Oscar Fabres collection
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Abstract
Printed material and ephemera designed by illustrator Oscar Fabres.
Biographical Note
Oscar Fabres (1894-1960) was a Chilean illustrator and commercial artist. He studied art in Paris and settled in New York in 1940. Francine Salmon, the donor of the material, was Fabres' agent.
Arrangement
Material is arranged by format.
Scope and Contents
The Oscar Fabres Collection spans the period from 1940 to 1970 and contains printed ephemera, advertisements, photographs, and illustrative materials, representing the work of commercial artist and illustrator Oscar Fabres. Included among the items designed by Fabres are calendars, Christmas cards featuring scenes of New York City in winter, clippings, note cards, stationery, magazine illustrations, advertisements for wines and other products, brochures, and a copy of the humorous work "Maid to Order" by Lydia Mead featuring numerous illustrations by Fabres. Additionally included are multiple copies of the illustrated brochure "Design and Paper," No. 38, featuring the work of Fabres; 2 metal printer's dies, and 10 original photographs and one digital print of Fabres and his agent Francine Salmon, together with an original photographic portrait of Albert Einstein signed by photographer Lotte Jacobi accompanied by two prints of a digital copy of the photograph.
Fabres' illustrated several children's books, and his illustrations were fitted to that task: small, clean, and humorous. His Christmas cards often have designs involving Santa Claus in the city. The many illustrations for wine lists and advertisements feature portly waiters carrying large trays of beverages, or animals drinking wine. Notecards show chickens serving cocktails and dogs playing musical instruments. The two printer's dies seem to have served as a model for Fabres' card, as well as his return address for stationery
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Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as Oscar Fabres Collection, PR 079, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, The New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of the estate of Francine Salmon, 2000.