Artists and Illustrators Series, 1929-1951 and undated, bulk 1935-1950

Scope and content:

Clippings, tear sheets and photographs of advertisements and periodical illustrations produced by approximately 127 commercial artists. Most materials date between 1935 and 1950, with a particularly strong emphasis on World War II-era illustrations. Dates for some materials could not be readily determined but have been provided where known. Materials are organized into two format-related subseries--Printed Materials and Photographs--to accommodate storage needs, and arranged alphabetically therein by artist name.

Prominent artists featured here include: Peter Arno (best known for his New Yorker illustrations of the 1930s and 1940s); C.C. Beall (illustrator for Collier's magazine in the 1940s); Pierre Brissaud ( Wamsutta sheets, 1930s); Dean Cornwell (noted for his World War II action scenes, and his illustrations for General Motors' Fisher Bodies and Philadelphia Whiskey); Floyd Davis (creator of distinctive comic characters for Ten High Whiskey, 1930s); John Gannam (lifestyle vignettes for Pacific Mills and the U.S. Brewers Association); Earl Oliver Hurst (cover illustrations for Collier's magazine 1930s, Jantzen sportswear); Ronald McCleod (cover illustrations for Collier's 1940s, Plymouth and Texaco print advertisements); Al Parker (cover illustrations for Ladies' Home Journal 1940s-1950s); Russell Patterson (noted for his Ballyhoo magazine cover art in the 1930s; his specialty, stylized ink drawings of barely-clad female figures in comic situations, were featured on advertisements for a number of different products); George Petty (a longtime illustrator for Esquire magazine; the "Petty Girls" drawings were one of the most recognizable styles of pinup art in the 1930s and 1940s); Robert O. Reid ( Collier's cover art 1939-40; illustrator for Oldsmobile automobiles and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer); Howard Scott ( Saturday Evening Post cover art 1940s; advertisements for Nash automobiles and Esso oil products; researchers interested in Scott's work should also consult the Howard Scott Papers); Ben Stahl (Rogers Bros. silverware; perhaps most famous for his illustrations on the John Hancock insurance company's "American Heroes" advertising campaign); Jon Whitcomb, who in the 1930s and 1940s was a nearly ubiquitous illustrator for women's and family magazines such as Ladies' Home Companion, Good Housekeeping, Saturday Evening Post, and Collier's; and J. Walter Wilkinson (the OAAA campaign "Make a Long Story Short," WW II Defense Bonds); original paintings by this artist are contained in Oversize Materials.

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