The McCune Collection

Events & Lectures

The public is cordially invited to attend the McCune Collection Fall and Spring lecture series. All Programs are at 2 p.m. in the McCune Room, first floor of the John F. Kennedy Library, on the third Sunday of the month unless otherwise noted. Light refreshments and conversation with guest speaker follow.

• Literary Afternoons
• Spring 2012 Lecture Series
  • Sunday, March 18 — Leonard Pitt
  • Sunday, April 15 — Mel Ahlborn
  • Sunday, May 20 — Michael and Valerie Nelson ~ Magical Moonshine Theatre
• Fall 2011 Lecture Series
  • Sunday, September 11 — Peter Hanff
  • Sunday, October 23 — Leonard Pitt
  • Sunday, November 20 — Holiday Open House
• Spring 2011 Lecture Series
  • Sunday, March 20 — Mel Ahlborn
  • Sunday, April 17 — Larry Stevens
  • Sunday, May 15 — John Lehner
• Fall 2010 Lecture Series
  • Sunday, September 26 — Dr. Robert Bell
  • Sunday, October 17 — Axel E. Borg
  • Sunday, November 14 — Treasures of the McCune
• Spring 2010 Lecture Series
  • Sunday, March 21 — Mark Dushkes
  • Sunday, April 18 — Mel Ahlborn
  • Sunday, May 23 — William A. Porter
• Fall 2009 Lecture Series
  • Sunday, September 27 — Sallie Evans
  • Sunday, October 18 — Mark Aaron Dushkes
  • Sunday, November 15 — Dorothy Herger
• Spring 2009 Lecture Series
  • Sunday, March 15 — William A. Porter
  • Sunday, April 26 — Don Farnsworth
  • Sunday, June 7 — Alyson Kuhn
• Fall 2008 Lecture Series
  • Sunday, September 21 — Peter Koch
  • Sunday, October 19 — Paul Totah
  • Sunday, November 16 — Kathleen Burch
• Spring 2008 Lecture Series
  • Sunday, March 16 — Richard Torney
  • Sunday, April 20 — The Illuminated Manuscript: Historic Methods and Modern Adaptations
  • Sunday, May 18 — Conservation of Art Works on Paper
• Fall 2007 Lecture Series
  • Wednesday, November 21 — Marsha Evans
  • Sunday, October 14 — Mrs. P. J. Patrick
  • Sunday, September 16 — David Lance Goines

The McCune Collection Presents the Fall 2011 Lecture Series

Sunday, September 11, 2:00 pm
PETER HANFF
Cyclone on the Prairies: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Arts & Crafts of Publishing in Chicago, 1900.

Noted Bay Area author, raconteur and Ozophile Peter Hanff discusses his recently published Cyclone on the Prairies: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Arts & Crafts of Publishing in Chicago, 1900. Issued as a limited edition by the Book Club of California; designed and printed by Peter Koch, the book explores the publishing history of The Wizard of Oz, as well as its enduring appeal to readers everywhere. Peter Hanff is deputy director of the Bancroft Library and an authority on rare books and special collections. He also is the former president of the International Wizard of Oz Club, a non-profit corporation that is considered one of the world's definitive sources of Oz-related material.

Sunday, October 23, 2:00 pm
LEONARD PITT
A Small Moment of Great Illumination – Searching for Valentine Greatrakes the Master Healer

Join Leonard Pitt as he unearths the life of this enigmatic 17th century Irish figure. Followed by thousands wherever he went, Greatrakes was known for curing everything from cancer to leprosy and leukemia by the laying on of hands. His healing powers caused one of the great controversies of the age and brought him under the scrutiny of many of the great minds of the time, including scientist Robert Boyle and poet Andrew Marvell, both of whom vouched for his talent. Leonard discovered Greatrakes in a footnote, was struck, and six months later was in Ireland embarking on an eight-year odyssey of a lifetime. From a stolen harp in Oakland to an Irish street corner with Jasper the grave digger, to the Marquis of Hertford at his English manor, follow Leonard in his pursuit of the Irish healer.

