University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html

Guide to the Pers Crowell Papers, 1946-1973


Ax 228





Finding aid prepared by processing staff

Finding aid encoded by ArchProteus, 2006
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection
 
Repository Name:
 

University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives

1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html
 
Collection Number:
 

Ax 228
 
Creator:
 

Crowell, Pers, 1910-1965
 
Title:
 

Pers Crowell Papers
 
Dates:
 

1946-1973 (inclusive)
 
Quantity:
 

7.75 linear feet
8 containers
 
Languages:
 

Collection materials are in English. 

 
Summary:
 

Pers Crowell (1910- 1965) was an illustrator of books for children and a painter of western scenes. The collection includes book manuscripts, art, and correspondence.
 

Biographical Note

Pers Crowell, 1910- 1965, was born in Eastern Washington and was greatly influenced by the rural geography of his small town which instilled his passion for horses. He graduated from Pasco High School and studied at the Phoenix Art Institute and later attended Chouinard's in Los Angeles. He worked at an advertising agency in Portland, Oregon, where his relationship with horses were a vital element in his daily life as well as in his artistic career and thus soon became his primary artistic subject.

McGraw-Hill published his first book in 1945 and four others followed--all about horses, in addition to the illustration of forty or more stories by other authors. Crowell spent his later years with his wife Donna living on a small farm near Beaverton, Oregon, raising Shetland ponies. He passed away in 1965.

Content Description

The collectioin contains primarily correspondence, original sketches and paintings, and published materials.

Arrangement

Collection is organized into the following series:

Series: Books

Series: Addenda I, Illustrations

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information 

Gift of Pers Crowell in 1965.

Processing Note 

Collection processed by processing staff, August 2006.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room.

Restrictions on Use 

Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation 

[Identification of item], Pers Crowell Papers, Ax 228, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 
Crowell, Pers--Correspondence
Children's literature, American--Illustrations
Illustrators--United States
Western stories--Illustrations
Book illustrations
Mock-ups

Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Books written and illustrated by Pers Crowell
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
1		 folder
1
Beau Dare
  1946
 

Correspondence with McGraw- Hill editors, contained within a 2 inch clipped folder
   1945-1947
 

Original pencil drawing of a mare and colt
  
 
2
Six Good Friends
  1947
 

Correspondence with McGraw- Hill editors, contained within a 2 inch clipped folder
  
 

Early drafts of original manuscript and final draft, included within same folder
  
 
3
The First Horseman
  1948
 

Correspondence with McGraw- Hill editors, contained within a 2 inch clipped folder
   1948-1950
 

Two revised manuscripts included in 2 inch clipped folder
  
 

Light Horse Parade
  1945-1949
 
2 4
Correspondence with McGraw- Hill editors and equestrian personnel for research purposes
  
 

All contained within a 2 inch clipped folder
  
 

Manuscript, drafts of an article, outline for The First Horseman, Light Horse Parade, and notes for the Parade
  
 

Cavalcade of American Horses
  1951
 

3 page manuscript preface for book
  
 
1
Correspondence
  
 

What Can a Horse Do
  1954
 
2
Correspondence
   1954
 

The Thought Book
  1959
 
3
Correspondence with Whittlesey House who rejected the book
  
 

Manuscript with extensive revisions
  
 
SC 1
Beau Dare Sketches and illustrations of various medias
   1946
 

Addenda I, Illustrations, October 1969
 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
SC 1

Big Bad Bear
 
 


14 rough pencil sketches
  
 


6 colored pencil drawings on three sheets
  
 


5 gouache illustrations
  
 
SC 6

Young Bill Fargo
  
 


Rough sketches on tracing paper and mock-up illustrations on matte board
  
 
SC 1

Cavalcade of American Horses
  1951
 


9 ink sketches
  
 


20 ink sketches
  
 


15 watercolor illustrations
  
 


6 watercolor plates
  
 


1 photograph
  
 


2 proofs
  
 


7 maps, charts, diagrams, etc
  
 


1 tracing, suggested title page layout
  
 


1 chalk for Sunday Oregonian, copy as published, and short article written to feature this book
   March 16, 1952
 


Cherokee Bill
  1952
 


2 rough pencil sketches
  
 


4 ink drawings
  
 
SC 2

Christmas Horse
  1949
 


3 ink with gouache illustrations
  
 


1 jacket layout with overlay
  
 


10 pencil and ink illustrations
  
 


The First Horseman
  1948
 


6 pencil sketches
  
 


4 ink illustrations
  
 


1 dust jacket
  
 


2 photographs
  
 


Ghost Mare
  1949
 


1 watercolor dust jacket layout
  
 


2 endpapers versions, watercolor
  
 


Golden Cloud, Palomino of Sunset Hill
  1950
 


1 ink drawing, title spot
  
 


1 rough pencil sketch, frontispiece
  
 


1 ink drawing, frontispiece
  
 


1 dust jacket layout, watercolor
  
 


Golden Cloud in Texas
 
 


