Edgar F. Schilder Papers, 1909-1950
Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Schilder, Edgar F.
- Abstract:
- Over 1,000 pieces of original cartoon artwork including material from the Syracuse Post-Standard, comic strips, original artwork by other cartoonists, biographical material, photographs, newspaper and magazine clippings, proofs, posters, and a scrapbook.
- Extent:
- 14.5 linear ft.
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Edgar F. Schilder Papers,
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The Edgar F. Schilder Papers are divided into six series: original artwork, biographical material, printed material, clippings, proofs and photographs.
Original Artwork (1918-1950) contains original pieces drawn by Schilder and other cartoonists. Schilder's items include primarily both editorial and general interest cartoons.
Schilder’s work reflects the interests of his Syracuse and Central New York readership. His numerous cartoons related to fishing often referenced Oneida Lake. Winter is a prominent topic as well as a backdrop for his cartoons while those depicted go about their daily lives, such as Schilder's recurring character, Might Marty, a balding, bespeckled man who is no more than a head on a stick figure body. Local college sports teams and the Syracuse Chiefs minor league baseball team are also mentioned. Many of Schilder's cartoons called for the conservation of natural resources.
Of particular interest are Schilder’s cartoons drawn during World War II. Schilder’s depiction of the war and its effects went beyond the political as he often focused on home front activities and hardships including scrap metal drives, victory gardens and the rationing of food and other materials, while calling for "Patriotism before pleasure" as one title encouraged. Schilder also produced a handful of cartoons that cautioned against being overly optimistic in predictions for a quick victory. He frequently referred to Axis leaders by nicknames including Herr Hitler, Herr Ohito (Hirohito) and the Herrless One (Mussolini).
Schilder's original art is dated only with years (there are also some undated cartoons). Several dated pieces are mounted. Undated work has been arranged in alphabetical order by caption. Items vary in size but the majority are between approximately 11" x 14" and 14" x 16". The cartoons were drawn primarily in ink on illustration board. Some feature light crayon shading.
In addition to editorial and general interest cartoons, there are also 32 original drawings of World War II leaders. These portraits generally measure 8 1/4" x 11 1/4" and several are mounted. Also included are fourteen original Cinder comic strips featuring Schilder's signature black cat, Steve.
There are also 26 original drawings by other artists, many of which were presented as gifts to Schilder. See the inventory for a listing.
Biographical material (1909-1950) contains a few pieces of personal correspondence, articles on Schilder and his work, two photographs of Schilder and a small folder of miscellaneous items.
Printed material (1921-1945) offers examples of Schilder's work as it appeared in various non-newspaper formats particularly trade and industry publications, particulary from Traveler's Insurance. Several folders are related to Syracuse and the upstate New York region including material on the American Legion, Mohawk Carpet Mills, and various other businesses and organizations. Some local material is related to the Syracuse Post-Standard.
Schilder was an avid clipper of items from magazines and newspapers. Clippings (1912-1950) is generally comprised of two types of material: material clipped from newspapers and magazines (work not drawn by Schilder) and cartoons (particularly editorial cartoons). Included are Schilder’s editorial cartoons from the Syracuse Post-Standard as well as clippings of cartoons by other cartoonists (such as Carey Orr, Herb Roth, J.N. Ding Darling, H.T. Webster, Warren King, Gasoline Alley and the Gumps). Included is a Ding drawing done exclusively for the Syracuse Post-Standard. Schilder also clipped a plethora of illustrations, advertisements and imagery from publications, ranging from small scraps to full pages about animals, transportation, illustrations of people, and furniture. Many clippings contain spot color and are from New York newspapers. Also of interest in this series is a scrapbook containing clippings, photos and portraits of other cartoonists.
Proofs (1915-1944) includes several proofs of cartoons including editorial cartoons and The Moneybacks comic strip. However, the majority of the proofs are caricatures appearing to be of prominent businessmen. They may be from the work, Club Men of Indianapolis in Caricature or a similar publication. Many of these caricature portraits have the name of other artists.
