Creator: George Maas, Designer and Illustrator

George Howard Maas was born on March 17, 1910 in Kansas City, Missouri. Maas’s full name and birth information were found on his World War II draft card and Social Security application, both viewed at Ancestry.com.

The 1910 United States Federal Census was enumerated in Kansas City on April 25. Maas was the only child of Elmer, a newspaper etcher, and Margie [Holloway]. Also in the household was a servant. The family resided at 3819 St. John Avenue.

The 1920 census said the Maas household numbered six people. Maas, his parents, two siblings and paternal grandmother lived in Kansas City at 4116 Forest Avenue. Maas’s father was an engraver at a plating company.

The Kansas City Star (Missouri), May 29, 1924. said Maas was one of eighty-nine students who graduated from the Henry C. Kumpf school on June 5.

Maas’s mother passed away January 5, 1926 in Kansas City.

In 1926 Maas was listed as a sophomore in the 1926 Centralian, the Central High School yearbook.
 

In 1927 Maas attended Paseo High School. He was a member of the Second Football Team. In the 1927 school yearbook, Paseon, Maas signed that page.

 



























Maas was also a member of the Junto Club and Palette and Brush Club. 

 




























At Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Maas attended the Citizens Military Training Camp. The 1927 The Full Pack yearbook said he was in Company C 3rd Infantry and completed the basic course.

 





























Maas graduated from Paseo High School in 1928. 

 


























































The 1930 census recorded Maas’s father in Kansas City at 4526 South Benton. He was a printing ink salesman. Also listed in the household was a servant. It’s not clear why Maas and his siblings were not included.

On September 1, 1931, Maas’s father married Callie Louise McCarthy in Kansas City.

AskArt said Maas studied at the University of Kansas at Lawrence and was a pupil of Thomas Hart Benton.

The Kansas City Star, April 25, 1937, said Maas was an usher at a wedding.

Apparently Maas was counted twice in the 1940 census. In Kansas City the census was enumerated April 9. Maas was counted in his father’s household which included his stepmother and three siblings. They were residents at 5714 Cherry Street. Maas was a commercial artist who had earned $1,200 in 1939. On April 12, Maas was counted as a Topeka, Kansas resident at 222 Greenwood Street. He was a painter in the Works Project Administration and had income of $1,800 in 1939.

Maas’s marriage was reported in the Kansas City Star, May 19, 1940.

Former Kansas Citian Weds.
Mr. and Mrs. Bert Finch of Prairie View, Kas, announce the marriage of their daughter, Dorothy, to Mr. George Maas of Topeka, Kas., formerly of Kansas City, son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Maas of Kansas City.

The ceremony took place Sunday afternoon, May 12, at the home of the bride’s parents. The Rev. A.M. Markwell read the service. The bride wore a suit of blue-gray silk jersey with navy accessories and shoulder corsage of gardenias.

The couple is at home in Topeka.

On October 16, 1940, Maas registered with the draft. His residence was 606 West 6th in Topeka and described as five feet seven inches, 150 pounds with blue eyes, brown hair and ruddy complexion. Maas was self-employed.

Maas’s painting “Sunday Morning” was mentioned in the Kansas City Star, November 15, 1940.

At some point Maas moved to New York City. He was listed in the 1942 and 1943 New York City directories at 42 Horatio Street with telephone number WAtkns 9-0197. The 1944 directory had the same phone number but a different address, 28 Grove Street. It’s unclear if the address was his residence, studio or both.

In 1942 Maas was one of over 2,000 artists who entered the “National War Poster Competition” which was sponsored by Artists for Victory, Council for Democracy and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Of the 2,224 entries, 214 were exhibited at MoMA. There were eight themes with nine $300 war bonds as prizes. In the theme “Slave World or Free World”, Maas was the prize winner. (His address was 48 Horatio Street.) Maas had a second poster exhibited in the theme “The People Are on the March”.

The Kansas City Star, February 9, 1944, noted the birth of Maas’s first born.

Mr. and Mrs. George Maas of New York, formerly of Kansas City and Topeka, announce the birth February 7, of a daughter, Julie. Mrs. Maas was Miss Dorothy Finch of Prairie View, Kas.

A passenger list said Maas departed Le Havre, France on October 10, 1945 and arrived in New York City seven days later. Directory listings had Maas at 28 Grove Street through 1948.