1 pencil sketch, dust jacket
  
 


1 proof, dust jacket
  
 


Golden Mare
  1955
 


11 rough sketches, pencil, or pencil and ink
  
 


3 watercolor sketches
  
 


2 watercolor sketches
  
 


4 watercolor sketches
  
 


2 watercolor sketches
  
 


1 watercolor sketch
  
 


2 proofs
  
 


2 dust jacket, preliminary sketches, not used
  
 


1 dust jacket illustration with overlay
  
 


Horses are for Warriors
  1954
 


17 rough pencil or ink sketches
  
 


12 proof sheets
  
 


1 endpapers illustrations watercolor
  
 


Midnight Colt
  1952
 


Phantom Roan
  1949
 


7 pencil sketches
  
 
SC 3 folder
2
Horses, Horses, Horses
  1949
 

1 dust jacket proof
  
 

1 rough frontispiece, not used?
  
 

17 rough layouts, ink
  
 

18 finished ink sketches
  
 

3 finished ink drawings, not used?
  
 

1 ink frontispiece
  
 
4, 5
Six Good Friends; a Story of Circus Horses
  1947
 

22 ink and watercolor sketches
  
 

Review
  
 
6
Pitch in His Hair
  1954
 

45 rough pencil sketches
  
 

2 ink drawing
  
 

2 proof sheets
  
 

Dust jacket, 1st version, rough and watercolor
  
 

Dust jacket, 2nd version, as published, 1 watercolor, 2 proofs
  
 

1 latter from Marion V. Ridgeway
  
 

Running Horse
 
 

Dust jacket layout, watercolor with overlay
  
 

Dust jacket layout. Final artwork, watercolor
  
 
3
Skylark Farm
  1950
 

7 pencil drawings
  
 

The Thought Book
  1959
 
SC 4 1
Pasted up dummy with sketches and printed text
  
 
2
Galley proofs
  
 
3
Manuscript version 1
  
 
4
Manuscript version 2
  
 
5
Manuscript version 3
  
 
6
Manuscript final version
  
 
7
Photo copy of set type (perhaps for use with dummy)
  
 
8
64 preliminary sketches on tracing paper. Pencil and ink
  
 
9
Dust jackets. 2 sketches, 2 ink and watercolor for separation process, 1 proof, 1 copy of jacket as published
  
 

23 drawings, pencil and/ or ink, some with wash, all with overlays
  
 
SC 5 2
2 chalk and watercolor illustrations
  
 

36 drawings, pencil and/ or ink, some with wash
  
 
SC 6 1
What Can a Horse Do?
   1954
 

Magazine illustrations
  
 

1 ink and watercolor experiment for Paul Bunyan
  
 

1 Story Parade cover, chalk, and as published
  
 

2 untitled, 1 ink, and 1 pencil
  
 

3 pencil sketches for Nicodemus, mascot
  
 

4 tear sheets
  
 

2 playing cards
  
 
2
Unidentified book illustrations
  
 

56 pencil and colored pencil sketches
  
 

3 ink layouts
  
 

23 pen and ink
  
 

4 pen and ink illustrations
  
 

3 watercolor illustrations
  
 

1 ink with overlay
  
 
3
Wendy Wanted a Pony
  1951
 

10 ink drawings, 1 sketch
  
 
4
4 watercolor illustrations
  
 

17 sheets, mostly 2 page drawings, with color separations and text pasted on
  
 

1 dust jacket with overlay, 1 rough watercolor sketch, 1 paste- up jacket text, 2 copies of jacket as published
  
 

Wild Horse
  1947
 

1 ink illustration
  
 

1 ink illustration with preliminary pencil sketch
  
 

1 dust jacket pencil sketch, 1 watercolor layout, 2nd watercolor layout with printed text
  
 

Illustrations for Textbooks:
  
 

3 watercolor illustrations
  
 

20 pencil and/ or ink illustrations
  
 

Book Jacket Illustrations
  
 

The Colt from Horse Heaven Hills. Watercolor layout
  
 

Indian Paint. Watercolor layout, copy of dust jacket as published
  
 
5
Purple Palomino Chalk sketch
  
 

Stormy. 2 pencil sketches 1 black and white watercolor drawing, 1 watercolor layout, 1 proof
  
 

The Whistling Stallion Watercolor layout
  
 

Winter Horse. Watercolor layout
  
 

3 dust jackets as published: Horse in the Clouds, Gallant colt, Phantom Mustang, Second annual book jacket competition
   1949
 

Magazine illustrations for "The Western Horseman"
  
 

1 pencil sketch, final watercolor, proof
  
 

1 watercolor
  
 

1 watercolor, photo, and as published
  
 

1 watercolor, photo, and proof
  
 
SC 7
King Moo and Ow-Wow
   1975
 

Original watercolor illustration, dummy layout for book with corrections, manuscript, various colored glossy proofs and later matte mock- ups
  
 
SC 8
Large-scale dummy illustrations in watercolor or pen and ink