Dan Smith, Illustrator, 1865-1934... Images, Info?

[kev ferrara]

Any images or information on Dan Smith, a great, but little known American illustrator from the "golden age" of American Illustration? He was a Philadelphia based illustrator and was originally a newspaper artist, (a contemporary of Joseph Clement Coll's who also cut his teeth drawing for newspapers.) Smith is best known for his western subjects and was probably tackling those subjects at the same time as Remington and Russell, a generation before Wyeth and Tenney Johnson.

I think I've probably found most images and information available online at the moment, which isn't much If anybody has any saved illos from him, tearsheets, or what have you, it would be awesome to have an online archive of it. He seems like the kind of talent people should know more about.

kev

[William Stout]

Magnificent, breathtaking work! Thanks for the post! Dan Smith's incredible dry brush technique has been an influence on Mark Schultz. I have been looking for a copy of the 1914 newspaper serialization (in World Magazine) of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World illustrated by Dan Smith for almost two decades now. Anybody have a copy? I'd love to see the illustrations he did. All I've seen is the cover to the first installment.

[kev ferrara]

Hi Bill!

I've contacted a friend of mine who is a big Dan Smith collector about your question. He's been involved, on and off, for a number of years in helping to put together a book on Smith and owns some originals which will blow the socks off anybody.

Until then, a quick search of the net reveals this link re: Arthur Conan Doyle and The Lost World in World Magazine circa 1914: http://www.uscomics.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16374:01103011914034&catid=19:for-sale&Itemid=85

It may be that the illustrator mentioned here "knott" traded with Smith on illustration chores for the serialization?

Best wishes and if I find out anymore info, I'll post it up.]

kev

[Raoul Duke]

I'm floored.

[dpaint]

I don't know whats more interesting the Dan Smith images or the fact that the Bill Stout is reading necro threads on CA

[kev ferrara]

So...

It looks like the Dan Smith monograph is on hold for the moment, sadly.

And my friend, the Dan Smith aficianado has no information about the Conan Doyle Lost World serial in World Magazine circa 1914.

However, here's some more Dan Smith I've collected off the internet over the last few years...

[kev ferrara]

Here's more Dan Smith color work...

[kev ferrara]

Another two...

[squidmonk3j]

Jim Vadeboncoeur's "Black and White Images 2" has a page with 4 illustrations by Dan Smith. The caption reads: "Four drawings and an ornate framing device from The Lucky Bag, 1922 [...]"

http://www.bpib.com/imagesmagfolder/imagesmag/newfiles/annual.html

[sir jon]

Magnificent, breathtaking work! Thanks for the post! Dan Smith's incredible dry brush technique has been an influence on Mark Schultz. I have been looking for a copy of the 1914 newspaper serialization (in World Magazine) of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World illustrated by Dan Smith for almost two decades now. Anybody have a copy? I'd love to see the illustrations he did. All I've seen is the cover to the first installment.

Check here (if you haven't). This fellow seems to be the source for printed illustration work. http://bpib.com/

****If I hadn't been replying to posts on WAY too little sleep, I might have noticed that the poster right above me gave you the same linked resource! Sorry for the redundancy.***

[Slothboy3000]

Thanks for these! I love how clearly the silhouettes read.

[Tisserand]

Hello:

I followed this thread with much interest. Has anyone done much biographical work on Dan Smith? I am writing a biography of George Herriman and Smith was a lifelong friend, but less is known about their friendship than is known about other Herriman friends, such as Rudy Dirks or Jimmy Swinnerton. If anyone can point me to more biographical info on Smith it'd be much appreciated! He's got a difficult name to Google!

Michael Tisserand

[OmenSpirits]

Talk to the publisher of Illustration magazine. He may have info on him considering the subjects he publishes.

www.illustration-magazine.com

[Aly Fell]

Talk to the publisher of Illustration magazine. He may have info on him considering the subjects he publishes.

www.illustration-magazine.com

Daniel Zimmer (the editor) is an extremely nice chap, and I'm sure would be more than happy with this sort of query.

I wasn't familiar with Dan Smith before, wonderful work!

[Line]

Holy sh..........

[jaynemunoz]

For Dan Smith fans: Dan Smith was a relative by marriage to my mother. His brother was Bill Smith, who was art director for King Features in the 30's and 40's. Bill Smith was married to my mother's aunt Eleanor. My mother has lots of Dan Smith effects, including an original watercolor, photographs (one of which includes George Herriman), copies of his work, and the testimonial book from his retirement luncheon (from the NY World newspaper) in 1915. (This book is amazing .. the list of attendees at his retirement luncheon includes Windsor McKay, George McManus, Rudy Dirks, Herb Roth, Arthur Jamieson, Modest Stein and approximately 75 others, whose names you would probably recognize .. and most of the attendees contributed funny artwork dedicated to Dan). My mom has cartoons by Rudy Dirks, Modest Stein, Julius Fireman, and many others.

It was upon his "retirement" from the World in 1915, he joined the Hearst empire and went out west to paint cowboys and Indians ! He died in NYC in 1934.

My mother would be happy to share information with you.

[jaynemunoz]

I posted a message today on this thread about my mom and her connection to Dan Smith .. she can supply you with autobiographical info about him. (she even has an original photo of Dan and George Herriman together)

[Brashen]

I posted a message today on this thread about my mom and her connection to Dan Smith .. she can supply you with autobiographical info about him. (she even has an original photo of Dan and George Herriman together)


That would be stupendously awesome.

[jaynemunoz]

Hi Kev .. I posted this yesterday ... but I am not very adept at forums, so maybe it didn't go to the right place:

For Dan Smith fans: Dan Smith was a relative by marriage to my mother. His brother was Bill Smith, who was art director for King Features in the 30's and 40's. Bill Smith was married to my mother's aunt Eleanor. My mother has lots of Dan Smith effects, including an original watercolor, photographs (one of which includes George Herriman), copies of his work, and the testimonial book from his retirement luncheon (from the NY World newspaper) in 1915. (This book is amazing .. the list of attendees at his retirement luncheon includes Windsor McKay, George McManus, Rudy Dirks, Herb Roth, Arthur Jamieson, Modest Stein and approximately 75 others, whose names you would probably recognize .. and most of the attendees contributed funny artwork dedicated to Dan). My mom has cartoons by Rudy Dirks, Modest Stein, Julius Fireman, and many others.

It was upon his "retirement" from the World in 1915, he joined the Hearst empire and went out west to paint cowboys and Indians ! He died in NYC in 1934.

My mother would be happy to share information with you.

[Aly Fell]

Hi Jayne,

Don't worry, Kev might not be around right now, but he'll get an email saying someone has replied to this thread so should be along sometime. :)

[jaynemunoz]

Thank you, Ally. I am having a bit of trouble navigating my way around this forum !