Sunday, November 20, 2:00 pm
HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
Treasures of the McCune

Join us for a delightful afternoon at the McCune as Chair Judith Hilburg conducts tours of the vault and visitors enjoy an unusual opportunity to explore the unique and rare holdings of this extraordinary collection. Henry Evans 2012 calendars and note cards available for holiday gift-giving; enjoy light refreshments and congenial chat with fellow bibliophiles and literary enthusiasts!

The McCune Collection Presents the Spring 2011 Lecture Series

Sunday, March 20, 2011
Mel Ahlborn
Imagining the Past in France: History in Illuminated Manuscripts, 1250-1500

Bay area artist and illuminator Mel Ahlborn returns to the McCune with a richly detailed talk on the landmark exhibition of French illuminated manuscripts recently held at The Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Royal courts, legendary characters, historic imaginings and biblical history all came to life in the illuminated manuscripts produced in France from 1250-1500 AD. Wooden boards served as covers to enormous books which opened to reveal parchment pages filled with careful writing and tiny characters painted in tempera and gold. Certain to interest students, as well as lovers of calligraphy, illuminated miniatures and manuscripts, this intriguing survey of Illuminated Medieval Manuscripts celebrates the pinnacle of manuscript illumination in France. For over 20 years, Mel Ahlborn's Illumination Studio has served museums, film companies, academic institutions and private clients; and is distinguished for its expertise in the areas of manuscript illumination, illuminated awards, and portraiture. Reach Ahlborn at: mahlborn@illuminationstudio.org and follow her on Twitter @illumination1.

Sunday, April 17, 2011
Larry Stevens
California Maritime Academy’s Yearbook History

Join Cal Maritime library staff member Larry Stevens for a colorful reminiscence of Maritime Academy history as seen through the pages of its yearbook, the Hawsepipe. Memories of CMA’s 80 years of military and seafaring history are contained within, and each yearbook is a time capsule that reflects the era in which it was published. Originally printed as a half-page mimeographed “Training Ship Journal”, the Hawsepipe over the years evolved to its present hardcover format. Early yearbooks will be available to share with the audience. After majoring in Architecture and Art History at the University of Cincinnati, and following another lifetime as a travel agent, Larry Stevens volunteered with the McCune Committee, leaving in 2007 to work for the Solano County and Benicia Library systems. In 2008, he was hired by CMA as a library and archives assistant, and is the primary contact for the academy’s historical collections and displays. Contact Stevens at stevens@csum.edu.

Sunday, May 15, 2011
John Lehner
American Women Designers of Decorative Book Covers, 1890-1915

Collector John Lehner discusses decorative book cover design, focusing in particular on the contributions of two notable American women designers, Sarah Wyman Whitman and Margaret Armstrong. During the American Decorative Arts movement of the late nineteenth century, women rose to the fore of book cover design, displacing the customary dye-makers and engravers who designed covers for commercially produced books. These ladies, whose identities remained a mystery to the book buying public, left their marks - both literally and figuratively - on the bindings of thousands of titles of this period, many with little more than a discreet initial or two on a binding along with their beautiful designs. An avid collector, Lehner’s interest in book cover design began in the 1960s. He has given many lectures and exhibitions of his books for Bay Area book organizations, including the Roxburghe and Colophon clubs, the Book Club of California and the San Francisco Public Library. Collecting books for the art of the cover is a consuming passion for Lehner who is now retired from the Aerospace Industry, and spends much time adding to his impressive collection. Contact him at: binderfinder@comcast.net.

The McCune Collection Presents the Fall 2010 Lecture Series

Sunday, September 26th, 2:00PM
Dr. Robert Bell

Prints and the Illustrated Book

Print Collector and Lecturer Dr. Robert Bell presents a survey of print media illuminating the history of the illustrated book and featuring illustrations from his extensive collection of fine art prints. Dr Bell, who has assembled one of the largest private collections of etchings in the world, describes the works, techniques, and the artists, sharing his discerning knowledge about collecting and the history of prints and printmaking techniques. Audience members will be able to closely examine these wonderful examples of the printmaker's art.

