The Ray Mathew and Eva Kollsman Trust: The Records of Curtis Brown
A selection of files from the records of Curtis Brown
Manuscripts Collection
MS 10063, Series 1, Folders 269-272
A selection of corporate records of Curtis Brown
Manuscripts Collection
MS 10063, Series 5, Folders 1-2
The records of Curtis Brown
Manuscripts Collection
MS 10063
In mid July 2007, the National Library of Australia commenced a project to improve accessibility to a number of important manuscripts collections relating to Australian literature. This project is funded by the Ray Mathew and Eva Kollsman Trust, established by Eva Kollsman in memory of Australian writer and playwright Ray Mathew. In 2007–2008 Kollsman archivist Donna Vaughan arranged, described and revised a number of collections of well-known literary individuals: from the papers of writers Ray Mathew (MS 9264) and Louis Nowra (MS 10042) to those of playwright David Williamson (MS 7378) and poet AD Hope (MS 5836).
This year, two Manuscripts staff members have shared the position. Rather than concentrate on the personal papers of individuals, the archivists have turned their attention to the corporate records of one of Australia’s oldest and best-known literary agencies, Curtis Brown, which the Library acquired in July 2007. The collection provides a valuable record of an important aspect of the business of Australian literature between the 1960s and early 2000s.
Curtis Brown was established in London by Albert Curtis Brown in 1899. In 1967 Curtis Brown Australia was set up to represent Australian, New Zealand and Pacific writers worldwide and the interests of overseas clients in the region. In 1999 Curtis Brown acquired Hickson Associates, a literary agency founded by Jill Hickson in 1983; and in 2003 Curtis Brown Australia became independent after completing a management buy-out.
Consisting of 307 archive boxes and covering the date range 1962–2002, the records document the activities of Curtis Brown Australia. The archive has been divided into six series or groups of records: client files of Curtis Brown and Hickson Associates; correspondence with authors seeking publication; relations with Curtis Brown, London and New York; corporate records; and sub-agent files for Hickson Associates.
Files for individuals represented by Curtis Brown Australia, and by Hickson Associates prior to its acquisition in 1999, make up the bulk, and perhaps the most significant part of the collection. The files read like a ‘who’s who’ of Australia’s literary scene, both past and present. Novelists, historians, poets, children’s writers and playwrights are represented—from Jessica Anderson, Manning Clark and Judith Wright to Pamela Allen, Alex Buzo and Christos Tsiolkas.
The contents of the files vary according to the individual, but by and large comprise correspondence between authors, agents and publishers; agreements, royalty information, accounts, publicity arrangements, press cuttings and reviews. A look in Xavier Herbert’s file, for example, reveals a typescript of a short story with editorial amendments, written in 1962; while Luke Davies’ files includes correspondence about adapting his novel Candy for the screen.
The Curtis Brown archive has special value due to the fact that many individuals are also represented elsewhere in the Library’s Manuscripts Collection. These include Dennis Altman, Lily Brett, David Brooks, Mavis Thorpe Clark, Rosemary Dobson, Sara Dowse, Geoffrey Dutton, Ninette Dutton, Helen Garner, Marion Halligan, Barbara Hanrahan, Xavier Herbert, AD Hope, Thomas Keneally, Robin Klein, Elyne Mitchell, Vivienne Rae-Ellis, Eric Rolls, Nicolette Stasko, Kylie Tennant, Ric Throssell, Brenda Walker, Maslyn Williams, David Williamson and Sue Woolfe. An alphabetical index of the individuals represented in the archive is available at the end of the guide. With many authors listed at different intervals throughout the guide, the index ensures that researchers can identify the location of all papers relating to a particular author.
Other components of the collection include a series of files from writers seeking representation by Curtis Brown. These files generally comprise a letter from the writer with a letter of decline from Curtis Brown; however, some contain more extensive correspondence such as an agent offering advice on editing, and encouraging writers to submit future works. The corporate records include Memoranda, Articles of Association and contract registers, with two ledgers pre-dating the establishment of Curtis Brown Australia.
It is thanks to the generous assistance of the Ray Mathew and Eva Kollsman Trust that the Records of Curtis Brown (MS 10063) are now available to literary scholars, historians and biographers, making it a significant addition to the Library’s already strong literary holdings. The guide to the collection can be accessed online at http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms10063.
Bronwyn Ryan and Beth Lonergan
Kollsman Archivists, Manuscripts Branch



