Archives Center, National Museum of American History

J. Walter Wilkinson Papers

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0116
Creators:
Wilkinson, Walter Gandy, 1917-
Bird, William L.
Wilkinson, J. Walter (commercial artist)
Dates:
ca. 1932-1935, 1940-1964, 1985-1987.
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1 Cubic foot
2 boxes, 2 map-folders
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
Originals and copy photographs of advertisements and other commercial art work, original sketches, materials documenting a mechanical drafting instrument patented by the Wilkinson and his son, Walter G. Wilkinson, and a scrapbook of clippings, photographs, awards, and other materials documenting the Wilkinsons' careers. Also included are audiocassettes containing interviews of Wilkinson, conducted by National Museum of American History curator, Larry Bird.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
J. Walter Wilkinson (1892- ) is an award winning commercial artist, perhaps best known for a series of six war bond posters he and his son Walter G. Wilkinson (1917-1971) created for the United States Treasury Department. J. Walter Wilkinson was born on Maryland's eastern shore, received formal academic training in art, and worked on newspapers and at an advertising agency before becoming a free lance artist. In addition to his war posters and other government commissions, he created a number of outdoor and magazine advertisements and many magazine covers. Major products for which Wilkinson did advertising art work included Ivory soap, Pabst beer, and Ballantine ale.

Administration

Author
Robert S. Harding
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated by J. Walter Wilkinson, September 13, 1984
Processing Information
Collection processed by Robert Harding, 1986

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
J. Walter Wilkinson Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
War posters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
advertising Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs -- 20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Soap Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Audiocassettes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketches Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Commercial artists Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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