More Friends of John Fass
Photography by John Fass and by A. Burton Carnes
Ben Grauer and Family:
Above: NBC television announcer and book collector Ben Grauer and family in 1959
Ben Grauer was a radio and television personality whose greatest fame is his distinguished 40-year career as the announcer of NBC radio and television.
He was the voice of the NBC Symphony Orchestra, after being selected by conductor Arturo Toscanini for that position. Plus he was an announcer for presidential inaugurations and Olympic games. Ben was known as NBC's "Mr. Culture."
Ben Grauer was a hobby printer and book collector. He operated the Between Hours Press in his home, and was a great friend of John Fass and other Typophiles. Ben's wife was Melanie Kahane Grauer, a world-class interior decorator.
Above: A. Burton Carnes (on left) and John Fass (on right)
Printing Christmas cards at the home of NBC announcer Ben Grauer
Above: Printing Christmas cards at the Home of NBC announcer Ben Grauer with A. Burton Carnes (in center) and Ben Grauer (on right)
A. Burton Carnes:
Above: A. Burton Carnes of the A. B. C. Press
Arthur Burton Carnes was a graphic designer who lived in Manhattan. His career included creating advertising for Esquire Publishing Company, and work for General Motors and IBM.
He also was the unofficial photographer of the Typophiles club. Plus he operated a private press, the ABC Press (as in A. Burton Carnes Press). He had been married to Vivian C. (Landry) Carnes. He was one of John Fass' closest friends, along with John and Thelma DePol, and Valenti and Maxine Angelo.
John and Thelma DePol:
Above: John DePol being silly with Thelma DePol
Above: John and Thelma DePol
John DePol was a wood engraver and illustrator who frequently collaborated with John Fass on Hammer Creek Press productions. John DePol is celebrated as one of the great American wood engravers, and had a productive career of more than 70 years.
John DePol and his wife Thelma were close friends of John Fass. Today the John DePol papers are in the special collections of the University of Delaware, including many items related to John Fass.
Barnard Taylor:
Above: Barnard Taylor of the Press of Appletree Alley, in 1966 at home of John and Thelma DePol
Barnard Taylor operated the Appletree Alley Press in his two-car garage in Lewisburg, PA. He collaborated with Bucknell University to print an annual book series of Bucknell's poets in residence.
Barnard was an artist and graphic designer. He previously had been public relations director of Geisinger Medical Center.
Above: Barnard Taylor, again, in 1960.
John Anderson:
Above: John Fass visiting John Anderson (in checkered shirt) of the Pickering Press in 1958
John Anderson was a book designer and printer who created a premier press for the production of handset publications.
In 1946 he founded the Pickering Press, named for the 19th century printer William Pickering. Anderson created numerous projects with wood engraver John DePol.
Above: Thelma DePol (front left), John Fass (center) A. Burton Carnes (on right)
Above: Valenti Angelo (on left) and A. Burton Carnes (on right)
John Archer:
Above: John Archer, retired in California. Photographed in 1953 by John Fass
John Archer was superintendent of the printing office and bindery of the New York Public Library. John Archer designed and printed fine-press books published by the library, including the lavish 1932 Geography of Claudius Ptolemy, which he printed in an edition of 250 copies on handmade paper. This was the first English-language edition of Ptolemy's Geography. Plus he printed the 1940 book The Tickhill Psalter and Related Manuscripts, which the library copublished with Princeton University.
After John Archer retired he moved to California, where John Fass visited him in 1953.
Above: John Fass, Christmas circa 1950. Wearing his rather Christmasy "smoking jacket." Presumably to wear while smoking his pipe and listening to Guy Lombardo on the radio.
Above: John Fass in 1960, at age 70