Photographs contains 27 undated photographs kept by Schilder. They depict animals, children and sports (boxing, horse racing, Gene Tunney). Of particular interest is a photo of the Ku Klux Klan and a movie still from Flaming Frontier.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Edgar F. "Steve" Schilder (1888-1963) was an American cartoonist who worked for the Syracuse Post-Standard for over 40 years.
Edgar Francis "Steve" Schilder was born in Chillicothe, Ohio on August 31, 1888. A self-taught artist, Schilder completed courses through the Evans Correspondence School of Cartooning in Columbus, Ohio and his early cartoons were done on chalk plates. His first journalism job was with the Chillicothe newspaper, where he worked for several months without pay in order to gain experience. Schilder then held a string of newspaper positions around the United States.
Schilder worked at the Columbus Citizen, the Portsmouth Blade and in Lima, Ohio. Schilder then went to the Denver Post, the St. Joseph Missouri News Press and the Indianapolis Star. During his tenure in Indianapolis, Schilder picked up his pen name "Steve" which was derived from the black cat that appeared in many of his cartoons. Leaving Indianapolis, Schilder spent a year and a half with the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Indiana before taking a job in Baltimore with the International Syndicate.
In 1914 Schilder worked in St. Louis, in 1915 in Atlanta, and in 1916 he worked at the New Orleans Times Picayune until in 1917, Schilder took a job with the Syracuse Post-Standard and became editor of the newspaper's Sunday magazine. As editor, Schilder's decision to publish historic photos in the magazine proved popular with readers and he ran the newspaper’s photography contests. Schilder also worked as the editorial cartoonist. The New York Herald Tribune, New York Times and the Saturday Evening Post also published Schilder's cartoons.
The United States Treasury Department recognized him with an award in 1940 for his war bond cartoons, and his cartoons of prominent World War II figures were exhibited at the Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts in 1943. The demands of the Post-Standard's Sunday magazine led Schilder to spend less time on cartooning during his final years with the newspaper. Schilder retired from the Post-Standard on July 1, 1962.
Edgar F. Schilder died on August 25, 1963 after falling in his home and suffering a skull fracture.
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of James F. and Dorothea Wright (Schilder's son-in-law and daughter), 1968, 1970.
- Arrangement:
-
Dated cartoons are arranged chronologically by year. Oversized mounted cartoons are arranged separately. Undated cartoons are arranged alphabetically by letter. Undated cartoons without titles are located at the end of the Schilder section of the original artwork series.
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Art -- Cartoonists
New York State
American wit and humor, Pictorial.
Caricatures and cartoons -- United States.
Caricatures and cartoons -- New York (State) -- Syracuse.
Cartoonists -- United States.
Cartoonists -- New York (State) -- Syracuse.
Fishing -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Editorial cartoons -- New York (State) -- Syracuse.
Editorial cartoons -- United States.
Rationing -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Taxation -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Sports -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Inflation -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Liberty bonds -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Vacations -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Victory gardens -- Caricatures and cartoons.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Social aspects -- Caricatures and cartoons.
World politics -- 1900-1945 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Nature conservation -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Winter -- Caricatures and Cartoons.
Cartoonists.
Cartoons (humorous images)
Comic strips.
Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Editorial cartoons.
Photographs.
Posters.
Proofs (printed matter)
Scrapbooks. - Names:
- Schilder, Edgar F.
Stalin, Joseph, 1879-1953 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Hirohito, Emperor of Japan, 1901-1989 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Mussolini, Benito, 1883-1945 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Hitler, Adolf, 1889-1945 -- Caricatures and cartoons. - Places:
- United States -- Politics and government -- 1901-1953 -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Onondaga County (N.Y.) -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Oneida Lake (N.Y.) -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Syracuse (N.Y.) -- Caricatures and cartoons. - Indexes:
-
Index to cartoons
The following is a list of notable people, places and subjects appearing in the editorial cartoons in this collection. The list is not exhaustive. Some subjects may require you to browse with alternative terms.
