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Marvin Townsend Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Townsend, Marvin.
Title: Marvin Townsend Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1959-1970
Quantity: .25 linear ft.
Abstract: Original cartoons and a few pieces of correspondence.
Language: English
Repository: Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Avenue
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Marvin J. Townsend (1915- ) is an American cartoonist and commercial artist.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Marvin Townsend Cartoons collection contains original artwork, correspondence, memorabilia, and published material.

Artwork contains original art -- ink and zipatone screening -- for Townsend's strips Bert (drawn for National Safety News), Foxy, Little Tommy Hawk, Poochie, and Quacker. Several of these ran in the Catholic Messenger's children's publication, Our Little Messenger. There is also a large number of unidentified panels and strips.

The bulk of Correspondence is fan mail, much of it from children regarding the strips that ran in Our Little Messenger. There are a few pieces of correspondence from clients, a few requesting original art or commenting on some aspect of a specific cartoon, and one folder from Dorothy Andrews, editor of Our Little Messenger, with a list of age-appropriate words and topics. There is also a folder of correspondence with St. John's School for the Deaf regarding Townsend's wordless strip Julie and Jack.

Memorabilia consists of a biographical sketch and a photocopy of a "Certificate of Merit" for cartooning.

Published material contains a clipping of a page of gag panels done for FTD. The book Moontoons Jokes and Riddles has been transferred to Rare Books for cataloging.

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Arrangement of the Collection

Material is arranged alphabetically.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

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.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Book, Moontoons Jokes and Riddles, sent to Rare Books for cataloging.

Special Collections Research Center has collections of over one hundred cartoonists. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Townsend, Marvin.

Associated Titles

Our little messenger.

Subjects

American wit and humor, Pictorial.
Cartoonists -- United States.
Comic books, strips, etc.
Deaf -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Dogs -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Ducks -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Extraterrestrial beings -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Indians of North America -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Outer space -- Caricatures and cartoons.

Genres and Forms

Cartoons (humorous images)
Clippings (information artifacts)
Comic strips.
Correspondence.
Fan mail.

Occupations

Cartoonists.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Marvin Townsend Cartoons,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Marvin Townsend, 1967.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: EF
Date: 10 June 1968
Revision history: 18 Dec 2008 - converted to EAD (MD); 18 Feb 2010 - updated with detail (MRC)

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Inventory

Artwork
Box 1 Bert circa 1959 - for National Safety News
Box 1 Foxy
Box 1 Little Tommy Hawk
Box 1 Poochie
Box 1 Quacker
Box 1 Miscellaneous panels
Box 1 Miscellaneous strips
Correspondence
Box 1 Andrews, Dorothy 1955, 1963 - editor, Our Little Messenger
Box 1 Fan mail 1960, 1964, 1967, undated
Box 1 St. John's School for the Deaf 1964-1965 - includes published booklet, Laugh and Learn with Julie and Jack
Box 1 Miscellaneous 1963-1966, undated
Memorabilia
Box 1 Miscellaneous 1970, undated
Published material
Box 1 Miscellaneous 1960, 1970
See also Correspondence: St. John's School for the Deaf

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