Sunday, October 17th, 2:00PM
Axel E. Borg

Food and Beverage Collections at the Shields Library, University of California, Davis

Axel Borg, librarian and wine and food science bibliographer at the Shields Library at UC Davis will talk about the library’s Viticulture and Enology Collection, home to the finest collection of grape growing and wine making (including brewing) books in the world. Containing approximately 29,000 volumes, this extraordinary collection is complimented by major library collections in Mexican and Chinese Cookery as well as the Noling Collection of Beverage Literature. The program will include a discussion of the origins of the collection, its depth and strength and will conclude with a brief look at a few of its treasures.

Sunday, November 14th, 2:00PM
Treasures of the McCune

Open House

Visitors will enjoy an unusual opportunity to see firsthand the unique and rare holdings of the McCune, including the Kelmscott Chaucer, the leaf from the Gutenberg Bible, the Byrne Euclid, and a number of incunabula. Miniature books will be on display, as will the works of Henry Evans and a superb collection of historical maps and photographs. Examples of fine printing and binding include the Illustrated Atlas of the Grand Canyon, Cervantes’ Don Quixote, published in 1780; and the Opera Vergiliana, published in 1517. Chair Judith Hilburg will conduct tours of the vault and docents will be on hand to act as guides to the collection.

The McCune Collection Presents the Spring 2010 Lecture Series

Sunday, March 21st, 2:00PM
Mark Dushkes

Preserving Japanese screens

Join Mark Dushkes for a slide show presentation and special hands-on demonstration of the restoration, repair and preservation of Japanese folding screens. Audience members are welcome to bring screens and/or scrolls for a non-appraisal evaluation by our speaker. Mark Aaron Dushkes, owner of Aaron Studios, studied Japanese history and language in college including a year studying in Tokyo. After many years working with Asian antiques he was fortunate in being offered a traditional apprenticeship in 1986. He trained for 2 years in Ohara, a small town outside of Kyoto Japan, in the studio of a master restorer. After his apprenticeship he returned to California in 1988 to found Aaron Studios. For the past 10 years he has been working in the traditional way repairing and restoring screens (byobu) single panels (gaku) and standing panels (tsuitate). Find more about the history of Japanese Screens at: www.screenrepair.com.

Sunday, April 18th, 2:00PM
Mel Ahlborn

Carl Jung: The Red Book

In this richly illustrated 90-minute lecture, manuscript illuminator Mel Ahlborn reviews 'The Red Book' by Carl G. Jung (W. W. Norton, 2009) Ahlborn's talk will highlight the book's history, drawing upon material from Jungian scholar Sonu Shamdasani. She discusses the book designs and page layouts seen in Jung's original manuscript and in the Norton 2009 print edition, and concludes with an analysis of Jung's calligraphic hands, drawing techniques, and major illuminations. An aerospace engineer who became an artist, Mel Ahlborn specializes in historic production techniques for manuscript illumination, from which she draws inspiration for her modern and multimedia fine art. Ahlborn is principle of Illumination Studio, an artists' studio in San Francisco's East Bay serving museums, film companies, academic institutions and private clients since 1989. Her work is shown throughout the United States, including The Getty Center Los Angeles, the Palace of the Legion of Honor San Francisco, and the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Reach Ahlborn at mahlborn@illuminationstudio.org and follow her on Twitter @illumination1.

Sunday, May 23rd, 2:00PM
William A. Porter

Recent Architectural Images

Photographer William Porter returns to the McCune to share his vision of the vital role of archival photography in recording and preserving historical building sites. Mr. Porter’s diverse commissions include the Earl Warren Building in San Francisco, Bay Meadows Racetrack, the Oakland and Berkeley public libraries and Agnews State Hospital in Santa Clara County. His archival prints are held by the Library of Congress, the Historic American Building Survey, and by numerous state and municipal historical societies. His remarkable work is showcased in a recently published limited edition soft cover book, Stones and Steel: Restoring the Home of the California Supreme Court, 1989-1998. Reconstructive work that began after the Loma Prieta earthquake was documented by Porter as it progressed during the 10-year hiatus needed for the rebuilding and renovation of the historic State Office Building in San Francisco’s Civic Center, headquarters of the highest court in the state and home of the largest judicial system in the nation. William@williamporter.com