B= Box, F= Folder. For example: B1F1= Box 1 Folder 1.
Africa B3F2B7F10B10F4 Albania B7F10 Argentina B5F1-B5F2B5F6 armed forces B3F1-B3F2B3F4B4F2B4F4B5F1B5F6B5F8B7F9 Asia B3F3 astronomy B2F2 Australia B10F1 automobile accidents B2F7B6F4B8F1 automobile industry B4F1B5F4 Axis powers B2F5-B2F6B2F8-B2F9B3F4B4F1B5F1B7F10B9F1-B9F2 Barkley, Alben W. B4F4 bills B1F1B2F2B3F1B7F3B7F5B8F2B10F9 birth rate B8F3 black market B3F4B4F2B5F2B5F6B6F2B7F8 Boy Scouts B7F11 Britain B2F6B5F2B6F3B7F8B10F9 Browder, Earl B5F2 business B7F6-B7F7B8F1 canning B1F8 capitalism B7F7B10F8 Cardiff Giant B6F5 Central New York B1F1-B1F2B1F4B1F6-B1F7B1F9B2F5-B2F6B4F1B4F3B5F1B5F4-B5F5B5F8B6F2B6F5B7F3B7F7B7F11B10F5B10F9B11F3 charity B6F4B6F7B7F2B8F1B10F1 Charles, Prince of Wales B7F5 China B2F3B3F3B7F5B10F9 Churchill, Winston B3F3B8F3 circus B7F11 civil rights B10F2 coal industry B6F7B7F6B7F11B10F4B10F6 Cold War B10F6 Colgate University B1F1B2F6B5F3B6F4B10F1-B10F2B10F5B11F2 collectivism B7F5 communism B5F2B6F3-B6F6B7F2-B7F3B10F1-B10F2B10F8 concentration camps B10F4B11F3 Congress B4F4-B4F5B6F5-B6F6B7F3-B7F4 conservation, in New York State B5F3B6F2B6F4B7F2 consumers B1F4B6F5 Cornell University B1F1-B1F2B1F9B2F1B8F2 cost of living B5F7B10F3 crime B7F3 daylight savings time B2F2B2F9B3F2B5F7B6F4B7F3B7F6B10F1-B10F2B10F5B10F9-B10F10 democracy B2F4-B2F5B6F3B6F5-B6F6 Democratic Party B4F5B4F7B6F1B7F1-B7F3 Dewey, Thomas B6F3-B6F4B7F7 disarmament B6F7 diseases B2F4B6F6B7F6 Dobie, Gil B1F5 draft B2F5 driving B4F3 economy B4F7B5F7B6F2 education B2F6B10F8 elections B7F2-B7F3B7F5 Fair Deal B7F5-B7F6 Farley, Jim B2F8 farming B1F2B2F6B4F1B4F4B5F3B6F5B7F1B7F3B7F5B10F8 Fascism B2F9 fashion B1F1B1F3B1F5B2F4B5F4-B5F5B7F5B10F9B11F4 Finland B5F2B8F1 fishing B1F1-B1F6B1F9-B2F1B2F5B2F9B3F3B3F5-B4F1B4F7-B5F1B5F4-B5F5B6F1-B6F4B7F4B7F6B7F9B7F11B9F1-B9F2B10F1-B10F4B10F7-B10F8B11F4 Florida B2F7 foreign policy B4F5B5F1B5F7 France B4F5B5F1-B5F2 free speech B10F4 gardening B1F7-B1F8B1F10-B2F1B6F3-B6F5B7F3-B7F4B7F6-B7F8B7F10B10F3B10F5B10F9-B11F1B11F5 gas prices B2F6B3F1B7F7 Germany B3F3B4F2B5F2B5F7-B6F1B7F1B7F5B8F3B10F1B10F4-B10F5B10F7B11F6 Goebbels, Joseph B4F5B4F7B6F1 Great Depression B1F1 Greece B2F4 Hirohito B2F5B2F9-B3F2B3F4-B4F2B4F4-B4F5B5F7B6F1B7F9B8F3B9F1-B10F1 Hitler, Adolf