Jack Kapp Collection
Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2008647477
General International Standard for Archival Description
Recorded Sound Reference Center, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C.
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Jack Kapp Collection circa 1900-1949 1942-1948
69 items, including 63 drawings and 6 prints
Kapp, Jack, 1901-1949
Biographical History for: Jack Kapp Collection circa 1900-1949 1942-1948
Biographical Note Born in Chicago in 1901, Jack Kapp began his phonograph industry career at the age of fourteen by working as a part-time shipping clerk for Columbia Records. Later he oversaw artists and repertoire for Brunswick, and in 1934, backed by the owner of British Decca, Ltd., he founded the American Decca Records Company. By substantially lowering the price of popular records on his Decca label and selecting artists and repertoire to maximize sales, Kapp made American Decca the second largest record company in the U.S. by 1938 and helped the industry pull out of a slump attributed to radio broadcasting and the Great Depression. Decca artists included immensely popular performers such as Bing Crosby, the Boswell Sisters, the Andrews Sisters, the Ink Spots, Ted Lewis, and the Guy Lombardo Orchestra. Decca innovations included the first mass marketed American "original cast recording" (for Oklahoma!) and the "album" record package containing notes and promotional information. During the 1940s, American recording companies, including Kapp's label, struggled against new challenges, such as the 1942-1944 recording ban of the American Federation of Musicians. The ban was rooted in the concern of professional musicians that they lost jobs due to sound films and did not benefit economically from the growth of the recording and broadcasting industries. In 1940, they elected as president of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) a trumpeter named James Caesar Petrillo. His aggressive actions to counter the loss of musicians' jobs due to the prevalence of the jukebox and the recorded motion picture soundtrack made Petrillo one of the most famous and highly paid union leaders in American history and led to depictions of him in the press as a Mussolini-like character often called "Little Caesar." In 1942, led by Petrillo, the AFM banned its members from performing for the record industry. Petrillo was undeterred by the efforts of such government agencies as the Office of War Information and the National War Labor Board to end the ban; he even refused President Franklin Roosevelt's request to order the musicians back to work. Jack Kapp's Decca Records, followed by most other American record and radio transcription companies, agreed to pay royalties to the AFM in 1943, but for Columbia and RCA Records, which refused to settle, the ban continued. In late 1944, those two companies also came to an agreement with the union and the ban ended completely; however, the 1946 passage of the Lea Act (often called the "Anti-Petrillo Act") and the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act severely weakened the terms of the agreement between the musicians union and the recording industry. A new recording ban was put into effect in early 1948, but toward the end of the year it was lifted. During the following decade, the industry grew both financially and technologically. Petrillo's retirement from the AFM in 1958 brought an end to the publicity the union had received during the 1940s. Jack Kapp died in 1949. His brother Dave succeeded him at Decca.
Scope and Content Note Assembled by American Decca Records founder and president Jack Kapp, the collection consists of mostly original drawings by various magazine and newspaper cartoonists, such as Rube Goldberg, H. T. Webster, Gluyas Williams, L. M. Glackens, Burt Thomas, Fred Packer, Clifford Berryman, James Berryman, Jack Markow, and David Breger. The drawings, chiefly editorial cartoons, reflect the role of the phonograph in American life and offer historical commentary on the internal issues of the American phonograph industry, particularly the American Federation of Musicians recording ban of 1942-1944. The collection also features a framed album cover for the 1943 Decca Records cast recording of the musical, Oklahoma! The cast recording became a standard product category for record companies due to the immense success of this album. Some Jack Kapp correspondence is included in the collection; it is stored in the Recorded Sound Reference Center subject files. For more information or to view the correspondence, contact a reference librarian in the Recorded Sound Reference Center, Library of Congress.
item
Sally's sallies. "I'll take the smaller record. We live in such a cute little apartment," 1945 November 3
Scott, R. J.
The cartoon shows a woman purchasing records.
Copyright 1945, King Features Syndicate, Inc.
"Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup, but there's lots of work to do," circa 1944 September
Artist unknown
Domestic employees, including a maid dancing by a record player, ignore their work.
No copyright notice found with item.
Published in Good Housekeeping magazine. "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup," words and music by Anna Sosenko, was written in 1935 and became popular as sung by cabaret performer Hildegarde.
Parrot listening to a phonograph, circa 1910
Baker, B.
The words "Blankety ... D--n!" float out of the horn.
Signed monogram at lower left: BB (the first B is a backwards mirror image of the second B).
"So they'll speak correctly," 1910
Caption continues: "More work by the Society for Improving the Condition of Animals in Captivity." A parrot listens to a phonograph labeled "S.I.C.A. Lessons in Grammar" while a bespectacled man looks on. Out of the horn comes the sentence, "A verb must agree with its subject in number and person." The original handwritten caption is crossed out: "The Society for the Improvement of Animals in Captivity, 'Phonographs for Parrots.'"
Possibly published in Puck magazine in January or February, 1910. Signed at lower left: B Baker (the first name initial B is a backwards mirror image of the B in Baker).
"My how that takes me back," undated
Barlow, Perry, 1892-1977
Two children listening to a record player.
"Send the boys some records," 1943
Batchelor, S. E.
A soldier stands in front of a record player.
Autographed by the artist: "For Mr. Jack Kapp, with cordial best wishes of this cartoonist."
Uncle Sam and Franklin Delano Roosevelt discuss James C. Petrillo, who is eating a record, 1944 October 12
Berryman, Clifford Kennedy, 1869-1949
Biographical History for: Uncle Sam and Franklin Delano Roosevelt discuss James C. Petrillo, who is eating a record, 1944 October 12
C. K. Berryman, 1869-1949, created the "Teddy Bear" mascot for Theodore Roosevelt in 1902. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 1944.
In this cartoon, Petrillo is depicted as Julius Caesar, who has apparently taken a bite out of a record. Uncle Sam asks, "Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, that he is grown so great?" FDR replies, "Must be phonograph records."
Published in the Washington Star. Autographed by the artist: "To my good friend, Jack Kapp, with cordial good wishes, C. K. Berryman."
"And the music comes out here," circa 1942
Berryman, James Thomas, 1902-1971
Biographical History for: "And the music comes out here," circa 1942
James Berryman, 1902-1971, was the son of cartoonist C. K. Berryman. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 1950.
A man representing the recording industry blows money from a tuba towards James C. Petrillo, who catches it in a sack labeled "American Federation of Musicians."
Published in the Washington Star. Autographed by the artist: "Jim Berryman. With kind regards to Jack Kapp." The Hodgson-Riley song, "The Music Goes Round and Round," recorded in 1935, was Decca Records' first hit, putting Kapp's company in the black for the first time. The song is paraphrased in this cartoon to illustrate the exchanges between the National War Labor Board, its panel, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt over the 1942 recording ban. Ultimately, Roosevelt's request of James C. Petrillo to halt the 1942 recording ban was ignored by the union leader.
"And now, in response to the requests of thousands of music lovers...," 1949 January 19
Breger, David, 1908-
A WZZX disc jockey throws records out the window.
Copyright 1949, King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Autographed by the artist: "Best wishes to Jack Kapp and Decca, from Dave Breger, 1949."
"A New Jersey man is giving afternoon musical programs," [between 1930 and 1939?]
Denison, Harold, 1887-1940
A chicken farmer plays a phonograph for his chickens. A partially obscured sign to his right states "... O-Day Special. ... Hero Girl's Dream. [Ca]rmen. Devil's Dream. [Blue] Danube Waltz." Other words are hidden by the farmer's leg.
Handwritten in pencil, bottom center: "Illustration for 'Coddling Biddy.'"
A farmer plays a phonograph to make chickens lay eggs, 1910 or 1911
A chicken farmer happily shows a full basket of eggs to a gentleman while a phonograph "clucks" in the hen house behind him.
