George Mathis Photo and Art Collection, 1915-1970

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Mathias, George.
Title
George Mathis Photo and Art Collection
Dates
1915-1970 (inclusive)
Quantity
12 Linear feet of shelf space, (20 Boxes)
Collection Number
PC 90 (collection)
Summary
Photographs, original art, manuscripts, correspondence, and ephemera, relating to George Mathis' career as a commercial artist specializing in scenes of California's gold rush and America's exploration of space.
Repository
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Access Restrictions

This collection is open and available for research use.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

George Mathis (1909-1977) was born in Seattle, Washington. He spent much of his early life in Hoquiam, where his father managed a clothing store. He attended Washington State University, where he majored in art, and studied under William T. McDermott (1884-1961), who became a well-known western landscape painter. After graduation from WSU in June 1932, he moved to California and worked as a commercial artist and art teacher for a number of years. He married his wife Jean, also an artist, in 1936, in Oakland, California; they had one daughter, Carol.

After living for a few years in the Bay Area, the Mathis family relocated in 1948 to Nevada City, California, the Mother Lode country. The primary motivation for this change was George's growing urge to pictorially recreate western history. Here George and Jean began doing lithography, which eventually turned into a thriving business. Around 1960 they moved to Coloma, another Mother Lode town, where they completely remodeled a Victorian-style house dating to the Gold Rush era. Gold was in fact first discovered in Coloma in 1848 by James Marshall. The Mathis home was called "Friday House," after Jean's maiden name. Here they both lived and operated an art gallery and studio where they sold many products of lithography and George's numerous historical drawings and sketches. George became generally and affectionately known as the "pictorial historian of the Mother Lode."

Between 1960 and 1970 George Mathis' artistic vision took on a new dimension. During this time he worked in Sacramento for Aerojet Corporation, America's largest producer of rocket engines. Here his versatility, imagination, and eye for detail were once again challenged, and he became one of the better known space artists of the time.

His illustrations include Gemini and Apollo space missions. The Smithsonian Institution acquired some of his of oil paintings of space art. Spanning western frontiers and deep space, Mathis' artistic career was truly unique, successful, and rewarding.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The George Mathis Collection consists of 2784 items, including photographs, original art, manuscripts, correspondence, and ephemera, relating to George Mathis' career as a commercial artist specializing in scenes of California's gold rush and America's exploration of space. In addition to the twenty boxes of diverse materials, there are close to three hundred original pencil drawings and litho prints, which are located in the oversize mapcases.

Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top

NOTE:

Please be aware that we are unable to provide any sort of appraisal and/or research related to items not held in this collection. If you need appraisal help then please contact an appraiser in your area: these may be found under "Appraisals" in your local phone directory.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Preferred Citation

[Item Description]

George Mathis Photo and Art Collection, 1915-1970 (PC 90)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection has been arranged into six series: Photographs, Commercial Art, Reference Material, Correspondence and Miscellaneous, Oversize Photos and Art, Oversize Prints and Drawings. Where titles on art work were missing, they have been provoked in parentheses.

Location of Collection

Oversize prints are located in the Oversize Mapcases.

