Thomas Handforth Collection

Collection

Identifier: CLRC-37

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection contains three etchings by Thomas Handforth. One is titled "Pekin Camels" and includes a small informational card, the second is of Union Station in Washington, D.C. (dated 1919), and the third is a scene of horse riders reminiscent of an illustration from Handforth's children's book Mei Li.

Dates

Creation: 1919-after 1934

Creator

Handforth, Thomas, 1897-1948 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Open for use in the Elmer L. Andersen Library reading room.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection may be protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law.

Biographical / Historical

Thomas Handforth was born September 16, 1897, in Tacoma, WA. Handforth was an artist, illustrator, and children's author. After serving in the U.S. army from 1918-1919, he studied art at various schools in the United States and Paris, and traveled widely, including living in Paris and Peking, China for multiple years, in addition to extended travels in North Africa, Mexico, and India. He returned to the United States in 1939 and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps for a period during World War II. Many of his illustrations and artwork were inspired by his international experiences, including his best-known work, Mei Li, about a young girl in China celebrating New Year. Mei Li was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1939. Handforth died in 1948 in Los Angeles, California.

Biographical Source:

"Thomas (Schofield) Handforth (1897-1948)." Something About the Author. Vol. 42. Detroit, MI: Gale, 1986.