469:, for which he was granted a copyright on May 10, 1937. This educational syndicated daily newspaper feature spotlighted flora and fauna facts with the subjects rendered in a naturalistic art style. In promoting the feature Cummin wrote, "We pride ourselves on our culture, on our mastery of the principles of modern science; and, like peacocks, we like to display the social graces. Yet, many would trade places gladly with our forefathers who lived so close to nature. Our so-called civilization is merely a thin veneer covering a framework of rough wood that has been thousands of years in the making."
973:- A summary of the contents of Cummin's membership file at the Explorers Club: Membership materials of Melville Porter Cummin (1895- ). This file contains several photographs, including photos of Cummin photographing in the wilderness (note: these photographs total nine but are within an envelope labeled “10 pictures”). In addition, there are newspaper clippings including an extensive New York Times obituary. Also within this file are: two examples of a daily newspaper supplement (
352:
426:, which he joined in 1937. He was elected the club's third vice president in 1954, and he also served as secretary. Over the years, Cummin joined expeditions to Haiti, Santo Domingo, and the Canadian Arctic (on the latter expedition he carried the Explorers Flag). He collected specimens, took photographs, and painted and drew what he encountered in nature. In 1978 he was awarded the
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hired Cummin to fill the vacancy, because of a similarity of style. Brisbane told Cummin however that the job would be McCay's again if he desired to reclaim it. McCay did so in 1927. After McCay's death in 1934 Brisbane rehired Cummin (Brisbane died
December 25, 1936). Therefore, Cummin originated
227:"Gazette". The editors of the "Gazette" paid tribute to Cummin in 2005 by revisiting his work, and called him "the master draftsman whose cartoons were such a distinctive part of the GAZETTE during the 1940s and '50s." In fact, Cummin drew for that publication at least as early as 1937.
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406:-influenced style (the originals surfaced in the 1990s comic art market), with dialog full of puns and complicated wordplay, suggesting it too may have been written by Conselman. Cummin made another foray into comics in 1929 with
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Catalogue of Title-entries of Books and Other
Articles Entered in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, Under the Copyright Law ... Wherein the Copyright Has Been Completed by the Deposit of Two Copies in the
526:, was an intimate friend for decades. Roth wrote of Mel Cummin in 1937, "Knowing him as I do, I believe the newspaper that contains his work is fortunate; and far more fortunate are its readers. He is an exceptional man."
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Medal for service to the
Explorers Club. Cummin rounded out his credentials with memberships in the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, New York Zoological Society, and National Geographic Society.
558: : accessed 22 Feb 2013), Melville Cummin, December 1, 1980; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
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The magazine was published between 1927 and 1938. Its twelfth and final issue notes the addition to the group of
Contributing Editors of "Melville P. Cummin, Artist and Naturalist, associated with the
516:. In 1977, he listed his present occupation on a questionnaire as "trying to convince myself that I'm retired," and his avocations as "model-making, dioramas, and designing wooden toys for children."
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Cummin was a well-known artist-naturalist, who produced work for museums (including backgrounds and drawings for exhibits) and their publications, and was a benefactor and Life Member of the
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from 1924 to 1927, and again in 1934 and 1935. Cummin called
Brisbane "a well-informed naturalist," and said the two collaborators discussed the subject of Naturalism frequently.
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Melville Porter Cummin died the first day of
December 1980, survived by his wife of 65 years, Marion (Van Buskirk) Cummin, and two daughters, Eleanor Claire and Miriam Louise.
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The
Naturalists' universal directory By Samuel Edson Cassino, Published by The Cassino Press, 1933, Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized Sep 5, 2007
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Proceedings of the... Session of New York Yearly
Meeting... By Society of Friends, Published 1936, Original from the University of Michigan. Digitized Oct 8, 2007.
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in 1909 as president of a seven-member chapter of the St. Nicholas League called "St. Nick
Drawing Club". He attended National Preparatory Academy and the
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186:(his mother, wife and both daughters were all educated there). On course at a young age for his eventual career, Melville Cummin is listed in
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The ... annual report of the
American Museum of Natural History By American Museum of Natural History- Item notes: v. 67-69 - 1936 - Nature
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339:(1922 ed.) lists Cummin among many others including Winsor McCay as "Our Comic Artists," and (in a probable reference to this work for
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by Mary Mapes Dodge. Scribner & Co., 1909, Item notes: v. 36, pt. 2 Original from Princeton University Digitized May 21, 2008 p.667
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Cummin's home studio, which he designed and built himself, was set in four acres of the beautiful wilderness of the
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Cummin worked as a graphic artist for many decades. At various times he was a staff artist for publications of the
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http://www.bailsprojects.com/(S(g4ngwu55g2z4c245gv1xfc55))/whoswho.aspx?mode=AtoZsearch&id=CUMMIN%2c+MEL
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by Mel Cummin, Copyright, 1937, by Mel Cummin (a self-published prospectus for newspaper staffs), p. 27
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as well as a number of New York newspapers, and also contributed to magazines, including the original
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by Mel Cummin, Copyright, 1937, by Mel Cummin (a self-published prospectus for newspaper staffs), p.5
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by Mel Cummin, Copyright, 1937, by Mel Cummin (a self-published prospectus for newspaper staffs)
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who was writing under the pen name "Frank Smiley". Cummin was succeeded the following year by
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of the 1940s (his tenure as art director there is alternately listed as 1943–1948 on the
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In the late 1930s, Cummin decided to marry his comic strip experience to his passion for
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Back to Nature, the New Daily Feature for Newspapers that was Created on Popular Demand
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Back to Nature, the New Daily Feature for Newspapers that was Created on Popular Demand
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Back to Nature, the New Daily Feature for Newspapers that was Created on Popular Demand
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of Frank Smiley with drawings by Mel Cummin. New York: Metropolitan Newspaper Service.