Acquisition Information

The George Mathis collection of photographs, artwork, and historical ephemera, was donated to WSU Libraries in October 1991 by Jean and Carol Mathis, the wife and daughter, respectively, of the late George Mathis. John Guido, former head of MASC, journeyed to Placerville, California, at that time to obtain the fairly large body of materials in person. In 2001, 11 hand titled and signed lithographs created by George Mathis were donated by Mike and Susan Herron. These lithographs were added to Series 6 and may be found in the oversize map case. Harold Levy donated a lithograph of Jack London's Benicia in 2002, which was added to Series 6 as item 290 located in the oversize map case. In 2023, 3 signed prints were donated by Gary Degregorio and added to series 5.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I: PhotographsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description
Personal/Family Portraits
Box Folder
1 1
Grade school class (1 item)
1 2
Childhood and family photos (20 items)
1 3
Childhood and family photos (18 items)
1 4
Hugh Mathis clothing store; Black Bear Brand sales (2 items)
1 5
George Mathis college years (11 items)
1 6
George Mathis college years (15 items)
1 7
College graduation (2 items)
1 8
Marionette theater (3 items)
1 9
Mathis home, Nevada City (1 item)
1 10
Early California home, family (4 items)
1 11
George Mathis portraits (6 items)
1 12
2 George Mathis adding colorwash to drawing (6 items)
1 13
George Mathis, artist (6 items)
1 14
George Mathis, artist (7 items)
1 15
George Mathis (1 item)
1 16
George Mathis in studio, Friday House (2 items)
1 17
Carol Mathis portraits (5 items)
1 18
Art of Carol Mathis (5 items)
1 19
Mathis family, friends (color) (12 items)
1 20
Mathis family, friends (color) (12 items)
1 21
Remodeling Friday House (9 items)
1 22
Remodeling Friday House (9 items)
1 23
Remodeling Friday House (26 items)
1 24
Friday House, Coloma, Calif. (8 items)
1 25
Mathis' work (4 items)
1 26
Mathis' work (13 items)
1 27
Mother Lode wallpaper (5 items)
1 28
Frontier days, George Mathis (1 item)
1 29
Miscellaneous photos (contact sheet, cats) (4 items)
1 30
Exhibit Aerojet print (1 item)
1 31
Mathis at Aerojet (contact sheets) (2 items)
1 32
Mathis at Aerojet and home (3 items)
Reference Photos: Mother Lode, California Missions, Carmel, Mining
Box Folder
2 33
Auburn and Coloma, Calif. (14 items)
2 34
Edwin Markham home/school (7 items)
2 35
Folsom, Calif. and Colin House (3 items)
2 36
Grass Valley, Calif. (8 items)
2 37
Nevada City, Calif. (9 items)
2 38
Sacramennto, Calif. (23 items)
2 39
Sutter's Fort, Sacramento (2 items)
2 40
Carmel-Monterey Lighthouse (2 items)
2 41
Carmel-Monterey housess (18 items)
2 42
Carmel-Monterey mission (16 items)
2 43
Carmel-Monterey, historic adobe custom house (10 items)
2 44
Carmel-Monterey, Point Lobos (27 items)
2 45
Carmel-Monterey, cannery and docks (13 items)
2 46
Fort Ross chapel (10 items)
2 47
Canals and flumes, Mother Lode (6 items)
2 48
Depictions of early mining (Chinese) (2 items)
2 49
Malakoff Diggings (4 items)
2 50
Arrastra at Fort Jones (5 items)
2 51
Empire mine (1 item)
2 52
Goldbug mining; Celio dairy (15 items)
2 53
Placer and hydraulic mining (3 items)
2 54
Pioneer paper mill/Sam Taylor St. Park (5 items)
2 55
Mining areas, miscellaneous (11 items)
2 56
Donner party monument (1 item)
2 57
Yosemite Park, Muir Woods (4 items)
2 58
Old Plank Road (1 item)
2 59
Jedediah Smith (5 items)
2 60
Lyman Gilmore certificate (2 items)
2 61
Alhambra theater (12 items)
2 62
Various views, California and Nevada (12 items)
2 63
Miscellaneous photos (14 items)
2 64
The Martin Johnsons hunting in Africa (1 item)
2 65
Postcards, miscellaneous (7 items)
2 66
Color photos, various; Donner Lake, Ringtail cat (9 items)
Reference Photos: Trains
Box Folder
3 67
DeWitt Clinton (3 items)
3 68
T.D. Judah (1 item)
3 69
Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad (22 items)
3 70
Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad (22 items)
3 71
Feather River Railway (2 items)
3 72
Various trains (6 items)
3 73
Various trains and engines (4 items)
3 74
Train engines (6 items)
3 75
Small photos trains (16 items)
3 76
Postcards of trains and engines (11 items)
3 77
Slides and negatives of trains (Mathis drawing) (7 items)
3 78
Large print of train (2 items)
Space Art, Black and White Photos
Box Folder
4 79
Von Karman, portrait (1 item)
4 80
Notice of Mathis exhibit (6 items)
4 81
NASA news center, Gemini pictures (2 items)
4 82
Rocket montage (4 items)
4 83
Rocket montage (3 items)
4 84
Al Camp montage (2 items)
4 85
Rocket engine montage (6 items)
4 86
Col. Vivian rocket montage (9 items)
4 87
Airplane at take off (2 items)
4 88
U.S. Army plane with rocket launch propulsion (2 items)
4 89
Rocket assembly(?) (2 items)
4 90
Rockets, various (10 items)
4 91
Rocket sea launchings (23 items)
4 92
Polaris missile (U.S. Navy) (4 items)
4 93
Rocket and launch (8 items)
4 94
Red Mueller (5 items)
4 95
Titan rocket, Gemini assembly (2 items)
4 96
Fitting Gemini capsule to Titan rocket (5 items)
4 97
Launch pad, Gemini astronauts (1 item)
4 98
Astronauts on the launch pad, Gemini (1 item)
4 99
On the launch pad, CBS announcer (1 item)
4 100
Gemini launch pad, Von Fremd TV announcer (3 items)
4 101
Gemini launch (4 items)
4 102
Gemini mission montage (4 items)
4 103
Gemini launch, Titan rocket (2 items)
4 104
Gemini 8, launchpad 1966 (2 items)
4 105
Gemini/Titan launch (1 item)
4 106
Gemini/Titan rocket stages (3 items)
4 107
Gemini, showing 1st 2nd stage separation (7 items)
4 108
Gemini, 2nd stage separation (2 items)
4 109
Gemini capsule in orbit (1 item)
4 110
Astronaut flying Gemini 7; look at 2nd stage (3 items)
4 111
Gemini space walk (1 item)
4 112
Cerman space walk (Gemini) (3 items)
4 113
Gemini 5, White space walk (5 items)
4 114
Gemini space walk (2 items)
4 115
Gemini space walk (3 items)
4 116
Titan III rocket, Dynasoar USAF (5 items)
4 117
M-1 rocket montage (2 items)
4 118
M-1 rocket for Apollo missions (7 items)
4 119
Apollo stage, hoisting onto rocket (6 items)
4 120
Apollo command and control capsule (5 items)
4 121
Apollo rocket to the moon, stages (3 items)
4 122
Apollo rockets, various stages (5 items)
4 123
Ideal rocket of the future (1 item)
4 124
Lunar module about to separate from Mother Ship (1 item)
4 125
Apollo lunar module (6 items)
4 126
Lunar module/space station (3 items)
Space Art, Color Photos
Box Folder
5 127
Amphibious landing vehicles (4 items)
5 128
U.S. Army plane with rocket launch (1 item)
5 129
Polaris missile (3 items)
5 130
Delta rocket separation (2 items)
5 131
Red Mueller, NBC announcer; Gemini (7 items)
5 132
Gemini launch pad, announcer (2 items)
5 133
Space flight montages (8 items)
5 134
Fitting Gemini capsule to Titan II rocket (1 item)
5 135
Gemini launch, Titan rocket (1 item)
5 136
Launch of a Gemini mission (3 items)
5 137
Gemini 8 launchpad 1966
5 138
Gemini/Titan rocket stages (1 item)
5 139
Gemini first-second stage separation (1 item)
5 140
Gemini mission, 1st stage separation (1 item)
5 141
Astronauts flying Gemini seven (5 items)
5 142
Gemini capsule in orbit near first stage (1 item)
5 143
Gemini space walk, first stage repair? (1 item)
5 144
Cernan space walk, Gemini (2 items)
5 145
Gemini V, White space walk (1 item)
5 146
Gemini space walks (2 items)
5 147
Titan III rocket launch (1 item)
5 148
M-1 rocket montage (2 items)
5 149
M-1 rocket (1 item)
5 150
Apollo lunar orbiting capsule under construction-photo (1 item)
5 151
Apollo command and control capsule (2 items)
5 152
Apollo mission launch pad (3 items)
5 153
Apollo first stage (2 items)
5 154
M-1 to the moon (Apollo) (2 items)
5 155
Apollo command and control capsule, lunar module (1 item)
5 156
Lunar module descending to moon (1 item)
5 157
Lunar module descending to moon (1 item)
5 158
Apollo command and control capsule return to earth (1 item)
5 159
Ideal rocket of future (2 items)
5 160
Souvenir pictures, man on moon (10 items)
5 161
Conception of Venus probe (1 item)
Photo Negatives
Box Folder
6 162
Mathis artwork (11 items)
6 163
George Mathis adding a color wash (1 item)
6 164
Friday House (35 items)
6 165
House remodeling (5 items)
6 166
George Mathis (6 items)
6 167
Carmel-Monterey (30 items)
6 168
Rocket engine montage (4 items)
6 169
Rocket engine montage (1 item)
6 170
Rocket montage (2 items)
6 171
Rocket montage (1 item)
6 172
Col. Vivian rocket montage (2 items)
6 173
Al Camp montage (1 item)
6 174
Airplane taking off (1 item)
6 175
U.S. Army plane with rocket launch (3 items)
6 176
Early rocket conceptions (1 item)
6 177
Delta rocket separation (2 items)
6 178
Rocket sea launchings, simulation (3 items)
6 179
Polaris missile (3 items)
6 180
Satellite in orbit (1 item)
6 181
Von Karman portrait (1 item)
6 182
Rocket scientists (Von Karman) (4 items)
6 183
Red Mueller, TV announcer (3 items)
6 184
Hoisting Gemini capsule unto Titan II rocket (3 items)
6 185
Astronauts (Gemini) on launchpad (3 items)
6 186
Titan rocket, Gemini astronauts montage (3 items)
6 187
Gemini launch pad, TV announcer (1 item)
6 188
Gemini launch pad, astronauts, TV announcer (3 items)
6 189
Gemini launch, Titan rocket (1 item)
6 190
Launch of a Gemini mission (1 item)
6 191
Gemini capsule in orbit (1 item)
6 192
Astronauts flying Gemini 7, with look at 2nd stage (1 item)
6 193
Gemini space walk (1 item)
6 194
Cernan space walk (Gemini) (4 items)
6 195
White space walk, Gemini V (4 items)
6 196
Gemini space walk (4 items)
6 197
Gemini space walk, just outside the door (2 items)
6 198
Titan III rocket, USAF Dynasoar (2 items)
6 199
Titan III rocket launch (2 items)
6 200
M-1 rocket montage (2 items)
6 201
M-1 rocket (4 items)
6 202
Apollo penultimate stage, hoisting unto rocket (3 items)
6 203
Apollo command and control capsule (1 item)
6 204
M-1, Apollo to the moon (3 items)
6 205
Apollo moon rocket, various stages (1 item)
6 206
Apollo rocket, various stages (1 item)
6 207
Lunar module separating from Apollo, Mother ship (2 items)
6 208
Rocket of the future (1 item)
6 209
Apollo lunar module descending to moon (simulation) (4 items)
6 210
Space stations (simulation) (4 items)