The McCune Collection Presents the Fall 2009 Lecture Series

Sunday, September 27th

Sallie Evans
“The Fascination of Miniature Art”

"I find creative inspiration in the out of doors, my garden in particular, and nature in general..." Sarah Anne "Sallie" Evans, member of the International Guild of Miniature Artisans and member-at-large of the Embroiderers Guild of America†shares a peek into the exquisitely diminutive world of miniature arts, including needle working, petit pointe, rug hooking, crewel embroidery, and braiding of miniature items.

Sunday, October 18th

Mark Aaron Dushkes
“Preserving Japanese screen paintings”

Join Mark Dushkes of Aaron Studios for a slide show presentation and special hands-on demonstration of the restoration and preservation of Japanese folding screens (byobu) single panels (gaku) and standing panels (tsuitate). Audience members are welcome to bring screens and/or scrolls for evaluation by Mr. Dushkes.

Sunday, November 15th

Dorothy Herger
“The Georgia Street project”

Vallejo artist Dorothy Herger discusses her paintings, drawings and photographs of lower Georgia Street before most of the historic downtown district was razed for redevelopment in the 1960’s. A nostalgic survey sure to revive memories of Vallejo’s own long-vanished Barbary Coast.

The McCune Collection Presents the Spring 2009 Lecture Series

Sunday, March 15th
WILLIAM A. PORTER

A PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Photographer William Porter talks about his lifelong love affair with photography (“...a cross between a religion and an addiction”), the evolution of his career from Marine Corps documentary photographer to commercial photographer, to specialist in architectural photography, and his role in the visual preservation of historical sites. Mr. Porter’s diverse commissions include the Earl Warren Building, the O'Shaughnessy Dam, Moffitt Field, the Chinatown YMCA in San Francisco, and more recently, Bay Meadows Racetrack, prior to its closing. His archival prints are held by the Library of Congress, the Historic American Building Survey, and by numerous state and municipal historical societies. Twice awarded the Purple Heart while serving in Viet Nam, Porter holds a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute. William@williamporter.com

Sunday, April 26th
DON FARNSWORTH

Magnolia Editions~fine art press

Donald Farnsworth, director of Magnolia Editions www.magnoliaeditions.com in Oakland, CA, will discuss the innovations of the studio and its past, present, and future projects. Magnolia Editions is a workshop with an eye for the unexplored: its recent innovations include tapestry editions by Chuck Close and Alex Katz. Mr. Farnsworth's talk will include images and short movies illustrating various techniques developed at Magnolia Editions. Farnsworth is internationally known as an artist, master printmaker and authority on the history and manufacture of handmade paper. Employing innovative hybrid technologies in collaborative projects with his wife, Era Hamaji Farnsworth, his work synthesizes the historic and the unorthodox.

Sunday, June 7th, 2:00PM
ALYSON KUHN

Alphabetilately speaking

Alyson Kuhn, editorial director of the Alphabetilately project, will talk about the its evolution from whimsical notion in 1997 to major museum exhibition currently at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in Washington, DC. In 2008, Alphabetilately was chosen by as the theme for the National Postal Museum's 15th Anniversary celebration. Alyson will be accompanied by philatelist Bill Senkus, originator of Alphabetilately: an Alphabet of Philately. From 1997-2002, Alyson was the Communications Director on the board of the SF chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts; she also served a three-year term on the board of the San Francisco Center for the Book, where she co-curated two exhibitions. She has taught workshops across the country about the Art of Correspondence. Her diverse clients include the Smithsonian Institutions, the Hearts in San Francisco project, Adobe Systems, and the US Postal Service.

