CLRC-87 Witold T. Mars Papers Jim Eyer University of Minnesota Libraries 5-4-04

University of Minnesota Libraries Minneapolis, MN 55455

EAD 2002 Validated Finding Aid generated with the aid of a custom FileMaker Pro database developed by the staff of the Children's Literature Research Collections, University of Minnesota Libraries. Many thanks to all the staff and volunteers. 5-4-04 Description is in English Summary Information University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections [clrc] Mars, Witold T. Witold T. Mars Papers 1954-1977 CLRC-87 The Mars Papers focus on his work as an illustrator of children's and adult books. The collection includes production materials for 35 titles as well as material for titles not verified as published, and miscellaneous unidentified art work and illustrative material. The collection contains illustrations done in a variety of media, particularly ink and pencil, studies, proofs, photocopies, clippings of illustrations from books, some advertising illustrations, and one piece of correspondence. circa 5.5 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.

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.

Processing Information

This collection was processed with financial assistance from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical Sketch

Witold Tadeusz Mars was born September 1, 1912, in Rzesna, Poland. His mother, Stefania, wrote children's books, and Mars illustrated one of her books when he was nine. He later studied in Krakow and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Mars worked as an artist and illustrator before the War, exhibiting his work in Poland and Sweden. During World War II he served with the Polish forces in England and France, occasionally finding time to draw and exhibit his work. Mars came to the U. S. in 1951, and began working as an illustrators for various magazines and book publishers. He illustrated his first book for children, Reba Mirsky's Thirty-One Brothers and Sisters, in 1952. Throughout his long career, Mars illustrated children's and young adult books on a wide variety of topics and in various media. He illustrated both fiction and non-fiction, many of the latter dealing with military and/or naval history and famous soldiers. He also illustrated a number of works of historical fiction, some humorous stories, and contemporary novels for children and young adults. Mars believed than an illustrator should vary his style to fit the book's subject so that the illustration becomes an integral part of the story, not just an example of the illustrator's trademark style. Mars also wrote one book for children, The Baby Dragon, that drew on his interest in dragons, a symbol of Poland, and its old cathedrals.

Biographical Source: Something About the Author, vol. 3

Scope and Content

The collection contains production materials for 35 titles published between 1954-77, as well as material for titles not verified as published, and miscellaneous unidentified art work and illustrative material. It includes illustrations done in a variety of media including tempera, ink, pencil, watercolor, mixed-media, and drybrush. The collection also includes studies, proofs, photocopies, clippings of illustrations from books, some advertising illustrations, and 1 piece of correspondence.

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.

Mars, Witold T. Accession Information:

Part of this collection was originally given to Dr. Irvin Kerlan, who in turn donated his collection to the U. of Minnesota. In the 1960s and l980s additional material was added to the collection by Witold Mars, with further material given by his widow, Helene Mars, in 1992.

Gift of: Mars, Witold T.

