Wilfrid S. Bronson Papers
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of original material for eighteen children's books written or illustrated by Bronson, including typescripts and holographs, and ink, pencil and crayon illustrations.
Dates
- circa 1935-circa 1975
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use in the Elmer L. Andersen Library reading room.
Biographical / Historical
Wilfrid S. (Swancourt) Bronson was born October 24, 1894 in Chicago, IL, where his father, Frank Melville Bronson, was professor of Greek at Chicago University. His mother was Ann Goddard West.
He attended the Art Institute of Chicago and by 1917 was living with his sister, Hilda Bronson Farnsworth, in Richford, Tioga Co., NY. He filled out his draft registration card on May 29, 1917 in Tioaga County and served in World War I.
After the war, he resided in New York City and worked as a mural painter's assistant. He accompanied several scientific marine expeditions as a staff artist, and his first book, Fingerfins, the Tale of a Sargasso Fishwas published in 1930
The last of the nineteen books he wrote was Dogs: Breeds for Young People, published in 1969. He also contributed many articles, always about animals, to journals and collaborated in writing several other books.
His wife, Sonia Joseph Bronson, was from Russia. They had no children. Bronson died April 23, 1985 in Milford, PA. He was age 90.
Biographical information provided by Ann Lounsbery Owens, June 2008, relative of the artist.
Extent
2 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The collection consists of original material for eighteen titles written or illustrated by Bronson, including typescripts and holographs, and ink, pencil and crayon illustrations.
Arrangement
Collection guide arranged alphabetically by title.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Wilfrid Bronson.
- Animals -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Authors, American -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Birds -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Book jackets Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Cats -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's literature -- Illustrations Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Coyote -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Deer -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Dogs -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Dolphins -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Drawings (visual works) Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Goats -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Grasshoppers -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Human-animal relationships -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Illustration of books -- 20th century Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Illustrators -- United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Insects -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Manuscripts for publication Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Marine animals -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Monkeys -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- New Mexico -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Picture books Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Pueblo Indians -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Rodents -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Sketches Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
- Turtles -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Zoology -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Wilfrid S. Bronson Papers, circa 1935-circa 1975
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Nancy Larsen
- Date
- 2005, 2008
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- July 2020: Description updated by Caitlin Marineau.
Collecting Area Details
Contact The Children's Literature Research Collections Collecting Area