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922:, p. 37, by Jerry Bails & Hames Ware (Detroit, Mich. : J. Bails, 1973-1976).
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Catalog of Copyright Entries. Part 1. [B] Group 2. Pamphlets, Etc. New Series
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and drew many of the big, eight-column cartoons for Brisbane's editorials in the
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http://www.ucl.ac.uk/silva/sts/staff/cain/projects/ejn/ejn_issues/ejn4_02.pdf
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One of the endeavors that brought Cummin popular notice was his recurring
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798:, a new sunrise in the comic world" by William M. Conselman, author of
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The Archives of the Explorers Club Membership Files (Deceased Members)
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Ingersoll, Ernest. Explorers Journal. New York: Explorers Club, 1921.
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His willingness to take a public stand in favor of science and the
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Around the same time, Cummin began developing a comic strip called
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Mel Cummin was born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 29, 1895. Of
554:"United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch (
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for example, was produced from Cummin's pencil and ink artwork.
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beginning in the early 1920s. Examples of his subjects include
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933:"Family History Search with Historical Records - SuperSearch"
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Metropolitan Newspaper Service, & Conselman, W. (1927). "
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is demonstrated by his involvement with a publication called
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542:, c. 1929. This work, left unfinished, reveals his method.
138:(January 29, 1895 – December 1, 1980), popularly known as
656:. Friends' Intelligencer Association. 1917. pp. 27–.
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from 1946 to 1949 for Novelty Press, one of the numerous
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Mel Cummin drew covers, interiors, and he also served as
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Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999 website -
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Later in the decade, Cummin was the first artist for
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522:Cartoonist Herb Roth, assistant and successor to
861:EVOLUTION: A Journal of Nature, January, 1938:
775:The Funnies: 100 Years of American Comic Strips
874:Library of Congress. Copyright Office (1938).
556:https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VSFC-CW5
398:), which may not have ever seen publication.
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764:. New York: Moffat, Yard and Company, p.429.
491:Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999
240:daily. He worked as an illustrator for the
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343:) credits him with "Children's Cartoons."
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321:Dappelton Farm's Wagon House and Hay Barn
897:. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1938.
265:in 1924, the great newspaper journalist
672:. American Kennel Club, Inc. July 2005.
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200:. He held no college degrees. He was a
1016:Art Students League of New York alumni
617:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
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329:The Madisons and Their Family Carriage
920:The Who's Who of American Comic Books
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408:Traveler in the Land of Trundletree
325:Strike Out for the Camp-Fire Trail!
230:Cummin drew editorial cartoons for
688:. American Kennel Club. July 1937.
420:American Museum of Natural History
293:Mel Cummin's paper doll pages for
223:He served as art director for the
129:The Edward C. Sweeney Medal (1978)
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1036:Scientists from New York (state)
1006:American comic strip cartoonists
333:John Adams and Abigail, His Wife
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699:John Canemaker (October 2005).
440:Evolution: A Journal of Nature.
198:Art Students League of New York
161:. Cummin was also a well-known
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703:Winsor McCay: his life and art
373:Metropolitan Newspaper Service
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1031:Fellows of the Explorers Club
748:"The History of Paper Dolls"
375:, Cummin worked with writer
317:Martha and George Washington
33:Portrait photo of Mel Cummin
685:The American Kennel Gazette
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1021:Golden Age comics creators
233:The Middletown News-Signal
968:- Comicstripfan.com Entry
625:http://www.explorers.org/
514:Fort Montgomery, New York
77:Fort Montgomery, New York
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1046:20th-century naturalists
760:Masson, Thomas L. 1922.
355:Debut strip of Cummin's
277:New York Evening Journal
272:New York Sunday American
262:New York Sunday American
182:origin, Cummin attended
1041:Friends Seminary alumni
1001:American comics artists
493:website). The cover to
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243:San Francisco Examiner
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71:(1980-12-01)
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669:AKC Gazette
540:Hap Hazzard
504:Later years
400:Hap Hazzard
392:Hap Hazzard
385:Dick Huemer
303:paper dolls
174:Early years
121:paper-dolls
84:Nationality
985:Categories
604:2007-10-14
487:Golden Age
473:Golden age
463:naturalism
396:Hap McSnap
313:Teeny Town
283:The Mirror
218:West Point
202:teetotaler
163:naturalist
148:Golden Age
140:Mel Cummin
53:1895-01-29
22:Mel Cummin
327:(shown),
169:Biography
720:17 March
613:cite web
497:#V7 #1,
457:feature.
404:art deco
341:McCall's
297:in 1922.
295:McCall's
146:; and a
88:American
485:of the
95:Area(s)
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361:(1927)
274:, the
180:Quaker
126:Awards
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591:(PDF)
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236:, an
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722:2013
709:ISBN
623:and
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446:."
331:and
249:Life
238:Ohio
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