Tuesday, December 06, 2011

The Countdown to Christmas Continues... with Tea!

Lipton Tea ad, illustrated by Richard Decker (1907-1988)

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"Born and reared in Philadelphia, Richard Decker worked nearly four decades as a contract cartoonist at the New Yorker, starting with the magazine in 1929 and becoming well-known on its pages for his detailed cartoons and lush washes. Those cartoons that did not appear in the New Yorker often found their way into such magazines as the Saturday Evening Post, Look, Colliers and Playboy."

"Over the years, he also did illustrations for advertising campaigns. Among the best known was a 28-year Philadelphia Bulletin series, which ran until the 1960s, that centered on the slogan, "In Philadelphia, nearly everybody reads the Bulletin." A major feature of the campaign was "Mr. Nearly" - the only man around not reading the paper."

"Also a watercolorist, Decker enjoyed painting during his hours at home, and his watercolor work earned recognition at exhibitions including shows at Rosemont College, the Philadelphia Country Club and the Wayne Art Center. The Philadelphia Sketch Club exhibited Mr. Decker's cartoons and drawings. While cartooning for the New Yorker, which he did until 1970, Decker lived for many years in Westport, Connecticut."


* Biographical information abridged and adapted from The Philadelphia Inquirer

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