The 1949 directory had Maas at 56 West 45th Street with phone number MUryhil 7-7758.

Maas illustrated the book The Trouble with Harry which was published in 1950. 

Scheherazade (1952) courtesy of the Laura Jay Collection

 
The Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series, Volume 6, Part 1A, Number 1, Books, January–June 1952 said Maas illustrated the book Bigger & Better Boners.

The Literary Market Place, 1952–53 Edition, had listings for many artists and studios including Maas.

George Maas
56 W. 45th St., New York 19
Murray Hill 7-7758
Book design, illustration, jacket designs, and poster design

The birth of Maas’s next child was mentioned in the Kansas City Star, June 2, 1952.

Mr. and Mrs. George Maas of New York, formerly of Kansas City, announce the birth May 10, of a daughter, Jennifer. Mr. Maas is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Maas of Kansas City.

In the 1953 Manhattan city directory, Maas was at 112 East 57th Street with phone number PLaza 3-6446. He had the same phone number in the 1957 directory but a different address, 53 East 51st Street.

Maas’s address and phone number changed again in the 1960 directory, 21 East 62nd Street, TEmpltn 2-9696.

Billboard, March 17, 1962, featured Maas in its “Album Cover of the Week” column.

Copland: Appalachian Spring; Billy the Kid—London Symphony Orchestra (Dorati), Mercury SR 90246. This intriguing cover places the robin, in a dark tone, on a background of beige with red lettering. Designed by George Maas and photographed by Henry Ries. Plenty of eye-appeal here for classical sections.

A passenger card said Maas arrived in New York from London on October 17, 1962. His address was Bulsontown Road in Stony Point, New York.

In the 1960s Mercury Records copyrighted its recordings and named the designers. Some of Maas’s credits are here, here, and here.

The New York State Marriage Index, at Ancestry.com, has a “George H Maas” who married Nona W. Grinvald on December 7, 1964.

Maas was art director of Publishers Weekly in the 1970s.

The Kansas City Star, April 3, 1977, reported the passing of Maas’s father and said Maas was a resident of Stony Point, New York. At some point he moved to Massachusetts.

Maas passed away January 12, 1998 in Boston according to the Massachusetts Death Index at Ancestry.com. The Social Security Death Index said his last residence was Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Maas was laid to rest at Forest Hill Cemetery.

 
Further Reading and Viewing
All Music
Collecting Record Covers
Fishink
Jerry Jazz Musician
Pinterest

 
(Next post on Monday: Esquire)

Creator: Charles F. Arcieri

Charles Frank Arcieri was born on November 11, 1884, in San Francisco, California. His full name and birth date were on his World War I draft card. Arcieri’s birthplace was identified in American Art Annual, Volume 30 (1933) which also said his birth year was 1885. 

In the 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Arcieri’s birth was recorded as November 1884. He was the oldest of two children born to Joseph, a day laborer, and Filomena, both Italian emigrants. They lived in San Francisco at 5 Gavan Place. Fifteen-year-old Arcieri’s occupation was “boot-black” or shoeshiner.

American Art Annual said Arcieri studied under Charles Judson, Frank Van Sloun, and Theodore Wores. Arcieri was listed in the University of California Register, 1904–1905. as a student at Mark Hopkins Institute of Art. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake may have interrupted Arcieri’s studies.

The 1907 Crocker-Langley San Francisco Directory said Arcieri was a Berkeley resident who was at 236 Oak. The 1910 directory listed Arcieri as a commercial artist at 45 Ecker. In the 1910 Husted’s Oakland, Berkeley and Alameda City Directory, there were two listings for Arcieri. “Charles Arcieri” the designer and “Charles F Arcieri” the University of California student. Both were at 827 Delaware. Arcieri was listed as a San Francisco Institute of Art student in the University of California Register 1909–10 and University of California Bulletin, Register 1910–11.

Arcieri’s marriage to Dora F. Gebhardt was noted in the San Francisco Call, June 18, 1908, and L’Italia, June 19, 1908.

In the 1910 census, Arcieri and Dorothea had a five-month-old son, Joseph. Also in the household was Arcieri’s mother (a widow) and a lodger. They resided in Berkeley at 827 Delaware Street. Arcieri was the proprietor of a photo-engraving business.

The listing in the 1911 Crocker-Langley San Francisco Directory said designer Arcieri was at 507 Mission. The 1912 directory listed Arcieri and his wife at the Eclipse Designing Company. Around 1913 the Berkeley residents moved to the Bronx in New York City.

