Guide to the George Mathis Photo and Art Collection 1915-1970
PC 90

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Creator
Mathias, George.
Title
George Mathis Photo and Art Collection
ID
PC 90
Date [inclusive]
1915-1970
Extent
12 linear feet of shelf space, 20 boxes, 2781 items
Location
Oversize prints are located in the Oversize Mapcases.
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
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.

Preferred Citation

[Item Description] George Mathis Photo and Art Collection (PC 90)

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

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Biography/History

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.

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Scope and Content

The George Mathis Collection consists of twenty boxes of diverse materials and close to three hundred original pencil drawings and litho prints, which are located in the oversize mapcases.

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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.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2016

http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open and available for research use.

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.

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Names and Subjects

Corporate Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • Aerojet-General Corporation.

Subject(s)

  • Gold mines and mining in art.
  • Space (Art)
  • Space vehicles in art.
  • Railroads in art.
  • Fine Arts
  • Mines and Mineral Resources
  • Science
  • Railroads

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Other Descriptive Data

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.

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Detailed Description of Collection

Series I: Photographs 

Personal/Family Portraits 
box folder

Grade school class (1 item) 

 1 1

Childhood and family photos (20 items) 

 1 2

Childhood and family photos (18 items) 

 1 3

Hugh Mathis clothing store; Black Bear Brand sales (2 items) 

 1 4

George Mathis college years (11 items) 

 1 5

George Mathis college years (15 items) 

 1 6

College graduation (2 items) 

 1 7

Marionette theater (3 items) 

 1 8

Mathis home, Nevada City (1 item) 

 1 9

Early California home, family (4 items) 

 1 10

George Mathis portraits (6 items) 

 1 11

2 George Mathis adding colorwash to drawing (6 items) 

 1 12

George Mathis, artist (6 items) 

 1 13

George Mathis, artist (7 items) 

 1 14

George Mathis (1 item) 

 1 15

George Mathis in studio, Friday House (2 items) 

 1 16

Carol Mathis portraits (5 items) 

 1 17

Art of Carol Mathis (5 items) 

 1 18

Mathis family, friends (color) (12 items) 

 1 19

Mathis family, friends (color) (12 items) 

 1 20

Remodeling Friday House (9 items) 

 1 21

Remodeling Friday House (9 items) 

 1 22

Remodeling Friday House (26 items) 

 1 23

Friday House, Coloma, Calif. (8 items) 

 1 24

Mathis' work (4 items) 

 1 25

Mathis' work (13 items) 

 1 26

Mother Lode wallpaper (5 items) 

 1 27

Frontier days, George Mathis (1 item) 

 1 28

Miscellaneous photos (contact sheet, cats) (4 items) 

 1 29

Exhibit Aerojet print (1 item) 

 1 30

Mathis at Aerojet (contact sheets) (2 items) 

 1 31

Mathis at Aerojet and home (3 items) 

 1 32

Reference Photos: Mother Lode, California Missions, Carmel, Mining 
box folder

Auburn and Coloma, Calif. (14 items) 

 2 33

Edwin Markham home/school (7 items) 

 2 34

Folsom, Calif. and Colin House (3 items) 

 2 35

Grass Valley, Calif. (8 items) 

 2 36

Nevada City, Calif. (9 items) 

 2 37

Sacramennto, Calif. (23 items) 

 2 38

Sutter's Fort, Sacramento (2 items) 

 2 39

Carmel-Monterey Lighthouse (2 items) 

 2 40

Carmel-Monterey housess (18 items) 

 2 41

Carmel-Monterey mission (16 items) 

 2 42

Carmel-Monterey, historic adobe custom house (10 items) 

 2 43

Carmel-Monterey, Point Lobos (27 items) 

 2 44

Carmel-Monterey, cannery and docks (13 items) 

 2 45

Fort Ross chapel (10 items) 

 2 46

Canals and flumes, Mother Lode (6 items) 

 2 47

Depictions of early mining (Chinese) (2 items) 

 2 48

Malakoff Diggings (4 items) 

 2 49

Arrastra at Fort Jones (5 items) 

 2 50

Empire mine (1 item) 

 2 51

Goldbug mining; Celio dairy (15 items) 

 2 52

Placer and hydraulic mining (3 items) 

 2 53

Pioneer paper mill/Sam Taylor St. Park (5 items) 

 2 54

Mining areas, miscellaneous (11 items) 