Series II: Commercial ArtReturn to Top

Container(s) Description
Childhood Art; Commercial Art Originals and Samples
Box Folder
7 211
Childhood art samples (9 items)
7 212
Marionette theater (2 items)
7 213
Small originals drawn at Friday House (2 items)
7 214
Small originals (12 items)
7 215
Small originals (9 items)
7 216
Art samples, mock-ups, cards (22 items)
7 217
Auburn, Calif., pamphlet (1 item)
7 218
Grass Valley, Calif. (1 item)
7 219
Use of Mathis illustrations (8 items)
7 220
Mother Lode Almanac and Buyer's Guide, booklet (1 item)
7 221
Mining pamphlet (1 item)
7 222
Stationary samples (12 items)
7 223
Commercial art samples (4 items)
7 224
Commercial art samples (11 items)
7 225
Commercial art samples (2 items)
7 226
Samples of Elton Bennett's art, silkscreens (7 items)
Booklets, Samples, Calendars, Carol Mathis Samples
Box Folder
8 227
Art samples of Carol Mathis (40 items)
8 228
Pencil Sketching by George Mathis (1 item)
8 229
Landmark sketches by George Mathis, booklet (1 item)
8 230
Six hand-colored prints, booklet (1 item)
8 231
El Dorado sketches, booklet, incomplete (missing pages 1-2, 9-10, 15-16, 22-23) (1 item)
8 232
Coloma California-Gold Discovery Town, booklet (1 item)
8 233
Carmel and Monterey, booklet (1 item)
8 234
San Francisco, booklet (2 items)
8 235
Auburn Lake trails, sketch trip booklet (3 items)
8 236
Extra sketch trip pages (21 items)
8 237
Trip teaser booklets (7 items)
8 238
Pacific Historian, cover art (2 items)
8 239
Small prints of drawings (8 items)
8 240
Solargraph(?) of drawing (1 item)
8 241
Various uses of sketches (4 items)
8 242
Commercial art samples (7 items)
8 243
Wine bottle labels (12 items)
8 244
Christmas tags (48 items)
8 245
Notes for a sketchbook on Carson Pass (13 items)
8 246
Notes on sketches (4 items)
8 247
Notes for a print-up of sketches (15 items)
8 248
Oil print on canvas (1 item)
8 249
How to sketch with pencil, workbook (incomplete) (1 item)
8 250
Sample illustration of mother lode wallpaper (1 item)
8 251
Alpha calendars (9 items)
8 252
Illustrations (2 originals) (4 items)
Space Art
Box Folder
9 253
Original sketches, mounted (6 items)
9 254
Missile rockets, watercolor sketch (1 item)
9 255
Sketch, area assembly/recovery booster application (1 item)
9 256
Small tempera sketches (5 items)
9 257
Transtage Titan III, mixed media/photo, tempera (1 item)
9 258
Gemini engines, 1 watercolor (2 items)
9 259
Apollo lunar module, photo collage (1 item)
9 260
Proposed Apollo lunar module (1 item)
9 261
Apollo lunar orbiter (1 item)
9 262
Gemini launch, mixed media (1 item)
9 263
Aerojet calendar mock-up (1 item)
9 264
Sketches, Aerojet stationery (9 items)
9 265
Examples of published space art (17 items)
9 266
Notes, ideas sketches (8 items)
9 267
Aerojet fact sheets (11 items)
9 268
Fact sheet mock-ups (4 items)
9 269
Mercury Atlas-9, reprint (1 item)
9 270
Orlando Sentinel, article on space art (1 item)