The 1914 and 1915 Trow’s New York City Directories said Arcieri was an illustrator at 951 Jennings. The following year Arcieri was at 1477 Longfellow Avenue.

The New York Press, May 18, 1916, reported Arcieri’s real estate transaction, “Bryant Avenue.—John A. Steinmetz sold for Albert E. Hemp to Charles F. Arcieri No. 1554 Bryant avenue, near 173d street, a three-story dwelling, 20x100.” A month later Arcieri purchased two houses. It was noted in the New York Tribune, June 18, 1916: “A. D. Rockwell, jr., has sold to Charles F. Arcieri two two family houses at 1484 and 1486 Bryant Avenue.”

Arcieri contributed art to John Martin’s Annual 1916, John Martin’s Annual 1917 and John Martin’s Book.

On September 12, 1918 Arcieri, a newspaper artist, signed his World War I draft card. His description was medium height and build with gray eyes and brown hair.

According to the 1920 census, Arcieri was at the same address and had a second son, Charles.

The New York Tribune, January 6, 1920, reported the transfer of Arcieri’s property, “186th St, 460 E. s s, 20x100; Chas F Arcieri et al to Samuel Moskowitz, 1472 Bryant av; mtg $9,000; Jan. 2; atty, Title Guar & T Co, 176 Bway…..$100”. The Tribune, February 2, 1922, reported the sale of Arcieri’s building, “Charles F. Arcieri sold to Solomon Levsky a three-story dwelling at 1564 Bryant Avenue, 20X100.”

In 1924 Arcieri illustrated some of the short stories in the Brooklyn Standard Union.

The 1930 census recorded Arcieri, a self-employed artist, and his family in Cliffside Park, New Jersey at 15 Cresent Avenue. His house was valued at $14,000.

The New York Sun, February 12, 1932, reported the upcoming Kit Kat Art Club’s fifty-first annual ball at the Hotel Plaza. Arcieri and Lu Kimmel were in charge of the stage decorations.

Arcieri passed away August 15, 1936, in Grantwood, New Jersey. The Jersey Journal (Jersey City, New Jersey), August 18, 1936, published an obituary.

Funeral services for the late Charles Arcieri, 51, of 15 Crescent Av., Grantwood, an artist, who died at his home Saturday after a long illness, were to be held today. Interment will be in Cedar Lawn Cemetery, Paterson. [The grave marker has the dates 1884 and 1936.]

Mr. Arcieri was born in San Francisco. He began his career as an artist in his early youth. While still in his teens he was awarded several medals of honor for his work. During later years eight of his paintings were accepted by the National Academy of Design in New York City. Just prior to his illness, which forced him into retirement three years ago, he was a candidate for membership in the Salmagundi Club, New York’s exclusive artists’ organization.

The deceased had been in failing health since he was stricken with an apoplectic stroke three years ago.

Mr. Arcieri had resided in New York prior to moving to Cliffside Park 14 years ago. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Dorothy Gebhardt Arcieri, and two sons, Charles and Joseph.

(Next post on Monday: John Martin is Morgan van Roorbach Shepard)

Creator: Victor Moscoso, 1950s Student, Artist and Athlete

“It was the neighborhood of the junior high school I went to—Kane Street, Thompson turf. It’s now called Cobble Hill.” —Victor Moscoso, in the Paris Review, on his Brooklyn neighborhood. There is a street named Tompkins Place that intersects with Kane Street.

Victor Moscoso was a high school student at the School of Industrial Art and graduated in 1954 (above). 

Brooklyn Heights Press
(New York)
October 1, 1953
Block Party Saturday To Be Treat For Everyone
“Don’t look for a baby-sitter this Saturday take the whole family to the Willow Place Block Party instead!”

That’s the advice from the Willow Town Association, which says special care has been taken to provide fun for children as well as adults.

This biggest best Block Party yet (the Association has run two others) will run from 7 to 11 P.M. on Willow Place, just below Hicks, between Joralemon and State Streets.

Rides on a real, live pony and in a Pony Cart will highlight the lists of juvenile attractions this Saturday. The ponies will be installed in the vacant lot which will become a new playlot for older boys through the proceeds of the Block Party. There’ll also be a Whip Ride for children….

