About this Item
Original folk art collection of twelve ink drawings by Ruth Maltzer and three pieces of ephemera (handwritten letter, memo, and newspaper leaf) relating to Ruth and Zay Maltzer. Drawings are on front and back of six binder dividers. Each drawing signed by Ruth as "Maltzer." Multiple dates, c. 1941-1945. Drawings: 6" x 9 1/2." Ephemera sizes: 8" x 5 3/4" (memo), 7 1/4" x 10 1/4" (letter), and newspaper leaf (10" x 16 1/2"). Drawings are clean and intact except for small occasional marks or stains and light age toning. Memo and letter are clean and intact overall but have moderate age toning and wrinkling throughout. Newspaper leaf is clean and intact overall but is only half of a larger leaf and has age toning. Overall collection is Very Good. Ruth Maltzer (1923-?), daughter of Morris and Ida Maltzer, was the Secretary of the student body for the Class of Spring 1941 at George Washington High School, San Francisco, California. She may have married Harold H. Kutler. It is unclear what her relation is to Zay Maltzer, the author of the memo and letter. At the time of his memo and letter, Zay is a young man serving in the United States Navy during World War II. The twelve drawings in dark blue-black ink by Ruth are from c. 1941 (one drawing has the year "41" emblazoned on a girl's shirt) and are on buffed paper section dividers for a binder (binder not included). Three holes are on the left side of each divider which do not affect the drawings. The drawings exemplify the vintage artistic style of the day and feature scenes from life in high school and 1940s fashion and hair styles. The following are further descriptions of the drawings and three ephemera. 1) Drawing: Smiling girl at high school wearing "41" shirt and skirt and holding a book with campus buildings in background; possible self-portrait of Ruth. 2) Drawing: Two high school girls by an open locker. 3) Drawing: High school girl holding a book in one hand, a flower in the other. 4) Drawing: Young woman and man dancing; "G.S.S.--Eagles" handwritten at bottom. 5) Drawing: High school girl applying lipstick while kneeling on the grass; her books are dropped around her. 6) Drawing: Two high school girls hang out on campus steps; one of them reads a history book. 7) Drawing: Young woman and man stand side by side. 8) Drawing: Young woman wears a sailor-inspired dress. 9) Drawing: Young woman writes in a room with a man talking and "Executive Council" written on a board in the background; "Secy. Maltzer" is one of the names on the board; the woman is possibly Ruth's self-portrait. 10) Drawing: Head shots of two women. 11) Drawing: Young woman and man dancing. 12) Three young women socialize. 13) Zay's letter to his "Folks," November 10, 1945, Shanghai, China, one leaf front and back. Zay writes that he is homesick and tired of being stationed in China. He states his goal of becoming more economical, spending less money, and returning to school after discharge. 14) Memo with tipped-in typed message (message on thin strips of paper which are glued on Western Union stationery), October 29, 1945. Zay may have sent this message from Shanghai. He wishes his mom Happy Birthday, good health, and happiness. 15) Newspaper leaf with "Shanghai" illustration,1945. One side has a full-page, black-and-white printed illustration showing stylized portraits of Chinese people and other Shanghai residents (some in caricature) and an abstract depiction of the city of Shanghai. The verso has partial contemporary news articles. While brief and incomplete, the articles offer a view into the daily life at the time. Among the news is mention of MGM actor Van Heflin, Warner Brothers, Larry Adler, Sabu and his elephant, Walt Disney Studios' wartime efforts, Walt Disney, Harpo Marx, Mickey Rooney, Gene Fowler, and Jimmy Savo. A small caption notes that it is the 16th birthday of Tommy Dorsey's trombone purchased in 1929. A partial article praises the atomic bomb.
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