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Toothpaste/Coffee House Press

 Organization

Biography

The Toothpaste Press originated in Iowa City, Iowa, in the 1970s, an outgrowth of Allan Kornblum's literary magazine, Toothpaste. Moving to West Branch, Iowa, it was a fine letterpress publisher of literary books. In 1984, the operation was again moved, this time to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where it was renamed Coffee House Press. Allan Kornblum was born in New York. He dropped out of New York University, but participated in workshops at St. Mark's Poetry Project. There he became aware of Iowa City. Moving there in 1970, he enrolled in Harry Duncan's typography class. Within two years, he had bought himself a used letterpress and started his own business. By 1984, Kornblum and his wife, Cinda, had published seventy books and pamphlets and more than one hundred sixty broadsides at the Toothpaste Press.

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:

Private Press Ephemera

 Collection
Identifier: MsC1054
Abstract

Ephemera from a variety of international private presses.

Dates: 1930-2022

Toothpaste/Coffee House Press Records

 Collection
Identifier: MsC0461
Abstract

Private press founded and operated by Allan and Cinda Kornblum in Iowa City in 1970. Comprised of subject files, correspondence, financial records, etc. relating to the daily operations and literary output of the private press.

Dates: 1970-2007

Additional filters:

Subject
American literature 1
Archives (groupings) 1
Commercial correspondence 1
Editors 1
English literature 1