B2F5B2F8-B4F2B4F4-B4F5B4F7-B5F3B5F6-B5F7B6F1B7F8-B7F9B8F1B8F3-B10F2B10F4B10F9 holidays B1F1B1F3-B1F4B1F8B2F1B2F5-B2F8B3F2B5F6B5F8B6F6-B7F1B7F3-B7F5B7F7B8F1B8F3B10F1B10F3B10F9-B10F10B11F3-B11F5 Hoover, Hebert B2F9 housing B6F2B6F7 industry (general) B1F1B4F7B6F3B8F3 inflation B2F7-B2F8B3F1B3F4B4F7B5F8B6F3-B6F4B6F6-B7F2B7F4B7F7-B7F8B7F10B10F10 insurance B1F10 Italy B4F1-B4F2B4F5B5F1-B5F2B5F8B7F3B7F10B9F1 Japan B2F8-B3F2B4F2B4F5B4F7B5F7B6F1B7F8B8F3-B9F2 Kerr, Andy B1F5 Korea B10F2 lease lend operations B2F6-B2F7 Lewis, John L. B6F3B6F6B7F2B7F6B7F11B10F6 Lincoln, Abraham B7F11 Lynch, James M. B1F1 MacArthur, Douglas B5F1B8F3 Mussolini, Benito B2F9-B3F3B3F5-B4F2B4F5B5F6B7F8B7F10B9F1-B9F2 national debt B5F6B6F3B6F7B7F6B7F9 Nazism B2F9B3F5B4F4B4F7-B5F2B6F3B8F3B10F4-B10F5 New Deal B1F6-B1F7B1F9B2F3-B2F5B2F8B3F3B4F7-B5F1B7F9 New York (State) B6F1B6F5B7F2B7F7B10F2 North Atlantic Security Pact B7F7B10F3 nuclear weapons B5F5B5F7B6F2-B6F3B10F4B10F8 oil B2F8 Oneida Lake B1F1B1F4B1F6B1F9-B2F1B2F6B2F9B3F2B5F6-B5F8B7F8-B7F9B8F1B10F3-B10F4B10F6 Onondaga County B3F4B4F3B5F6B5F8B6F7B7F6B7F8B8F1B10F9 Onondaga Lake B2F1B10F6B10F9 Owens, Jesse B1F8 Palestine B7F1 peace B5F2B5F7B6F1B6F3B6F6B10F1-B10F2B10F8 Pennsylvania State University B1F4B1F6B1F9-B1F10 Philippines B5F1 Poland B4F5 politics B2F3B4F4B5F2 pollution B5F6B10F6 Prohibition B1F1B1F3B10F2B10F9 Prussia B4F5 Pyle, Ernie B5F6 racism B5F7 rationing B2F8-B4F1B4F3B4F5B5F1-B5F3B5F5-B6F4B7F8-B7F10B8F3-B9F2B10F2B10F4B10F9-B10F10B11F6 Red Cross B3F1B3F5B6F1B7F4B7F8 religion B7F6 Republican Party B4F4-B4F5B4F7B6F1B7F2B7F11B10F2 Rommel, Erwin B3F4-B3F5 Roosevelt, Franklin D. B2F4-B2F5B3F3B4F4B5F2B7F8-B7F10B8F1B8F3B10F6B11F3 Russia B2F8B3F1-B3F3B3F5B4F2B4F5B5F1-B5F2B5F6B6F1B6F3B7F2B7F5B7F8-B7F9B9F2-B10F1B10F4B10F8-B10F9 San Francisco B5F7B10F5 savings bonds B10F1B10F4 scrap metal drives B2F8B5F2B7F10B9F2 social security B10F8 socialism B2F5 South America B5F1 Soviet Union B4F4 space exploration B6F2 sports B1F1-B1F9B2F1-B2F2B2F7B2F9B3F2B4F3-B4F4B5F3B5F8B6F4-B7F1B7F3B7F5-B7F7B7F9B7F11-B8F1B10F2-B10F5B10F7-B10F9B11F1-B11F5 Stalin, Joseph B2F3B3F2-B3F3B4F2B4F4B6F7-B7F1B7F5-B7F7B8F1B8F3B10F2-B10F4B10F8B10F10 state fair B1F9B2F6B10F4 steel industry B6F2B10F4 strikes