Scope and Content Note
Stathis Orphanos (1940-2018) and Ralph Sylvester (1934-2018) met in Los Angeles in 1960. Ralph was stationed at the army base at Fort Ord and Orphanos had moved to Los Angeles to attend California State College (now university). Their budding romantic relationship, detailed in Elisa Rolle's book Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History, One Story at a Time (2014), turned into a business partnership when they began selling books. A mentor of Orphanos suggested that, with his extensive contacts gained over the years through his photography of literary figures, including a close friendship with Christopher Isherwood they should begin producing their own books. With that, their publishing business launched, starting with Christopher Isherwood's Christopher and His Kind in 1976. Over the next thirty years, they would go on to publish 26 books by major writers. In their production, they employed noted printers, illustrators, and binders, such as Patrick Reagh, Lillian Marks, Grant Dahlstrom, Achilles Droungas, Vance Garry, and Warren Chappell among others. Mustering his contacts, Orphanos arranged to publish the works of writers, such as Graham Greene, Nadine Gordimer, James Merrill, John Cheever, and Tennessee Williams. Their publishing business largely came to a close after the publishing of their 25th book, a tribute to the Greek artist Yannis Tsarouchis, designed in the Tériades tradition and containing representative samples of the artists' works, as well as tributes to him written by noted figures in the literary, entertainment, and artistic world. My Cavafy: Chance Encounters, the 26th and final title to bear the Sylvester and Orphanos imprint, was published in 2006. The book combines Orphanos's photography with selected poems by C. P. Cavafy. - Mark Manivong, Rare Book and Special Collections Division
Sylvester and Orphanos Publications