DOING RESEARCH FOR "YESTERDAY'S PAPERS"

 Oh, don't you love 
those rotting cellulose fibers?

A series of drawings depicting the Administrator of Yesterday's Papers researching graphic treasures and sequential comic art for the delight of scholars, fans, and curiosity seekers. 

OK. This is neither your Admin, nor even a self-caricature of the cartoonist, the brilliant Frank H T Bellew (1828-1888). A subject of the British crown who migrated to the United States, Bellew drew for the very first issue of Harper's Weekly in 1857; for the rival Frank Leslie;s Illustrated Newspaper; and for virtually ever paper of his day, comic and otherwise. His trademark signature was a triangle.

One of the first depictions of Uncle Sam (Brother Jonathan) was drawn by Bellew, and his son Frank -- known by the obligatory and natural nickname "Chip," (we shall call him Little Boy Bellew) -- was also a cartoonist. Chip, who specialized in dog cartoons, died young, only eight years after his father. 

This "series," titled Research, appeared in Harper's Weekly in 1859.

-- Rick Marschall

“CHIP” and His Dogs in The Munsey

     

[1] Chip (1862-94). 

“The late Frank P.W. Bellew and his work as a humorous draftsman — Of the many comic types he created, the best are his inimitable dogs.”


“CHIP” AND HIS DOGS,
by Tom Masson,
in Munsey’s Magazine,
August 1905,
pp. 601-607
 

[2] p.601 

[3] p.602

[4] p.603

[5] Munsey’s Magazine, published by Frank A. Munsey, had the shorter cover title The Munsey.

      

[6] p.604

[7] p.605

[8] p.606

[9] p.607

[10] The book “Chip’s” Dogs was published in 1895, this is the cover of the 1897 edition.

[11] New Yorker Chip or Frank P.W. Bellew died young at 32.5 years — only six years after his father, Frank Bellew Sr. — and was buried the tenth of November, 1894, at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx in New York, Fern section 77.

♦

THANKS TO:
Chris Wheeler
Ginny M.

The First Comic Papers Published in America

‘The First Comic Papers Published in America’ appeared in Printers’ Ink, Vol. 6, No. 1, 1892. F. Armoy Knox was, along with Canadian Alexander E. Sweet, the founder of the comic paper Texas Siftings. 

Printers’ Ink was a trade paper started in 1888. Cover artist Chip Bellew was the son of Frank Bellew, mentioned in the article below. 

Last I post an ad (Printers’ Ink, Vol. 18, 1897) for a 12-page color comic supplement provided by Truth magazine, the paper where Outcault’s ‘Hogan’s Alley’ (with his Yellow Kid) had its first publication. Bill Blackbeard noted of Truth that “there is only one hard copy file in the US (NYPL) and no microfilm.” Richard Samuel West has written a long informative article on Truth HERE. 

See also ‘Comic Periodicals of America’ HERE for a differing view of the ‘first’ comic paper in America.

Frank "Chip" Bellew

Frank P. W. "Chip" Bellew was son of the famous cartoonist Frank Bellew which made it natural that he would become a "chip off the block" and follow the career of cartooning. Even while both were still alive they were mixed up in the newspaper columns. "Chip" illustrated numerous books and contributed cartoons to Puck and Life in the days of the Gibson Girl. "Chip" died in 1894. His speciality was drawing canines and both these samples are from July 1886. The masthead on The NY Comic Weekly is in a different style and looks to be signed on the train J. Sharp.

Top: Original Life drawing by 'Chip' courtesy Don Kurtz

Middle: New York: The Comic Weekly, Vol. I No. 20, 3 July 1886, courtest Joe Rainone.

Bottom: Golden Days, 17 July 1886