Search

In addition to Disney animation catalogs, illustrations, lithographs, cels, posters, calendars, newspapers, LPs and sheet music, the Mahan Collection of American Humor and Cartoon Art includes numerous non-Disney and political illustrations that depict American humor and cartoon art. While the earliest illustration in this collection is from 1838, its focus is the Golden Age of American Animation (1895-1945).

This collection consists of four letters, one post card, a picture and a program. The post card is from Fannie Hurst of New York City, and it is addressed to Major Clark of Tallahassee, Florida, and dated April of 1954. There is a manuscript letter by Mary C. Rockefeller of New York City, to Major Clark, dated 1956. Three letters are from Mari Sandoz of New York City, to Major Clark, and they date from 1954-1956. These three letters included a picture of Ms. Rockefeller and a souvenir program from "Old Jules" as presented by the Alliance Little Theater at Alliance, Nebraska, on June 27, 1938. This play was written by Mari Sandoz, and the program contains many historical facts and a number of pictures of this area in Nebraska, as well as a picture of the author. The gloss photograph in this collection is of Miss Sandoz, and it is appreciated for her autograph on the back, as well as the autographs of her friends.

The materials represent two time periods: The late 1920s through the beginning of the Second World War, and the early Cold War period of the 1950s through the 1970s. The former consists of naval covers from ships assigned to the U.S. Asiatic Fleet. While the ships may have served with other fleets and stations over their service lives, only their time in this specific fleet is represented here. The latter portion of the collection represents communications to or from shipyards and submarine bases. While some communication is directed to or from a specific boat (the proper term for a submarine), the cachet on the cover is the focus of the collection.