Summary Information
University of Minnesota Libraries
Children's Literature Research Collections [clrc]
Sewell, Helen
Helen Sewell Papers
1923-1963
CLRC-1565
Helen Sewell's papers focus on her work as an illustrator of children's books. The collection contains production material for 13 titles, plus some material for a 1963 edition of The Cruise of the Little Dipper, originally illustrated by Sewell in 1923. Production materials include illustrations done in a variety of media, some with separations, studies done in a variety of media, retouched photographs of illustrations, dummies, and a set of progressive proofs. The collection also includes a bust of Sewell done by Isabel Moore Kimball, and a photograph of the Helen Sewell memorial window in the Calvary Episcopal Church in Burnt Hills, New York.
1.2 cubic feet
See Detailed Descriptions for Each Title Item for Box Locations
English
Important Information for Users of the Collections
Access and Use:
Collection is open for researchers with no restrictions. Registration with the collection is required.
Copyright:
This collection is 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.
Biographical SketchHelen Sewell wasas born June 27, 1896, in Mare Island, California. She attended the Pratt Institute and studied painting with the artist Archipenko. In 1923 she illustrated her first children's book, The Cruise of the Little Dipper and Other Fairy Tales, by Susanne K. Langer. Throughout her prolific career she illustrated dozens of books, including works by such well-known authors as Elizabeth Coatsworth and Carol Ryrie Brink. Beginning in 1930, she also wrote and illustrated picture books. From the 1940s on she concentrated on illustrating and became one of the most honored in her profession, well known for her adaptable style. She received numerous awards and honors for her work, including a Caldecott Honor citation for The Thanksgiving Story in 1955. She also illustrated books for adults, including several for the Limited Editions Club, including one in 1952 of Emily Dickenson's poems, that was widely praised for her ability to bring out the poems' moods, backdrops, and meaning. Helen Sewell died on February 24, 1957, in New York City.
Scope and ContentThe collection contains production material for 13 titles, plus a 1963 edition of a book Sewell originally illustrated in 1923. Production materials include studies and illustrations done in a variety of media, some with separations, retouched photographs of illustrations, dummies, and a set of progressive proofs. The collection also includes a bust of Sewell done by Isabel Moore Kimball, and a photograph of the Helen Sewell memorial window in the Calvary Episcopal Church in Burnt Hills, New York.
Indexing Terms
The collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Sewell, Helen
Accession Information:
Part of this collection was originally given to Dr. Irvin Kerlan, who in turn donated his collection to the U. of Minnesota. Additional items were given to the U. of Minnesota by Claude Bailey and Vera Peterson in 1985.
Gift of: Sewell, Helen
Arrangement
Azor, 1948
Azor and the Blue-Eyed Cow, 1951
Baby Island, 1937
Bears on Hemlock Mountain, The, 1952
Cinderella, 1834
Cruise of the Little Dipper, The, and Other Fairy Tales, 1963
Jimmy and Jemima, 1940
Miscellaneous,
Poems, 1952
Pride and Prejudice, 1940
Sally Gabble and the Fairies, 1929
Secrets and Surprises, 1951
Thanksgiving Story, The, 1954
Three Tall Tales, 1947
Wonderful Day, The, 1946
Collection Contents
Azor
1948
1948
MC1183
ink illustrations
3 p.
Azor and the Blue-Eyed Cow
1951
1951
MC1183
ink study
1 p.
Baby Island
1937
1937
MC442
crayon, ink and tempera jacket illustration
1 p.
MC442
crayon and ink end paper illustration with crayon and temperas color separation
1 p.
MC442
crayon and ink cover illustration
1 p.
MC442
crayon, ink and tempera illustrations
2 p.
MC442
crayon and ink illustrations with crayon, ink and tempera color separations
4 p.
MC442
crayon and ink illustrations on 11 sheets
19 p.
Bears on Hemlock Mountain, The
1952
1952
MC1182
tempera study
1 p.
Cinderella
1834
1834
MC442
ink cover illustration
1 p.
MC442
ink and pencil illustration
1 p.
MC442
pencil and tempera illustrations
8 p.
MC442
pencil illustrations
4 p.
Cruise of the Little Dipper, The, and Other Fairy Tales
1963
1963
MC1183
photographs of illustration retouched with tempera
5 p.
MC1183
set (6 sheets) of progressive proofs
1 p.
Jimmy and Jemima
1940
1940
MC442
crayon, ink and tempera illustrations with 1 ink and tempera color separation
3 p.
MC442
crayon, ink and tempera illustrations
21 p.
MC442
ink and tempera illustration
1 p.
Miscellaneous
MC1183
color photograph of the Helen Sewell memorial window in Calvary Episcopal Church in Burnt Hill, NY, not dated
1 p.
MC1183?
color photograph of a memorial window, not Sewell's
1 p.
MC1183?
bust of Sewell done by Isabel Moore Kimball, about 1925
1 p.
Poems
1952
1952
MC1183
ink illustration
1 p.
Pride and Prejudice
1940
1940
MC1183
ink illustration
1 p.
Sally Gabble and the Fairies
1929
1929
MC1183
ink and watercolor illustration
1 p.
Secrets and Surprises
1951
1951
MC1183
ink, watercolor and tempera dummy with text proof
1 p.
MC1183
ink studies
4 p.
Thanksgiving Story, The
1954
1954
MC1183
collage dummy with text proof
32 p.
Three Tall Tales
1947
1947
MC1183
pencil and watercolor study
1 p.
Wonderful Day, The
1946
1946
MC1183
ink illustration
1 p.