Series III: Reference MaterialReturn to Top

Container(s) Description
Mother Lode, California History
Box Folder
10 271
Sutter's Fort, James Marshall (7 items)
10 272
Jack London (5 items)
10 273
Various images, California, etc. (11 items)
10 274
Relief of the Donner Party by Daniel Rhoads (7 items)
10 275
Newspaper articles on gold country (15 items)
10 276
Interview with oldtimers by Al Bequette (17 items)
10 277
Mother Lode, towns and mines (15 items)
10 278
Mother Lode, towns and mines (17 items)
10 279
El Dorado Hills (4 items)
10 280
Malakoff Diggins (3 items)
10 281
Auburn, Calif. (14 items)
10 282
Coloma, Calif. (8 items)
10 283
Articles on Lyman Gilmore (6 items)
10 284
Fort Ross (3 items)
10 285
The Story of Fort Ross by Thomas Crandall (2 copies) (93 items)
10 286
Diary of a 49-er by John Clifton (27 items)
10 287
Pioneer Lore by Lillian Lafaille (28 items)
10 288
Gold Rush Mining Camps (18 items)
10 289
A portion of the diary of John A. Markle (4 items)
10 290
James Marshall As I Knew Him by Thomas Bayley (9 items)
10 291
First Ferry on the American River by T. Bayley (4 items)
10 292
Bayley House, Columa, Calif. (11 items)
10 293
California during the gold rush by T. Bayley (9 items)
10 294
Sutter's Mill by Thomas Bayley (4 items)
10 295
Sales and Transfers of Sutter's Fort.by T. Bayley (9 items)
10 296
Reference material about trains (8 items)
10 297
Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks (booklet) (1 item)
10 298
Missions of California (booklet) (1 item)
10 299
The Gold Spike Album (booklet) (2 items)
10 300
Material relating to Gold Spike album (14 items)
10 301
Nevada County material (5 items)
10 302
Wagon trains (booklet) (1 item)
10 303
Camino, California map (1 item)
10 304
Directory to City of Nevada; Wells Fargo pamphl. (2 items)
Trains; Mathis' Miscellaneous Notes
Box Folder
11 305
Trains, stereo cards (2 items)
11 306
Historic Southern Pacific Cars (booklet) (1 item)
11 307
Trains, various pamphlets (8 items)
11 308
Trains, newspaper clippings (35 items)
11 309
Yard limits (magazine) (2 items)
11 310
Pacific News (magazine) (1 item)
11 311
DeWitt Clinton (1 item)
11 312
Trains, various images (7 items)
11 313-323
Notes by Mathis on various topics, including gold rush, early California, pony express
11 324
Biographical notes on and by George Mathis (48 items)
Newspaper Depictions of Mathis' Work; Danger Trails Comics
Box Folder
12 325
George Mathis life and work 1951-1979 (18 items)
12 326
The Independent, newspaper article @ Mathis (1 item)
12 327
George Mathis life and work, articles undated (4 items)
12 328
George Mathis space artist (4 items)
12 329
Historic issue newspaper, Mathis work (1 item)
12 330
Newspaper depictions of Mathis' work (17 items)
12 331
Depictions of work in color (2 items)
12 332
Depictions of George and Carol Mathis' work (7 items)
12 333
The Pacific Citizen (newspaper) (2 items)
12 334
Danger Trails comics (16 items)
Newspaper Articles on Space Flight with Mathis Illustrations; Aerojet Material, Contracts
Box Folder
13 335
Space flight, steam rocketry (2 items)
13 336
Sea launching (1 item)
13 337
Space flight, Gemini 3 (2 items)
13 338
Space flight, Gemini 4 (4 items)
13 339
Gemini 5 and 7 (2 items)
13 340
Miscellaneous (5 items)
13 341
Titan III-C rocket (8 items)
13 342
Apollo flight, M-1 engine (2 items)
13 343
Mechanical drafts (9 items)
13 344
Newsletter, Flight Deck (17 items)
13 345
Consolidated Vultee, drawings (9 items)
13 346
Aerojet, Mathis contracts (6 items)
13 347
Aerojet, Booster (in house publication) (13 items)
13 348
Aerojet, Gemini supplier conference (pamphlet) (3 items)
13 349
Aerojet publications (2 items)
13 350
Aerojet, annual reports (6 items)
13 351
Aerojet, security manual (1 item)
13 352
Aerojet notes (11 items)
13 353
Space Flight Magazine, Astrophilatelist... (7 items)
13 354
National Rocket Safety Registry Program, misc. (13 items)