Stamp on reverse: "Keppler & Schwartzmann, 'Puck,' Nov. 22, 1910, New York." "Overlay Dept." stamp, also on reverse, gives a date of "P.M. Mon., Apr. 10, 1911." Signed at lower right.
"He wants to call the tune," between 1942 and 1950
Evans, Ray J. R.
A man holds a giant record bearing a "Petrillo Records" label that is illustrated with a picture of James C. Petrillo. The song on the record is called "Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie."
Mickey Mouse. "Magic melody" and "An unwelcome gigolo," undated
The first strip, entitled "Magic Melody," dated "8-26," pictures Mickey Mouse and Horace Horsecollar attempting to soothe some bears that have appeared near Clarabelle Cow's tent with the music of a phonograph. In the second strip, entitled "An Unwelcome Gigolo," dated "8-27," the bears, who turn out to be trained, are dancing to the music, but when one of them grabs Clarabelle as his dancing partner, she slaps him.
Copyright by Walter E. Disney, Great Britain.
Toonerville folks. "The Terrible-Tempered Mr. Bang," 1940
Fox, Fontaine, 1884-1964
As regular Toonerville Folks character Mr. Bang throws a record into the street, an onlooker says to his friend, "Wanna bet even money it ain't that 'Oh! Johnny, Oh!' record?"
Copyright 1940, by Fontaine Fox.
Autographed by the artist: "To Mr. Jack Kapp, with the compliments of Fontaine Fox." Toonerville Folks (sometimes known as Toonerville Trolley) was a single-panel newspaper cartoon, 1908-1955. It was syndicated by, among others, the McNaught Syndicate. "Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!" written in 1917 by Ed Rose and Abe Olman, became a huge hit in 1939 as performed on a Columbia release by the Orrin Tucker orchestra, with vocals by Wee Bonnie Baker.
Minister with a "choir" of phonographs behind him, undated
Glackens, L. M. (Louis M.), 1866-1933
Biographical History for: Minister with a "choir" of phonographs behind him, undated
Louis M. Glackens, 1866-1933, drew for Puck until 1914.
A dog labeled "Tariff made monopolies" standing over a phonograph labeled "Taft's providence speech," circa 1911 June 26
The dog scowls while listening to "Taft's providence speech," spoken by the head of William Howard Taft as it spins on the turntable: "Before an industry receives protection, now it must demonstrate the need of that protection, and it must not ask for more protection than it needs."
Stamp on reverse: "Keppler & Schwartzmann, 'Puck,' June 26, 1911, New York." Signed by the artist, lower left.
"Government by request -- not by law," 1944 October 11
Goldberg, Rube, 1883-1970
The cartoon shows President Franklin D. Roosevelt sitting on top of a prostrate businessman and pleading with "King" James C. Petrillo: "Please, Petrillo, lift your ban on recordings."
Autographed by the artist: "With a cordial 'Hello' to my friend, Jack Kapp. Rube Goldberg, Oct. 11, 1944." Also signed by the artist at lower left.
"Can't they shut that thing off?" 1943
A broken record with the face of labor leader John L. Lewis repeats the word, "Threat," as it spins on the turntable.
Autographed by the artist: "Best of everything to Jack Kapp. Rube Goldberg, July 8, 1943." Handwritten on reverse: "Wednesday June 16."
"We've changed our tune," 1945 February 8
A broken record labeled "Over Optimism" sits on a table near a playing record with "Patience" engraved in the grooves. "War Outlook" is printed on the label of the playing record.
Autographed by the artist: "To Jack Kapp, my most insistant [sic] collector. Rube Goldberg."
Our Bill, 1944 April 2
Haenigsen, Harry
In this Our Bill strip, teenage Bill and his girlfriend reminisce while playing "old" records ("This one is nearly two years old!"). His girlfriend, who has happy memories, sighs, "There's nothing like the old songs to bring back memories!" Bill, however, is reminded of only bad experiences and replies, "Yeah! Thank creepers for that!"
Copyright 1944, N.Y. Tribune Inc.