Arrangement

Air Raid--Pear Harbor: The Story of December 7, 1941,

Andy Buckram's Tin Men,

Baby Dragon, The,

Benny's Flag,

Bond of the Fire,

Boomerang Hunter,

Calico Captive,

Cassie's Village,

Castle, Abbey, and Town: How People Lived in the Middle Ages,

Crab from Yesterday, The: the Life-Cycle of a Horseshoe Crab,

Devil's Doorstep,

Drink for Little Red Diker, A,

Fairy Tales from Viet Nam,

Fun with Stamp Collecting,

Gold Coin, The,

Greatest Show on Earth, The,

Homer Goes to Stratford,

How the World's First Cities Began,

Joan of Arc,

Julius Caesar,

Kings, Bishops, Knights, and Pawns: Life in a Feudal Society,

Little Murphy: A Tale for All Sorts of Children,

Magic Fishbone, The,

Man and Beast,

Man With Two Countries, The,

Odyssey,

Proud to Be Amish,

Richest Boy in the World, The,

Rumptydoolers, The,

Saints,

Seafarers of the Pacific,

Soldiers and Armies: Men at War Through the Ages,

Stories of the Norsemen,

Story of Fighting Ships, The,

Story of Hannibal, The,

Story of Knights and Armor, The,

Susan's Secret,

Unidentified material,

Way of the Condor, The,

Year of the Jeep, The,

Collection Contents Air Raid--Pear Harbor: The Story of December 7, 1941 MC733 tempera jacket illustration 1 p. MC733 ink illustrations, some with text overlays 23 p. Andy Buckram's Tin Men MC1619 mixed-media jacket 1 p. MC1619 one-color title page 1 p. MC1619 one-color illustrations 20 p. Baby Dragon, The MC1077 ink and wash study 1 p. Benny's Flag MC728 pieces from dust jacket 2 p. Bond of the Fire MC1068 ink and wash drawings 20 p. Boomerang Hunter MC1077 ink illustrations 13 p. MC1077 watercolor illustration 1 p. Calico Captive MC1069 ink illustrations 17 p. Cassie's Village MC729 pencil sketch for cover on board 1 p. MC729 pencil and crayon illustration on board 1 p. Castle, Abbey, and Town: How People Lived in the Middle Ages MC1477 pencil illustrations on acetate 17 p. MC1477 small tempera illustrations 4 p. MC1477 tempera endpaper illustration 1 p. MC1477 ink and wash jacket illustration 1 p. Crab from Yesterday, The: the Life-Cycle of a Horseshoe Crab MC728 watercolor and crayon jacket illustration 1 p. MC728 watercolor and crayon dust jacket illustration 1 p. MC728 watercolor and crayon illustrations 6 p. MC728 watercolor wash and crayon illustrations 4 p. MC728 watercolor and crayon illustration 1 p. MC728 watercolor and ink illustration 1 p. MC728 book jacket 1 p. Devil's Doorstep MC1069 jacket illustration in drybrush watercolor with lettering on overlay and 2 separations 1 p. MC1069 drybrush watercolor illustrations in black and white 20 p. MC1069 jacket study in pencil and drybrush watercolor 1 p. Drink for Little Red Diker, A MC728 ink illustrations 2 p. Fairy Tales from Viet Nam MC1069 ink and wash illustrations 18 p. Fun with Stamp Collecting MC728 cover illustration on board 1 p. Gold Coin, The MC728 ink illustration 1 p. Greatest Show on Earth, The MC729 pencil illustrations 2 p. Homer Goes to Stratford MC729 ink illustrations 2 p. How the World's First Cities Began MC733 pencil, ink and tempera illustrations, some with text layover 28 p. Joan of Arc MC170 watercolor illustrations 12 p. MC170 pencil illustrations 28 p. MC170 sheet proof for jacket 1 p. MC728 pencil illustrations on 1 piece of plastic 2 p. MC728 color proof 1 p. Julius Caesar MC733 pen and wash drawings 17 p. MC733 mixed-media illustration 1 p. MC733 pencil study 1 p. Kings, Bishops, Knights, and Pawns: Life in a Feudal Society MC729 pencil illustrations 2 p. Little Murphy: A Tale for All Sorts of Children MC732 pen and ink drawings 24 p. MC732 pencil drawing 1 p. MC732 color study 1 p. Magic Fishbone, The MC729 proof on board 1 p. Man and Beast MC1069 original black and white illustrations 6 p. Man With Two Countries, The MC1060 ink jacket illustration 1 p. MC1060 ink illustrations 19 p. MC1060 ink and watercolor jacket study 1 p. Odyssey MC732 photocopies of illustrations 21 p. Proud to Be Amish MC1060 ink illustrations 11 p. Richest Boy in the World, The MC728 ink illustration 1 p. Rumptydoolers, The MC1069 jacket proofs 3 p. MC1069 photographic jacket proof 1 p. MC1069 pencil illustrations 4 p. MC1069 drybrush illustrations 3 p. MC1069 cover sample 1 p. Saints MC732 color illustration 1 p. MC732 pencil illustrations 9 p. Seafarers of the Pacific MC733 ink and wash drawings 20 p. MC733 mixed-media illustration 1 p. MC733 pasteup for cover 1 p. Soldiers and Armies: Men at War Through the Ages MC170 ink and watercolor jacket study 1 p. MC170 ink and wash illustrations 11 p. MC733 proofs 10 p. MC733 photocopy 1 p. MC733 clipping from book 1 p. MC733 original colored dust jacket illustration 1 p. MC733 original black and white illustrations 5 p. Stories of the Norsemen MC732 original black and white illustration 1 p. MC732 original color illustrations on 1 mat 2 p. MC732 watercolor illustrations 10 p. MC732 ink illustration on plastic 1 p. Story of Fighting Ships, The MC1477 original pencil illustrations 4 p. Story of Hannibal, The MC1477 ink illustrations 15 p. MC1477 jacket illustration in watercolor, pencil and casein 1 p. MC1477 watercolor, pencil and casein illustrations 2 p. Story of Knights and Armor, The MC1619 original colored illustration 1 p. Susan's Secret MC728 ink illustrations 2 p. Unidentified material MC729 ink and wash illustrations in black and white 13 p. MC729 ink and wash illustrations in color 4 p. MC729 pencil and ink illustrations 2 p. MC729 pencil and wash illustration 1 p. MC729 scratchboard illustrations 4 p. MC729 ink illustrations 55 p. MC732 ink illustrations with color 5 p. MC729 pencil illustrations 28 p. MC732 advertising illustrations 11 p. MC732 proofs 28 p. MC732 page of correspondence 1 p. MC729 illustrations cut from books, some with text 48 p. Way of the Condor, The MC1069 pen and wash drawings 13 p. Year of the Jeep, The MC728 ink illustrations 4 p.