Series IV: College Mementos, Correspondence, Advertisements, etc.Return to Top

Container(s) Description
School and College Mementos; Correspondence
Box Folder
14 355
School, wedding certificates (3 items)
14 356
High school diploma (Hoquiam) (1 item)
14 357
High school annual, Hesperian (1 item)
14 358
College momentos, newspaper clippings (23 items)
14 359
National Guard service certificate (2 items)
14 360
College momentos (3 items)
14 361
College diploma, State College of Washington (1 item)
14 362
Correspondence, J.H. Sadler 1909 (2 items)
14 363
Correspondence, family and church 1920 1927 (6 items)
14 364
Correspondence, State College of Washington (4 items)
14 365
Correspondence, parents 1933-1943 (19 items)
14 366
Correspondence, Jean Mathis (4 items)
14 367
Correspondence, friends (3 items)
14 368
Correspondence, Elton Bennett (3 items)
14 369
Correspondence, letters of appreciation (35 items)
14 370
Correspondence, Bonnie Flint, Edwin Markham School (1 item)
14 371
Correspondence, re: reference pictures and materials (12 items)
14 372
Correspondence, Aerojet (26 items)
14 373
Correspondence, thank-yous, Aerojet (2 items)
14 374
Correspondence, thank-yous, Gold Spike Album 1967-1970 (7 items)
14 375
Correspondence, thank-yous, Smithsonian acquisition 1968-1971 (11 items)
14 376
Correspondence, thank-yous, art proposals (3 items)
14 377
Correspondence, thank-yous, business dealings, gifts and loans (37 items)
14 378
Correspondence, thank-yous, use of Mathis prints (10 items)
14 379
Correspondence, thank-yous, re: newspaper release (4 items)
14 380
Correspondence, thank-yous, letters of thanks from children (21 items)
14 381
Correspondence, thank-yous, miscellaneous (4 items)
14 382
Correspondence, thank-yous, copyright claims and certificates (30 items)
Advertisements of Work; Sketches of Friday House
Box Folder
15 383
Advertisements for Mathis prints (9 items)
15 384
Catalogues of work at Friday House (5 items)
15 385
Advertisements and price lists (18 items)
15 386
Mock-ups for advertisement signs (6 items)
15 387
Advertisement, George Mathis (3 items)
15 388
Newspaper advertisements of work (9 items)
15 389
Advertisements of Mathis lithographs (4 items)
15 390
Signs, price tags for Friday House (42 items)
15 391
Signs, price tags for Friday House (23 items)
15 392
Signs, price tags for Friday House (8 items)
15 393-400
House plan sketches for Friday House
Sympathy Cards and Letters; Hugh and Helen Mathis Items
Box Folder
16 401
Sympathy cards and letters (20 items)
16 402
Sympathy cards and letters (56 items)
16 403
Sympathy guest list (1 item)
16 404
Hugh and Helen Mathis wedding book (1 item)
16 405
Hugh and Helen Mathis correspondence (8 items)
16 406
Hugh and Helen Mathis estate matters, deeds, wills (24 items)
Film and Video Materials
Box Folder
17 407
1 reel film, 16mm; 1 video--(The same content on each film, namely, George Mathis sketching in the California outdoors, and adding color to a couple drawings; short portion with Carol Mathis. The films are silent). (2 items)
18 408
Scrapbook, overview of triumphs (Includes letters from President Richard Nixon, Senator Mike Mansfield, Governor Goodwin Knight, Captain Bruce Jensen, Theodore von Karman and others) (1 item)
Awards and Plaques
Box Folder
19 409
Awards and plaques (5 items)

Series V: Oversize photos, sketches, commercial artReturn to Top

Container(s) Description
Box Folder
20 410
Oversize photos (train, Malakoff Diggings) (6 items)
20 411
Commercial art (11 items)
20 412
Elton Bennett silkscreens (2 items)
20 413
House plan (1 item)
20 414
Rough sketches (2 items)
20 415
Florida-Orlando Sentinel (space art article) (1 item)
20 416
Signed prints: Vineyard House, Coloma, 1878; Sierra Nevada House III, Coloma; Friday House, Coloma. Gift of Pat Davis, 2007. (3 items)
20 417
Signed prints: Cohn House, Folsom; Arrival at Veerkamps; Miner’s Cat. Gift of Gary Degregorio, 2023. (3 items)
20 418
Signed prints: Arrival of Wakamatsu Colonists at Gold Hill – June 1869; Wakamatsu Colonists Planting Mulberry Trees – 1870. Gift of the University of the Pacific Holt-Atherton Special Collections and Archives (Mike Wurtz), 2023. (2 items)

Series VI: Oversize prints--original pencil drawings, litho prints, artist's proofs, offset reproductions.Return to Top