Autographed by the artist: "To Jack Kapp with very best wishes. Haenigsen." Harry Haenigsen was best known for his long-running comic strip, Penny, which began in 1943. His strip Our Bill, which also ran in the New York Herald Tribune, appeared from 1939 to 1943.
They'll do it every time. "He not only heard it in A minor...," 1947 January 31
Hatlo, Jimmy, 1898-1963
In the first frame, a man at the "Records" desk [in a library?] asks to hear "Popoffski's 'Prelude to the Afternoon of a Penguin' in A minor." The second frame shows him in his listening booth covering his ears as the young couple in the next booth dances to the loud strains of the "Boogie-Woogey Blim-blam Blues." The text states: "He not only heard it in A minor, he heard a couple of other minors as well--"
Copyright 1947, King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Room and board. "And the judge is looking over the lost and found column on rewards," 1942 May 20
Ahern, Gene, 1895-1960
In this drawing from Gene Ahern's syndicated single-panel daily, Room and Board, Judge Puffle refuses to help another boarder collect old phonograph records for the government during World War II. Holding a stack of records, the boarder thinks to himself, "Glad now I didn't tell him I'll get 5 cents a pound for old records so they can reclaim the shellac!" Federal rationing of shellac during the war curtailed record production but probably increased the value of the discs that were not sold to the government.
Copyright 1942, King Features Syndicate, Inc.
"You say you've been working on it with utter absorption for 40 years," undated
[Jarmane, Louis?]
Two men, one holding a phonograph, sit in a patent attorney's office.
"His master's voice!" 1913 January 25
Kemble, E. W. (Edward Windsor), 1861-1933
A phonograph labeled "From the people" proclaims, "Land thief, unfaithful servant, you must go!" to a dog identified as Sen. [Francis E.?] Warren of Wyoming.
Possibly published in Collier's. Autographed by the artist: "With some apologies & some liberties, Kemble."
"Lets not be too hasty about swapping our ivory for that...," undated
Keate, Jeff
Explorers play a record for two natives, one of whom whispers, "Lets not be too hasty about swapping our ivory for that -- I think first we should hear what's on the other side."
"You'll love this. 'Bye Baby Bunting' done by Stokowski, Nelson Eddy and the Westminster Choir," circa 1946
Key, Ted
A child plays a record for his friends.
Appeared in Collier's, possibly December 21, 1946. Signed by the artist, bottom center.
"Professional jealousy : what happened when a Mary Garden record met a Tetrazzini record on the library table," 1910 March 30
Levering, Albert, 1869-1929
Two records representing opera singers Luisa Tetrazzini and Mary Garden fight next to a phonograph on a library table .
Published in Puck magazine.
"No talking machines! No moving pictures! No electric lights! Do you want to put people out of work?" 1948
Lewis, K. A.
James C. Petrillo with an axe, standing over Thomas Edison.
Coyright 1948, Sun and Times Co.
Grin and bear it. "Psst -- Joe sent us -- said we could make a recording here!" 1948
Lichty, George Maurice, 1905-1983
Biographical History for: Grin and bear it. "Psst -- Joe sent us -- said we could make a recording here!" 1948
George Lichtenstein, "Lichty," drew the Grin and Bear It strip from 1932 to 1974.
Musicians, disregarding the recording ban of 1948, knock on a basement door.
Copyright 1948, Sun and Times Co.
"You've seen our laundry machine that washes dishes, but wait 'til you see what our new record changer can do!" undated
Luchsinger, Chuck
A man holding a baby in a diaper shows off his record player to his friend.
Autographed by the artist: "To Jack Kapp with Best Regards! Chas. Luchsinger."
"-- and now Bing Crosby is coming into the studio -- coming into the studio -- coming into the studio," circa 1947
Markow, Jack, 1905-
In a radio station, a man runs toward a skipping record as worried employees look on.
Bing Crosby's Philco Radio Hour was the first major network radio program to be broadcast from transcription discs rather than live.
Bringing up father, 1946 April 1
McManus, George, 1884-1954
Four-frame strip in which Jiggs tries to prevent his wife, Maggie, from playing the piano by putting on a record. The music, however, reminds her that she needs to buy a new Easter hat, and she asks him for shopping money.
