Paul Martin (June 6, 1883 – March 19, 1932)Register of Deaths for the Village of Ossining, He was hospitalized from March 12 to 19. He lived in the hamlet of Millwood. U.S. Census 1930 (home address). Birthdate. American Art Annual, 1928, vol. 24, p. 654. was an American commercial artist and illustrator. He designed the world's largest sign, which spanned a city block in Times Square from 1917 to 1924.Close-up. "Electric Sign for Wrigley's Gum." Wide Shot. "High-Angle Night View." Digital Culture of Metropolitan New York / New York Historical. Photographer: William Davis Hassler. Close-up2; Wide Shot2. Wayback Machine.Electrical Record, Jul 1917, p. 54 ("largest"). Advertising & Selling, Jan 24, 1920, p. 12 (box section). HathiTrust. He drew a lithograph poster supporting the war effort in 1918. American Lawn Tennis, Jun 15, 1918, p. 88. Size: 17" x 31". It was also available as postage stamps and poster stamps. It is print-signed (near ankle). The Training Camp Fund paid for the War Camp Activities. His artwork appeared on twenty covers of Collier's between 1923 and 1927. Martin won Parents' Magazine "Cover of the Year" award from 1928 to 1930.Parents' Magazine, October 1951. This commemorative cover displayed twenty-five annual winners from 1926 to 1950. He reshaped the long-running Fisk tire mascot in early 1930."Snappy". The Saturday Evening Post, Mar 8, 1930, p. 76 (print-signed). It was publicly introduced in the issue dated Feb 8, 1930. "8thFlash". Automobile Topics, Dec 16, 1916, p. 547. The original boy wore a sleeper. This new character promptly appeared in thirteen issues of The Saturday Evening Post.Saturday Evening Post (1930): Feb 8, p. 106; Mar 8, p. 76; Apr 5, p. 107; May 3, p. 69; May 10, p. 128; May 24, p. 61; May 31, p. 99; Jun 7, p. 67; Jun 21, p. 89; Jun 28, p. 87; Jul 5, p. 69; Jul 26, p. 91; Aug 23, p. 38. Internet Archive. Martin created the official poster for the Girl Scouts in 1931. It was displayed at their troop meetings from 1931 to 1937.This poster was pictured and sold in every Girl Scout Equipment catalog from Fall 1931 to Fall 1936. It was replaced by the 25th anniversary poster in spring 1937. Excerpt from the 1935 (p. 38) and 1936 (p. 33) catalogs: "Used by many troops at the group meeting place on a bulletin board." Usefulness, Fall 1932. Usefulness2, Spring 1933. It is faintly print-signed (near left elbow). Internet Archive.
He played in sanctioned tennis tournaments around the New York metropolitan area from 1909 to 1931.USLTA-sanctioned. The two subheadings "University Heights Tennis Club" and "Memberships" cover all years except 1914 (sourced separately). This included the U.S. National Championships (now US Open) of 1920, 1921, and 1924. The Paul Martin singles tournament was held for eighty-four years, between 1932 and 2019. He played doubles with Franklin P. Adams, collaborated on a book with Howard R. Garis, and was an interclub teammate of Vincent Richards.New York Tribune, Oct 1, 1917, p. 13. "Auto Springs Leak." Richards was only 14 years old. New York Tribune, Jul 2, 1919, p. 12. Chad of Knob Hill, 1929. His WWI poster has been displayed at the Tennis Hall of Fame since 1965.Framed. It is silkscreened and periodically exhibited. The donor was Bessie Holden. Wayback Machine. The Sun, Apr 21, 1918, sec. 7, p. 8; Jul 16, 1918, p. 13. She helped organize the National Tennis Women's War Relief Association.
Background The Golden Age of Illustration began in the 1880s. It coincided with major advancements in printing techniques.Perlman, Bennard B. The Golden Age of American Illustration, 1978, p. 7 (foreword). Bogart, Michele H. Artists, Advertising, and the Borders of Art, 1995, p. 15. Internet Archive. These included breakthroughs in the halftone process, which made commercial image printing more economical, feasible, and realistic. Consequently, the strenuous, time-consuming process of wood engraving was replaced by the highly accurate photoengraving.Scribner's Magazine, Jul 1922, p. 124. "American Illustration and the Arts." HathiTrust. Groesbeck, Harry A. Process and Practice of Photo-engraving, 1924, pp. 2, 9. Internet Archive. Howard Pyle is often regarded as the "Father of American Illustration."The New York Times, Nov 10, 1911, p. 11. Pyle's obituary: "He was almost the father of American magazine illustration, as it is known ." Internet Archive. Other notable figures included Charles Dana Gibson, J. C. Leyendecker, Maxfield Parrish, Norman Rockwell, and N. C. Wyeth. However, most illustrators received little recognition. Critics perceived their artwork as commercially driven rather than creatively inspired. This directly contrasted with how fine art was viewed.Bogart, Michele H. Artists, Advertising, and the Borders of Art, 1995, pp. 1–4, 47–55, 78. Most illustrators lacked job security and a steady income. They held a higher status than advertising artists, though. Internet Archive. Nevertheless, these illustrators communicated and documented people's aspirations, concerns, customs, humor, ideals, labor, morals, and social interests.Transformation. Heller, Steven; File, Louise. Cover Story: The Art of American Magazine Covers 1900-1950, 1996, pp. 7–8 ("documented"), 9–12 ("recognition"), 16–17 ("decades").