Container(s) Description
Original Pencil Drawings
Wharfside, Oakland 1930-1939
Box/Folder item
o.s./1 1
Estuary 1933
o.s./1 2
Estuary 1933
o.s./1 3
Oakland Estuary 1935
o.s./1 4
Wharfside, Oakland 1935
o.s./1 5
Church Near 20th and San Pablo, Oakland 1935
o.s./1 6
Oakland 1936
Bay area, Mother Lode 1940-1949
Box/Folder item
o.s./2 7
Half Moon Bay 1940
o.s./2 8
Half Moon Bay 1940
o.s./2 9
Santa Cruz 1941
o.s./2 10
Half Moon Bay 1943
o.s./2 11
Carmel Mission 1944
o.s./2 12
La Port 1945
o.s./2 13
St. Louis 1945
o.s./2 14
Mill Street, Grass Valley 1949
o.s./2 15
Masachusetts Hill 1949
o.s./2 16
Cannon at Indian Valley 1949
o.s./2 17
Rainbow Lodge 1949
Fairyland, Oakland, Gold Country 1950
Box/Folder item
o.s./3 18
Beckwourth's Cabin, Sierra Valley 1950
o.s./3 19
Weather Station, Soda Springs 1950
o.s./3 20
Indian Valley Outpost 1950
o.s./3 21
Fiddle Creek 1950
o.s./3 22
Trinity Episcopal Church, Nevada City 1950
o.s./3 23
Blacksmith Shop 1950
o.s./3 24
Hooker Oak 1950
o.s./3 25
Chief Solano 1950
o.s./3 26
Yosemite Valley 1950
o.s./3 27
Reliance Hose Company #3, Grass Valley (framed) 1950
o.s./3 28
Rattlesnake Bar on the American River (framed) 1950
o.s./3 29
Fairyland, Oakland 1950
o.s./3 30
Oakland Fairyland (castle, geese) 1950
o.s./3 31
Oakland Fairyland (whale) 1950
o.s./3 32
Fairyland, Oakland (windmill) 1950
o.s./3 33
Fairyland, Oakland (old woman, shoe) 1950
o.s./3 34
Oakland Fairyland (boat and pond) 1950
o.s./3 35
Oakland Fairyland (house, pond, geese) 1950
Nevada City, Railroads, Mining 1951-1959
Box/Folder item
o.s./4 36
Methodist Church, Nevada City 1951
o.s./4 37
University Campus, Reno, Nevada 1951
o.s./4 38
Cathedral, Reno, Nevada 1951
o.s./4 39
Young America Mine, Sardine Lake 1951
o.s./4 40
Sierra Buttes, Calif. 1951
o.s./4 41
Lone Grave 1952
o.s./4 42
Bethlehem, (Israel) 1952
o.s./4 43
(Farm buildings) 1952
o.s./4 44
Bodie Wagons 1952
o.s./4 45
Lola Montez House, Grass Valley 1953
o.s./4 46
Ott's Assay Office, Nevada City 1953
o.s./4 47
Home in Nevada City, Calif. 1953
o.s./4 48
Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad 1954
o.s./4 49
North San Juan 1954
o.s./4 50
Central Pacific at Cisco 1955
o.s./4 51
Town Talk, Nevada County Narrow Gauge R.R. 1955
o.s./4 52
Bassetts Station, Yuba Pass, 1895 1955
o.s./4 53
La Port 1955
o.s./4 54
Bowman Ranch in 1863 1957
o.s./4 55
Sierra Railroad, Chinese Hill 1957
o.s./4 56
Alleghany sixteen-to-one-mine 1958
o.s./4 57
Blacksmith Shop, rough and ready 1959
o.s./4 58
Nevada City Traction Co. Glen Brook Barns, 1901-1924 1959
Sierra Nevadas, Cities, Mines, etc. 1960-1969
Box/Folder item
o.s./5 59
Glen Canyon Bridge near Santa Cruz 1960
o.s./5 60
Sutter's Sawmill 1960
o.s./5 61
Sentinal Dome, Yosemite 1960
o.s./5 62
Gold Center Mine, Grass Valley 1960
o.s./5 63
Holbrook Hotel, Grass Valley 1960
o.s./5 64
Tremoureux House, Grass Valley 1960
o.s./5 65
Cohn House, Folsom Calif. 1961
o.s./5 66
The Mighty Malakoff Diggins, North Bloomfield, 1961 1969
o.s./5 67
Bear Valley Overlook 1963
o.s./5 68
Bear River Trestle 1963
o.s./5 69
Rollins Reservoir 1963
o.s./5 70
Solano County 1966
o.s./5 71
Oriental Mine 1968
o.s./5 72
Coloma 1969
o.s./5 73
Folsom Depot and Shops, Sacramento Valley R.R., 1856 1969
o.s./5 74
(Stone wall ruin, aspens) 1969
o.s./5 75
Pippins Blacksmith Shop, Rough and Ready 1969
o.s./5 76
Old Time Sprinkler Wagon 1969
o.s./5 77
Red Castle, 1859 1969
o.s./5 78
Odd Fellows Hall, Coloma, Calif. 1969
o.s./5 79
Entrance to Fort Santiago, Walled City, Manila, The Philippines 1969
o.s./5 80
The Antelope (river steamer) 1969
o.s./5 81
The oldest existing R.R. Station in the West, Folsom, Calif. 1969
o.s./5 82
Thomas Flyer, New York to Paris, 1909 1969
Mother Lode 1970-1979
Box/Folder item
o.s./6 83
Sutter Mill 1970
o.s./6 84
Nevada City Overlook 1970
o.s./6 85
St. John's, Coloma 1970
o.s./6 86
Marshall's Cabin 1970
o.s./6 87
Commander's Headquarters, Ft. Ross 1970
o.s./6 88
Academy, Grass Valley 1970
o.s./6 89
Le Compton Mine 1971
o.s./6 90
Old Sacramento 1971
o.s./6 91
Star of Texas 1972
o.s./6 92
Paper Mill Creek 1972
o.s./6 93
Lawyer's Office, Nevada City 1972
o.s./6 94
Kidder Mansion 1972
o.s./6 95
Donner Monument 1972
o.s./6 96
Donation Day House, Grass Valley, 1883 1972
Early sketches, undated
Box/Folder item
o.s./7 97
(Rock formation)
o.s./7 98
(Boulders, canyon)