Copyright 1946, King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Autographed by the artist: "Greetings to Jack Kapp from Geo McManus."
"Marines listen to recorded jive on way to assault Guam," 1944
McDermott, J. R. (USMC)
Soldiers listen to a record player.
"For pity's sake -- all the latest song hits," 1948
Normant, John
A woman looks through a pile of records in the attic.
Published in Collier's. Because of the American Federation of Musicians recording bans of 1942 and 1948, record companies reissued many discs from their back catalogs.
[ Life's like that?]. "Dry the dishes! Dry the dishes!! Do I ever ask you to dust off my records," 1945 November 21
Neher, Fred, 1903-2001
Biographical History for: [ Life's like that?]. "Dry the dishes! Dry the dishes!! Do I ever ask you to dust off my records," 1945 November 21
Fred Neher drew the weekly single-panel cartoon Life's Like That from 1935 to 1941 and from 1945 to 1977.
Standing by a record player, a teenage girl complains to her mother.
"Released by Consolidated News Features." Autographed by the artist: "To Jack Kapp with best wishes! Fred Neher."
"Salome Petrillo" with the "heads" of Colombia and Victor Records, circa 1944
Packer, Fred Little, 1886-1956
James C. Petrillo, dressed as Salome, spins a record on which rest the "heads" of Colombia and Victor Records.
Published in the New York Mirror. Autographed by the artist: "With kindest personal regards to -- Jack Kapp. From -- Packer."
James C. Petrillo running on a turntable, circa 1946
As Petrillo runs on the turntable, a needle labeled "Congress" is poised to stick him in the rear.
Published in the New York Mirror. Autographed by the artist: "To Jack Kapp. Very sincerely, Fred L. Packer." Also signed by the artist, lower right: "Packer." The Lea, or "Anti-Petrillo," Act of 1946 was enacted by Congress to prohibit Petrillo's standby rules for radio.
"Here, Frankie -- see if Beethoven's '5th' fits any better," undated
Peters, Eric
Boys attempt to replace a missing wagon wheel with records, breaking several of them.
"The missing link supplied," 1908
Pughe, J. S. (John S.), 1870-1909
Men stand before a phonograph to which a hand is attached. To one side are cylinders labeled "Bryan" and "Taft."
Published in Puck magazine in 1908, during the presidential race between William Howard Taft and William Jennings Bryan. The hand outstretched for shaking is the missing link that would make personal appearances by campaigning politicians obsolete. Stamp on reverse: "Keppler & Schwartzmann, 'Puck,' Sep. 23, 1908, New York."
"His master's voice," circa 1918
Racey, A. G.
Biographical History for: "His master's voice," circa 1918
Racey was a cartoonist for the Montreal Star from 1899 to 1941, the year of his death.
A phonograph horn in the shape of a cannon labeled "the Allies ... Foch" points at a sweating, quaking hound representing Kaiser Wilhelm. The words "unconditional surrender" come from the cannon.
Autographed by the artist: "A.G. Racey. With apologies to the 'Victor.'" Ferdinand Foch was supreme commander of the Allied armies in November of 1918, when Germany requested an armistice.
"Due to conditions beyond our control, we now present Harry Harris," undated
[Ramerno?]
A man in a radio studio speaks into a microphone as another man apparently prepares to speak.
"Well I followed your advice. I turned the lights down low and played romantic music!" undated
Reckas, George
A young woman complains to her mother while a sailor snores on the couch, oblivious to the records she's been playing.
"Shyness compels Mr. Winterbottom to deliver his speech from a home recording," 1948 January 26
Reed, Ed
At a board meeting, the arms of a man hidden behind the table place a record on a turntable.
"1948, the Register and Tribune Syndicate." Autographed by the artist: "All best wishes, To Jack Kapp -- Ed Reed -- "Off the Record."
A cobra transfixed by music from a record player, undated
Richter, Mischa, 1910-
Autographed by the artist: "To Mr. Kapp -- Mischa Richter."