The McCune Collection Presents the Fall 2008 Lecture Series

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st, 2:00PM
PETER KOCH

Internationally renowned printer and award-winning publisher of fine arts editions, Peter Koch, of Peter Koch Printers premiers the Fall 2008 lecture series at the McCune. A native of Montana, Koch got his start in printing in Missoula when he founded Montana Gothic: A Journal of Poetry, Literature & Graphics, as well as founding the Black Stone Press in 1974, with artist Shelley Hoyt.

Mr. Koch describes his 2006 adventure in Italy, where he completed the printing of Joseph Brodsky's Watermark. The book is a series of meditations woven from the fabric of Venice in the late 20th century. Brodsky dedicated Watermark to his friend, the American painter Robert Morgan, whose photo-gravure images illustrate the book. One of the high points of this project was floating a printing press down Venice’s Grand Canal to the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica Venezia, where Peter was artist-in-residence that September.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19th, 2:00PM
PAUL TOTAH

Paul Totah is in his 24th year of teaching English and editing the Genesis alumni magazine at St. Ignatius College Preparatory, A 1975 graduate of the school, he received a Bachelor's degree from Santa Clara University and an M.A. in creative writing from San Francisco State University. He is the author of two books -- The San Francisco Fair: Treasure Island 1939-1940 and Spiritus Magis: 150 Years of St. Ignatius College Preparatory.

Mr. Totah will speak on the remarkable events that brought the Jesuits to the Bay Area where they built institutions that endure to this day, recounting stories of innovation and success as well as disasters that have marked the school's long history in San Francisco.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16th, 2:00PM
KATHLEEN BURCH

Kathleen Burch is co-founder of the San Francisco Center for the Book and Vice-President of the Book Club of California. After studies at Mills College in English Literature and graduate work in the Book Arts department, she collaborated with Burning Books, an independent publishing house, which published her work on game theory and the culture of card-playing, Indicia, a Romance (monograph) in 1990.

Ms. Burch shares her extensive knowledge of symbolic communication through typographic languages in this informal and informative discussion of the history of the design and illustration of the tarot; providing us as well with an introduction to card games and divinatory systems in the context of the printed medium.

Playing cards designed by Kathleen Burch

The McCune Collection Presents the Spring 2008 Lecture Series

SUNDAY MARCH 16
RICHARD TORNEY

The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire: Hygienic Catastrophe Averted

Lifelong Marin County resident and historian Richard Torney describes the successful efforts of his greatgrandfather Lt. Col. George Torney in preventing the spread of contagious disease throughout the city in the days following the great earthquake. Mr. Torney’s presentation includes many original family documents and a selection of recently rediscovered photographs of the 1906 catastrophe taken by Lt. Col. Torney's twenty-six year old son ”Ned”.

SUNDAY APRIL 20
MEL AHLBORN

The Illuminated Manuscript: Historic Methods and Modern Adaptations

Mel Ahlborn, of MB AHLBORN ILLUMINATION presents a slide show history of manuscript illumination, discussing historic methods and modern adaptations of this ancient process. Included in the presentation will be examples of contemporary illumination and its application in present day illustration contexts.

SUNDAY MAY 18
KAREN ZUKOR

Conservation of Art Works on Paper

Karen Zukor, professional paper conservator in private practice for almost thirty years and a Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation discusses the conservation and preservation of art and artifacts on paper; archival material, documents, maps, manuscripts, historic currency and rare books.

Fall 2007 Lecture Series: November 21

Marsha Evans has a degree in graphic arts. At their Saint Helena studio, Henry made linocuts of his botanical drawings and Marsha married ink to paper, printing on their 1852 Washington hand letterpress. Works exhibited at the McCune November 15th–27th.

Fall 2007 Lecture Series: October 14

Mrs. P. J. Patrick, architectural historian, has researched the history of medicine dating from the Mesopotamian civilization. She has traveled extensively through the Middle East and Greece, and lived in Europe and Great Britain for eight years. She is a delightful and witty storyteller.

Fall 2007 Lecture Series: September 16

David Lance Goines, graphic designer, is one of the most distinguished and respected of contemporary artists. His work is represented in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Posters exhibited at the McCune September 10th–24th