B1F7B4F1B5F7B6F2B7F2B7F6B7F10-B7F11B10F4B10F6 students B2F7B3F2B6F5B7F5B7F10-B7F11 Supreme Court B1F6B6F6 Syracuse B1F1-B1F3B1F6B1F8-B1F9B2F1B5F5B5F7B6F3-B6F4B6F6-B7F3B7F6B7F8-B7F9B10F1B10F3B10F6-B10F7B11F5 Syracuse China B10F8 Syracuse Post-Standard B1F7B10F3 Syracuse University B1F2B6F4 Syracuse University sports B1F1B1F3-B1F6B1F8-B2F1B8F2B10F1-B10F2B10F5B11F2 Syracuse, downtown B1F3-B1F4B2F5B10F6-B10F7 Taft Hartley Act B7F6 taxes B1F4-B1F7B1F9-B1F10B2F3-B3F5B4F2-B4F5B4F7-B5F3B5F6B5F8B6F2-B7F7B7F9-B8F2B9F1B10F2B10F4-B10F7B10F9-B11F1B11F5 teachers B6F4 Texas B5F3 Tojo, Hideki B5F6 transportation B1F1B1F6-B1F9B5F3B5F5B5F7B6F5B7F6B7F8B7F10B10F1-B10F2B10F5B10F7B11F5 Truman, Harry S. B6F2B6F6B7F5-B7F9B10F2B10F4B10F8 Tunisia B3F4-B3F5 Turkey B2F5B4F1-B4F2B4F7 U.S. Census B8F2 Ukraine B4F7 unions B5F7 United Nations B3F1-B3F2B3F5-B4F2B6F1B6F3B8F3B9F2 United War Fund B4F7B5F7-B5F8 vacation B1F2-B1F3B1F5B1F9B2F6B2F8B3F4B4F5B5F7-B6F1B6F3B6F5B6F7-B7F2B9F1B10F3-B10F4B10F8-B10F10B11F2B11F4 victory gardens B3F3-B4F3B4F7-B5F1B5F4-B5F5B5F7B6F1-B6F2B7F9B9F1 voting B5F8B7F2B10F4B11F3 Vyacheslav, Molotov B10F8 war bonds B2F8-B3F1B3F4B4F4-B4F5B4F7-B5F1B5F3-B5F4B5F7B6F1B7F8B9F1 war debt B2F1 weather B1F1B1F5-B1F9B2F2B2F5-B2F6B4F1B4F3-B4F4B5F5B6F2B6F5B6F7-B7F1B7F4-B7F8B10F1B10F4B10F6-B10F7B11F2 welfare B10F2 Wilkie, Wendell B7F10 winter B1F1-B1F2B1F4B1F6B1F8-B1F9B2F1-B2F2B2F4-B2F6B2F9B3F2B3F5B4F2-B4F5B4F7B5F2-B6F2B6F5-B7F3B7F6-B7F7B7F9B7F11-B8F1B9F1B10F2B10F4-B10F5B10F7B10F9-B11F5 women B5F3B5F5B6F6B11F2B11F4-B11F5 World War I B7F10B11F6 World War II B2F5B2F8-B4F5B4F7-B5F6B6F2B7F8-B7F10B8F2-B9F2B10F4-B10F5B10F7B10F9-B10F10 Yugoslavia B10F1
Access and use
- Restrictions:
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The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
- Terms of access:
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Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
- Preferred citation:
-
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Edgar F. Schilder Papers,
- Location of this collection:
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Special Collections Research CenterSyracuse University LibrariesBird Library, Room 600Syracuse, NY 13244, United States
- Contact:
- 315.443.2697scrc@syr.edu