o.s./7 99
(Trees, fence)
o.s./7 100
(Mountain, trees)
o.s./7 101
(Tree trunk, trees, boulders)
Early sketches, dockside, Oakland, undated
Box/Folder item
o.s./8 102
(Delapitated building on rocky shore)
o.s./8 103
(Wharfside, fishing docks)
o.s./8 104
(Fishing boats, dock, man)
o.s./8 105
(Shipyard dock)
o.s./8 106
(Warehouses, wharfside)
o.s./8 107
(Boats, dock)
o.s./8 108
(Wharf scene)
o.s./8 109
Fisherman's wharf
o.s./8 110
(Fishing boat, dock scene)
o.s./8 111
(Building, fence, street)
o.s./8 112
(Small house, garden, fence)
o.s./8 113
(Old houses/shacks, old truck)
o.s./8 114
(Warehouses, shacks)
o.s./8 115
(Two sketches of detail)
o.s./8 116
(Houses among trees)
o.s./8 117
(House, cistern)
o.s./8 118
(Old house, tree)
o.s./8 119
Jack London wrote here
Trains, Bay Area, landscapes, undated
Box/Folder item
o.s./9 120
Sacramento Valley Railroad 1856
o.s./9 121
Washoe City
o.s./9 122
Pino Grande, North Anchor
o.s./9 123
(Rusting engine and caboose)
o.s./9 124
Turning the Engine
o.s./9 125
(Steam locomotive, steam boat)
o.s./9 126
(Train, river trestle)
o.s./9 127
(Water wheel) (image taped together)
o.s./9 128
Rio Vista (signed, "Old Riverboat Docks") 1940
o.s./9 129
Golden Gate
o.s./9 130
Corregidor
o.s./9 131
A Part of Battery Way, Corregidor
o.s./9 132
Oregon Creek Covered Bridge
o.s./9 133
(Covered bridge with buckboard wagon)
o.s./9 134
Wood's Road
o.s./9 135
(Meadow, mountains)
o.s./9 136
(Large trees forground, lake with an island)
o.s./9 137
(Mountainous setting)
o.s./9 138
(Signed, "Lotus" on board--mountain valley, farm)
o.s./9 139
(Basalt mountain)
Mining, Cities in Mother Lode, undated
Box/Folder item
o.s./10 140
Pelton Wheel at Champion Mine
o.s./10 141
Sutter's Famous Saw Mill
o.s./10 142
(Sutter's sawmill, Coloma, Calif.)
o.s./10 143
(Oxen-pulled covered wagons)
o.s./10 144
Chinese at the Mines 1852
o.s./10 145
The "Fort Sutter" at Three Mile Slough
o.s./10 146
Site of Yore Bros. Toll Bridge
o.s./10 147
Freeman's Crossing
o.s./10 148
(Kentucky Mine) -signed, Jean George Mathis
o.s./10 149
Brush Creek Tunnel #2, Goodyears Bar
o.s./10 150
Mine?
o.s./10 151
Sutter's Office at Sutter's Fort
o.s./10 152
Red Bank Winery Building, Folsom
o.s./10 153
Freeway view, Auburn, CA
o.s./10 154
(Old school or church in woods)
o.s./10 155
Nevada City 1950
o.s./10 156
National Hotel
o.s./10 157
(Horse and buggy, abandoned bldgs.)
o.s./10 158
Christmas at Grass Valley Mines 1860
o.s./10 159
" " " " --two-part panorama
o.s./10 160
(Nevada City)
o.s./10 161
Nevada City in the 80's
o.s./10 162
Auburn Old Town
o.s./10 163
(View of city bldgs. Auburn, CA)
o.s./10 164
Sierra City (Calif.)
o.s./10 165
Methodist Church, Downieville 1855
o.s./10 166
Downieville (Calif.)
Houses, Buildings, undated
Box/Folder item
o.s./11 167
(Large house, stagecoach in front)
o.s./11 168
Bidwell Mansion
o.s./11 169
Sacramento Street, Coloma (Calif.)
o.s./11 170
(The Red Castle) (cut drawing, also written on)
o.s./11 171
M.L. Marsh house built in 1873
o.s./11 172
(Horse drawn street car)
o.s./11 173
Lola Montez Home, Grass Valley
o.s./11 174
Miner's Foundry
o.s./11 175
Home of Edward C. Coleman, Grass Valley 1863
o.s./11 176
Maltman Homestead (two-piece, cut drawing)
o.s./11 177
North San Juan
o.s./11 178
Bldg. Rough and Ready
o.s./11 179
(Brick House)
o.s./11 180
(Back alley view of houses)
o.s./11 181
(Victorian style house)
o.s./11 182
(Cabin among trees)
o.s./11 183
(House/hillside/river/trees/horse carriage)
o.s./11 184
Clark, Booth and Yardley, 9th H St. 1885
o.s./11 185
A.D. Foote--North Star House Built in 1906
o.s./11 186
(Church on hillside)
o.s./11 187
(Old shacks, tree)
Lithos, Offset Reproductions
San Francisco, Bay Area, Missions (lithos)
Box/Folder item
o.s./12 188
Golden Gate Bridge, A/P
o.s./12 189
Chinese Telephone Exchange, A/P
o.s./12 190
Powell and Market, A/P
o.s./12 191
(Downtown San Francisco, incomplete)
o.s./12 192
(Downtown San Francisco)
o.s./12 193
Coit Tower, A/P
o.s./12 194
Japanese Tea Gardens, Golden Gate,A/P
o.s./12 195
Opera House, San Francisco, A/P
o.s./12 196
(Condominiums?)
o.s./12 197
Seal Rocks, A/P
o.s./12 198
Pt. Pinos Lighthouse
o.s./12 199
Cannery Row, A/P
o.s./12 200
Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, A/P
o.s./12 201
Carmel Beach, A/P
o.s./12 202
Juan Vardas' Home, Monterey, A/P