…Headed by Mrs. Robert Burtch, Chairman of the Block Party, the Committees include (in addition to those published last week):

Finance Committee—Mrs. Edward Evangelista, Chrmn., 30 Joralemon; Mrs. Robert Burtch, 24 Willow Pl.; Richard Lazarus, 59 Joralemon;

Entertainment—Mr. & Mrs. Spencer Ivey, 18 Willow Place; Michael Howard, 68 Montague;

Publicity—Victor Moscoso, 52 State St.; Miss Dolores Carluccio, 30 Joralemon; Richard Mendes, 62 Joralemon; Mrs. James Wishart, 63 Joralemon.

Brooklyn Eagle
(New York)
November 15, 1953
Morris High Dominates City P.S.A.L. Run
Morris High of the Bronx, the favorite to win the 48th running of the Public School Athletic League city-wide cross-country championship, came through as expected yesterday morning at Van Cortlandt Park. The Bronx school took both the individual and team titles for its first team championship in nine years….

[P. S. A. L. varsity athletes’ names, schools and times were listed for the top ten finishers. Coming in seventeenth place was Victor Moscoso of Industrial Art. There were fifty runners.]

* * * * * 

Moscoso continued his education at Cooper Union from 1954 to 1957.

Long Island Star-Journal
(Long Island City, New York)
April 21, 1956
Fordham University has been installed a strong favorite to capture team honors in the annual Long Island City Athletics’ six-mile handicap road race which will be conducted through the streets of Astoria, Woodside and jackson heights tomorrow afternoon.

…The Pioneer Club and the New York A. C. figure to give O’Connor’s crew a good battle for the team title….

The handicaps:
Victor Moscoso, N. Y, Pioneers — 5-30 [minutes and seconds handicap]

* * * * * 

Moscoso was a student at Yale University from 1957 to 1959.

Daily News
(Tarrytwon, New York)
May 9, 1958
Long-Winded Aces Set for Yonkers Run
Fory-two of the leading distance runners in the east have entered the Metropolitan AAU Charles Bisbines Memorial 10-Mile Run to be contested in Yonkers on Sunday.

Sy Barker is chairman of the event, which is being ran under the auspices of the Pacoy Club in conjunction with the Yonkers Recreation Commission.

The race at War Memorial Park starts at 2 p.m. David D. Levy, chairman of the Metropolitan long distance committee, is director of the ran and John J. Flaherty Jr., president of the Met AAU, is honorary referee. James Bisbines is starter, Irving M. Schoolman chairman, of the registration committee.

Bulk of the entry represents the St. Anthony’s B. C., Millrose A. A. and New York Pioneer Club….

…The Pioneers have 16 entries. They are John Conway, Gus Likos, Jerry Bitotta, Jim Borden, Nat Cirulnick, Ted Corbitt, John Sterner, Rod McNichols, Charles Robbins, Rudy Mendez, Jose Donez, Bob Heller, Gorden McKenzie, Tom O’Brien, Charles Polley and Victor Moscoso….

Herald News
(Yonkers, New York)
May 9, 1958
They’ll Run the Met 10-Miler No Matter What
42 Entrants to Compete Through Streets If Necessary
Come rain or shine, the Metrpolitan AAU Charles Bisbines Memorial 10-Mile run will be run off as scheduled Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. Meet Director Sy Barker announced this morning, that in the event of continued precipitation, which would inundate War Memorial Field’s track, the event, sponsored by the Yonkers Recreation Commission, would be run off on the city streets.

…David D. Levy, chairman of the Metropolitan long distance committee, is director of the ran and John J. Flaherty Jr., president of the Met AAU, is honorary referee. James Bisbines is starter, Irving M. Schoolman chairman, of the registration committee.

Bulk of the entry represents the St. Anthony’s B. C., Millrose A. A. and New York Pioneer Club….

…The Pioneers have 16 entries. They are John Conway, Gus Likos, Jerry Bitotta, Jim Borden, Nat Cirulnick, Ted Corbitt, John Sterner, Rod McNichols, Charles Robbins, Rudy Mendez, Jose Donez, Bob Heller, Gorden McKenzie, Tom O’Brien, Charles Polley and Victor Moscoso….

* * * * * 

In 1959 Moscoso moved to California.


Further Reading
2018 AIGA Medal
Grafik
Grand Comics Database
Marin Independent Journal
The Paris Review
Victor Moscoso


(Next post on Monday: 1926 Tyee Yearbook)