"It's nice of you to contribute your phonograph records to the canteen, Ethel -- even if they are all nursery rhymes," 1943 February 6
Coe, Roland, 1906-1954
The image shows girl scouts carrying records.
"Open this package, Jack," circa 1947 January 29
Russell, Bruce, 1903-1963
On paper used to wrap a package that was mailed in 1947 (at top right are canceled stamps dated January 29, 1947), Russell has drawn a record labeled "Decca Records," that includes the address of the record company owned by Jack Kapp. The "song" on the record is entitled "Open this package, Jack," and the "songwriter" is "Kapp." Along the bottom of the "record label" are musical notes surrounded by the words "Office of the president." At upper right is the return address: "From Bruce Russell, Los Angeles Times."
"Martial music," undated
The cartoon shows a broken record labeled "China peace."
Autographed by the artist: "To Jack Kapp with best wishes. Bruce Russell."
"Nothing like this in Nazi Germany," 1942 November 4
Seibel, Fred O. (Fred Otto), 1886-1969
A speaking head identified as "U.S. voters" rests on the turntable of a phonograph labeled "ballot box." Emanating from the horn are the words "voice of the people."
Autographed by the artist: "To Jack Kapp with my compliments. Fred O. Seibel." The drawing is also signed by the artist, lower right. Handwritten under the autograph is: "Richmond Times-Dispatch, November 4, 1942."
David and Goliath, 1948 January 3
Armed with a sword and shielded by a record, a huge robot is nevertheless hit in the head with a rock flung from a slingshot by James C. Petrillo. The robot is labeled "machine age," and the words "Ban on recording" appear at the top of the cartoon.
Autographed by the artist: "To Jack Kapp with my best wishes. Fred O. Siebel." The drawing is also signed by the artist, lower right.
"Acme Second Hand Phonograph Record Company, Good morning, good morning, good morning, good ...," undated
Soglow, Otto, 1900-1975
A switchboard operator speaks into a receiver.
Autographed by the artist, lower left: "O. Soglow."
"I can't figger it out at all -- no tubes or batteries!" undated
Spaar, William
Several natives comment on a playing phonograph while a pipe-smoking man in a safari outfit stands by.
"Don't bother Junior now. He's listening to his homework," undated
Strauss, Charles
A boy listens to a record as his parents look on.
"Swelling the chorus!" circa 1948
Talburt, Harold M., 1895-1966
"John L." (probably John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers of America, 1920-1960) sings "Brother, can you spare a dime?" while a phonograph labeled "[James C.] Petrillo's royalty racket" plays. The musical notes floating from the phonograph have dollar signs on them, and Lewis holds a sign that states, "Demand of 10 cents a ton royalty for miner's union."
Autographed by the artist: "To Jack Kapp with best wishes. H. M. Talburt." The drawing is also signed "Talburt" at lower left. In 1948, the year of the second American Federation of Musicians recording ban, the UMWA under president John L. Lewis won health and pension benefits for miners, financed partially by a royalty on every ton of coal mined.
"The music goes round and round -- but it don't come out here!" between 1940 and 1950
While a record spins on the turntable, James C. Petrillo sits in the horn of a phonograph, blocking the sound.
The Hodgson-Riley song, "The Music Goes Round and Round," recorded in 1935, was Decca Records' first hit, putting Jack Kapp's company in the black for the first time.
"The super juke box," 1942
Thomas, Burt
Uncle Sam stands in front of a jukebox on which sits James C. Petrillo's head (bearing a definite resemblance to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini). A hand reaches out from the jukebox, which is labeled, "Pay me."
Published in the Detroit News.
Autographed by the artist: "To Jack Kapp with compliments of B. Thomas."
A man looks through a pile of records as guests wait, undated
Tobin, Don
One of the guests says, "Really, Charley, I didn't mean for you to go to all that trouble. We can hear 'Sugar Blues' some other time."
