The Real New York by Helen Worden, Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1932, dust jacket illustrator, Charles K. Stevens.
As the cover subtitle suggests the book is âa guide for the adventurous shopper, the exploratory eater, the know-it-all sightseer who ainât seen nothing yet.â In her first book, of an eventual four about New York, reporter Helen Worden (1896-1984) of The New York World (later the World-Telegram) illustrated the book but not the dust jacket.
Charles K. Stevens (1876-1934) is probably one of the most important commercial illustrators of all-time, and yet because he died nearly 80 years ago at the young age of 57, he is virtually forgotten today. The Greenwich Village native designed and illustrated over 1,000 jackets including many best-sellers. A student of The Chase Art School and the Art Students League, Stevens did watercolor painting and other art work for his own amusement, but never sold or exhibited his work.
According to his obituary in The New York Times, âStevens was credited with having introduced to the United States around 1914 the practice of designing poster-type jackets of brilliant colors.â
Among his major works, Stevens designed dust jackets for Sinclair Lewisâ Main Street, Richard Byrdâs Skyward, and Charles Lindberghâs We. Many authors wrote letters to Stevens praising his work saying he had greatly influenced the large sale of their volumes.
Photo & text: StuffNobodyCaresAbout