o.s./12 203
Monterey Cypress, A/P
o.s./12 204
Royal Presidio Chapel at Monterey, A/P
o.s./12 205
Carmel Mission
o.s./12 206
Carmel Mission, A/P
o.s./12 207
Mission Dolores, S.F., A/P
o.s./12 208
Mission Dolores
Landscapes, Mining area (lithos)
Box/Folder item
o.s./13 209
Mt. Shasta, A/P
o.s./13 210
Yosemite, A/P
o.s./13 211
Yosemite Falls, A/P
o.s./13 212
El Capitan, Yosemite, A/P
o.s./13 213
Three Grizzly Bears, A/P
o.s./13 214
Bears, A/P
o.s./13 215
Sentinel Dome
o.s./13 216
Cliffs at Muford Lake, A/P (front) 305 Will Street, A/P (back)
o.s./13 217
Red Woods, A/P
o.s./13 218
Red Woods, A/P
o.s./13 219
Burning Falls, A/P
o.s./13 220
Muir Woods, A/P
o.s./13 221
Entrance to Muir Woods, A/P
o.s./13 222
Muir Woods, A/P
o.s./13 223
Unfinished (failed plate), redwood tree
o.s./13 224
Sanford Lake, A/P
o.s./13 225
Grey Eagle Creek
o.s./13 226
Grey Eagle Lake, A/P (front) Mary Had a Little Lamb, A/P (back) 1950
o.s./13 227
North San Juan, A/P
o.s./13 228
National Hotel, Nevada City
o.s./13 229
Arrastra at Scott's Valley, A/P
o.s./13 230
Minden, Nevada, A/P (image on litho plate, fldr. XV)
o.s./13 231
Lola Montez Blar? House, A/P
o.s./13 232
Grande Ranch, R R, A/P
o.s./13 233
Auburn Old Town, A/P 1949
o.s./13 234
The Covered Bridge at Bridgeport
o.s./13 235
Auburn
o.s./13 236
(Old church)
o.s./13 237
Empire's Blacksmith, A/P
o.s./13 238
Rough and Ready, A/P 1949
o.s./13 239
Amador City, A/P 1948
o.s./13 240
Sierra City, A/P
o.s./13 241
Emmanuel Episcopal Church, A/P 1952
o.s./13 242
Romaggie House, Angel's Camp, A/P 1948
o.s./13 243
Brush Creek Mine 1949
o.s./13 244
Nevada City's Red Castle, A/P (hand-colored)
o.s./13 245
North San Juan (hand-colored) 1948
o.s./13 246
Columbia (hand-colored)
o.s./13 247
Nevada City Firehouse #2 (hand-colored)
o.s./13 248
Benfeldt Mine, Smith's Flat 10/200
Offset Reproductions
Mining, Trains, Cities
Box/Folder item
o.s./14 249
Placer Mining Methods
o.s./14 250
Sutter's Sawmill, Coloma
o.s./14 251
The Mighty Malakoff Diggins, North Bloomfield
o.s./14 252
Nevada Theater 1865
o.s./14 253
Bassett's Station
o.s./14 254
Michigan Log Buggy
o.s./14 255
Folsom
o.s./14 256
Empire Mine
o.s./14 257
Sacramento Embarcadero
o.s./14 258
Sacramento Valley R.R 1856
o.s./14 259
Pino Grande, North Anchor
o.s./14 260
Feather River Railroad
o.s./14 261
Nevada County Narrow Gauge R.R. at Towntalk
o.s./14 262
Chinese Hill (Sierra Railroad)
o.s./14 263
Central Pacific R.R. at Cisco 1865
o.s./14 264
Governor's Mansion, Sacramento, Built in 1877
o.s./14 265
Public Market (Sacramento) 1923
o.s./14 266
3rd and J Street, Sacramento (Old Sacramento) 1950
o.s./14 267
(China Union Lines; Port of Sacramento)
o.s./14 268
Meet Me At the Golden Bear (State Fair Bldg.)
o.s./14 269
Leland Stanford Home, Sacramento
o.s./14 270
"The Tin Lizzies rambled into growing Davis under the Second Street Arch during World War One Years"
o.s./14 271
Gemini launchpad (2 copies)
Miscellaneous
Box/Folder item
o.s./15 272
(Mock up, rocket engines for Apollo)
o.s./15 273
(Von Karmen)
o.s./15 274
Aerojet poster, rocket engines
o.s./15 275
Knights Ferry, drawing by Jean Mathis
o.s./15 276
Litho plate for George Mathis drawing "Minden, Nevada"
o.s./15 277
Space rocketry collage (photo)
o.s./15 278
Gemini engines/astronauts (photo)
o.s./15 279
Example of Danger Trails comics, drawn by George Mathis and his brother-in-law Bill Steward
o.s./15 280
"The Chuckwagon" watercolor mock-up by George Mathis
o.s./15 281-289
Two sketches and seven commercial art samples
o.s./15 290
Jack Lond's Benicia. Gift from Harold Levy.
Lithographs of the California Gold Rush County: George Mathis prepared these 11 signed and hand titled lithographs for use on a 13 month calendar (2 of the lithographs were sold prior to donation).
Box/Folder item
21/16 290
Silt Wheels at Jackson
21/16 291
Sierra City
21/16 292
Firehouse Number Two - Nevada City
21/16 292
North San Juan
21/16 294
Dutch Flat Hotel
21/16 295
Columbia St. Scene
21/16 296
Amador City
21/16 297
The Red Castle - Nevada City
21/16 298
North San Juan - Nevada County
21/16 299
Chinese Camp
21/16 300
The Blacksmith Shop at Rough and Ready

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Gold mines and mining in art
  • Railroads in art
  • Space (Art)
  • Space vehicles in art

Corporate Names

  • Aerojet-General Corporation