan Ankrum to Sacramento to protest 6 Personal life and death editZeitlin was married to Josephine Ver Brugge who became his business partner and together they had four children He died on August 30 1987 in West Hollywood California 7 8 Archival collections editZeitlin s extensive archives and papers are held at the UCLA Library Special Collections 9 Notes edit a b Historic Echo Park Jake Zeitlin Archived from the original on 2013 04 14 Retrieved 2011 06 24 a b Starr 308 316 Starr op cit Court to Rule on Lewdness of Miller s Tropic Independent February 14 1963 p 39 Retrieved July 9 2015 via Newspapers com nbsp City Loses Tropic of Cancer Fight Los Angeles Times December 17 1963 Paul Karlstrom 1997 1998 Oral history interview with Joan Ankrum 1997 Nov 5 1998 Feb 4 Archives of American Art Oral History Program Archives of American Art Retrieved 3 June 2011 Folkart Burt A August 31 1987 Jacob Zeitlin Authors Friend and Noted Book Seller 84 Dies Los Angeles Times Retrieved July 10 2023 Ritchie Ward September 6 1987 Los Angeles Man About Fine Letters Los Angeles Times Retrieved July 10 2023 Jake Zeitlin papers ca 1926 1987 Online Archive of California California Digital Library 1999 Retrieved July 10 2023 References editDaniel Hurewitz 1997 Bohemian Los Angeles and the Making of Modern Politics University of California Press ISBN 9780520249257 Kevin Starr 1990 Material Dreams Southern California through the 1920s Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 504487 4 External links editArticles speeches and essays by and about Jacob Zeitlin posted at HistoryofScience com Interview of Jake Zeitlin Center for Oral History Research UCLA Library Special Collections University of California Los Angeles Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jacob Zeitlin amp oldid 1166677194, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