Major advancements in photographic equipment and technology occurred during the 1930s. This led to a decades-long shift from illustrated to photographic covers, yet those innovative and captivating styles persisted. Eventually, graphic design software almost completely took over. Meanwhile, the magazine industry relied heavily on advertising revenue. It suffered from the popularity of radio and, particularly, television. These far-reaching forms of broadcasting were much more appealing to advertisers. Specialized magazines fared better by targeting specific audiences, thereby suffering fewer losses in readership and revenue.Day, Charles; Henry, Patrick; Ryder, Ellen. The Magazine Publishing Industry, 1997, pp. vii, 4, 17. Internet Archive. Ultimately, the internet revolution forced numerous periodicals to either shut down or transition to digital formats.Lule, Jack. Understanding Media and Culture in the 2020s, 2023, pp. 165–69 (chapter 5). Internet Archive. These shifts practically ended the era of hand-drawn covers.
Life He was born to Hannah A. (née Morrow) and Robert C. Martin (a brick merchant) in New York City on June 6, 1883.New York Press, Dec 13, 1890, p. 2. Excerpt: "Mr. [Robert C.] Martin, who had been employed as a bookkeeper by the firm for twelve years, was admitted as a partner February 1, 1882." "Peck, Martin & Co." specialized in building materials, especially bricks. Fultonhistory.com."Masons". Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide, Jan 5, 1884, p. 24vi (center); Aug 30, 1890, p. 275 (interviewed). Real Estate Record, Feb 7, 1891, p. 199 (now "Martin & Co."). HathiTrust. He was the second youngest of nine children, three of whom did not reach adulthood.U.S. Census 1880 (listed under "Robt. C."). U.S. Censuses of 1900 and 1910. Six of the nine children were still living. New York Herald, Nov 5, 1864, p. 3. They were married in 1864. NY Herald, Jul 30, 1917, p. 4; New York Tribune, Jul 30, 1917, p. 7 (Robert's obits). He was survived by Hannah, five sons, and one daughter. The funeral service was held at Calvary M. E. Church in Manhattan, at 129th St. & 7th Ave. New York Times, Sep 21, 1919, sec. 1, p. 22 (Hannah's obit). The Martins resided on 31st St. in Manhattan, between 8th and 9th Aves., throughout the 1880s.U.S. Census 1880 (listed under "Robt. C."); New York & New Jersey Telephone Company (directory), 1888, sec. NYC, p. 81; Trow's New York City Directory, 1890, p. 835. They lived near the future site of Penn Station. They moved northward to Central Harlem on Edgecombe Ave. in 1890.The Sun, Dec 13, 1890, p. 8. "Real Estate Transfers" (fifth entry down). It was located north of 138th, on the east side. Trow's New York City Directory, 1891, p. 912; 1892, p. 948; 1893, p. 931; 1894, p. 931; 1896, p. 966; 1897, p. 863. Home: Edgecombe Ave. Their address is listed under "Rob't F." (son of Robert C.) for 1896 and 1897. New York Public Library Digital Collections. Paul lost two sisters, aged one and sixteen, between 1891 and 1893.Paul was born after the unrecorded death of an infant sibling. The Sun, Jul 17, 1891, p. 5. His baby sister, Theresa, died at thirteen months. The Evening World, Jun 20, 1893, p. 7. His teenage sister, Hannah Louisa, died at age 16. Both funeral services were held at the family home on Edgecombe Ave. These sources are available on Chronicling America under "Hannah A. Martin." The family relocated to another section of Central Harlem at 129th St. and 5th Ave. in 1898.U.S. Census 1880. The family lived on 31st Street. U.S. Census 1900. They lived on 129th Street.Trow's General Directory of the Boroughs of Manhattan and Bronx, 1899, p. 846. They lived on 129th St. They belonged to the Twenty-fourth Street M. E. Church (until 1890)Adams, L. C. H.; Strobridge, G. E., eds. Minutes of the New York Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1884, p. 74. The family father is listed as a church official. Accessed via HathiTrust."Collection". Report of the New York City Church Extension and Missionary Society, 1885, p. 64. Five of the Martins are identified as members. and Calvary Church (until 1908)."Elected". Report of the New York City Church Extension and Missionary Society, 1893, pp. 5, 6. They joined Calvary after moving to Edgecombe Avenue in Harlem. Its pastor was James Roscoe Day. The building was designated a historic landmark in 2016. HathiTrust. His father was the superintendent of their Sunday schools.The Metropolitan Church and Choir Directory of New York and Brooklyn, 1888, p. 56. Position: "Supt. S. S." New York Herald, Jul 30, 1917, p. 4 (PDF; "superintendent" at both). The family relocated from Chelsea to Harlem in 1890. Calvary was sold to another congregation in 1923. Wayback Machine.