Jelly Bean Jones. "Gee I never really appreciated symphonies before -- they scale better than anything," 1948 March 10
Walter, Frank
Two children are throwing records.
Jelly Bean Jones. "Look, Pop -- I've just invented a new game," 1948 January 14
A child jumps onto a record player as his father walks in.
King Features Syndicate, Inc.
"The timid soul," 1946 September 2
Webster, Harold Tucker, 1885-1952
Standing near a record player and holding a record, Casper Milquetoast says, "Perhaps I'd better employ a couple of musicians to play this record for me. I don't want to offend the union and have them denounce me as a labor baiter, or a stooge for the capitalists, or a fascist."
Copyright 1946, New York Tribune, Inc.
Signed by the artist, lower right.
"The thrill that comes once in a lifetime," 1944 October 25
A mother listens to the voice of her son on a record from the U.S.O.: "A -- hem -- uh -- ah -- er -- Well, -- ah -- gosh! I don't know what to say -- uh...." The mother, smiling, says, "Now, isn't that cute?"
Copyright 1944, New York Tribune, Inc.
Two fairies near a bell-shaped flower, undated
Wheelan, Albertine Randall
Biographical History for: Two fairies near a bell-shaped flower, undated
A. R. Wheelan was a nineteenth-century cartoonist known for his Dumbunnies newspaper series.
Handwritten caption under the first panel: "Adventuros [sic] fairy: 'Why this must be a phonograph! Doesn't that Bumble Bee's voice sound natural?'" Caption under the second panel: "Bee, appearing from within flower: 'Good morning ladies! This is my busy day. Aren't you out rather late?'"
Signed by the artist, first panel, lower right.
Woman reading album notes, 1942
Williams, Gluyas, 1888-1982
A woman looks puzzled as she reads the pretentious program notes accompanying the record she holds.
Copyright 1942, 1970, The New Yorker Magazine, Inc.
Published in the New Yorker. Signed by the artist, lower left.
A woman listens to her husband singing "Pistol Packin' Mama" in the shower, undated
Chenoweth, Hugh
Not on shelf.
"Maestro Petrillo versus the law," undated
[Kay?]
James C. Petrillo on a phonograph; a hand is jutting into the picture holding an injunction.
The Goodrich Rubber Man's vacation, circa 1900
This promotional poster, printed for the Buffalo-Pan American Exposition of 1900 and 1901, was intended for distribution to Goodrich's wholesalers. The photographs of the salesmen-musicians superimposed over the drawing are of actual Goodrich Rubber Company employees.
"Round 2," 1944 October
Uncle Sam, standing in the middle of a boxing ring, holds up a card that says “Round 2.” In one corner, Frank Sinatra sings into a microphone for sitting boxer FDR, and in the other, Bing Crosby croons into a microphone for Thomas Dewey.
Published in the Washington Evening Star. Autographed by the artist: "Jim Berryman. With my best to my friend ... and everybody's friend, Bing!"
"In full bloom," 1907 February 6
An inebriated man ("Mr. Talksome") stands in front of a window display of phonographs and declares, "Hones' fact, itsh the finesht display er mornin' glories ever shaw in m'life!" A black and white print matted on the reverse of the color print is the same image but includes the hand-written caption and editorial markings.
Probably published in Puck magazine.
"In the jungle," 1894
A professor wearing a safari hat plays a phonograph from inside a zoo cage labeled "Prof. Monk, the scientist." Monkeys, some wearing human clothing, listen from outside the cage.
Handwritten in pencil on reverse: "In the jungle. May 16, 1894." Stamp on reverse: "Keppler & Schwartzmann, 'Puck,' April 17, 1894, New York."
Framed album cover of Oklahoma! 1946
Cover of the 1943 cast album, Selections from the Theatre Guild Musical Play Oklahoma!, featuring members of the original New York production. Decca album no. 359, 23M, Personality series.
Copyright 1943, Decca Records.
Inscription on the small metal plaque attached to the center of the album cover: "For Jack. This 500,001st album from Dick and [Deen?]. Feb. 3, 1946."