 2 55

Donner party monument (1 item) 

 2 56

Yosemite Park, Muir Woods (4 items) 

 2 57

Old Plank Road (1 item) 

 2 58

Jedediah Smith (5 items) 

 2 59

Lyman Gilmore certificate (2 items) 

 2 60

Alhambra theater (12 items) 

 2 61

Various views, California and Nevada (12 items) 

 2 62

Miscellaneous photos (14 items) 

 2 63

The Martin Johnsons hunting in Africa (1 item) 

 2 64

Postcards, miscellaneous (7 items) 

 2 65

Color photos, various; Donner Lake, Ringtail cat (9 items) 

 2 66

Reference Photos: Trains 
box folder

DeWitt Clinton (3 items) 

 3 67

T.D. Judah (1 item) 

 3 68

Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad (22 items) 

 3 69

Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad (22 items) 

 3 70

Feather River Railway (2 items) 

 3 71

Various trains (6 items) 

 3 72

Various trains and engines (4 items) 

 3 73

Train engines (6 items) 

 3 74

Small photos trains (16 items) 

 3 75

Postcards of trains and engines (11 items) 

 3 76

Slides and negatives of trains (Mathis drawing) (7 items) 

 3 77

Large print of train (2 items) 

 3 78

Space Art, Black and White Photos 
box folder

Von Karman, portrait (1 item) 

 4 79

Notice of Mathis exhibit (6 items) 

 4 80

NASA news center, Gemini pictures (2 items) 

 4 81

Rocket montage (4 items) 

 4 82

Rocket montage (3 items) 

 4 83

Al Camp montage (2 items) 

 4 84

Rocket engine montage (6 items) 

 4 85

Col. Vivian rocket montage (9 items) 

 4 86

Airplane at take off (2 items) 

 4 87

U.S. Army plane with rocket launch propulsion (2 items) 

 4 88

Rocket assembly(?) (2 items) 

 4 89

Rockets, various (10 items) 

 4 90

Rocket sea launchings (23 items) 

 4 91

Polaris missile (U.S. Navy) (4 items) 

 4 92

Rocket and launch (8 items) 

 4 93

Red Mueller (5 items) 

 4 94

Titan rocket, Gemini assembly (2 items) 

 4 95

Fitting Gemini capsule to Titan rocket (5 items) 

 4 96

Launch pad, Gemini astronauts (1 item) 

 4 97

Astronauts on the launch pad, Gemini (1 item) 

 4 98

On the launch pad, CBS announcer (1 item) 

 4 99

Gemini launch pad, Von Fremd TV announcer (3 items) 

 4 100

Gemini launch (4 items) 

 4 101

Gemini mission montage (4 items) 

 4 102

Gemini launch, Titan rocket (2 items) 

 4 103

Gemini 8, launchpad 1966 (2 items) 

 4 104

Gemini/Titan launch (1 item) 

 4 105

Gemini/Titan rocket stages (3 items) 

 4 106

Gemini, showing 1st 2nd stage separation (7 items) 

 4 107

Gemini, 2nd stage separation (2 items) 

 4 108

Gemini capsule in orbit (1 item) 

 4 109

Astronaut flying Gemini 7; look at 2nd stage (3 items) 

 4 110

Gemini space walk (1 item) 

 4 111

Cerman space walk (Gemini) (3 items) 

 4 112

Gemini 5, White space walk (5 items) 

 4 113

Gemini space walk (2 items) 

 4 114

Gemini space walk (3 items) 

 4 115

Titan III rocket, Dynasoar USAF (5 items) 

 4 116

M-1 rocket montage (2 items) 

 4 117

M-1 rocket for Apollo missions (7 items) 

 4 118

Apollo stage, hoisting onto rocket (6 items) 

 4 119

Apollo command and control capsule (5 items) 

 4 120

Apollo rocket to the moon, stages (3 items) 

 4 121

Apollo rockets, various stages (5 items) 

 4 122

Ideal rocket of the future (1 item) 

 4 123

Lunar module about to separate from Mother Ship (1 item) 

 4 124

Apollo lunar module (6 items) 

 4 125

Lunar module/space station (3 items) 

 4 126

Space Art, Color Photos 
box folder

Amphibious landing vehicles (4 items) 

 5 127

U.S. Army plane with rocket launch (1 item) 

 5 128

Polaris missile (3 items) 

 5 129

Delta rocket separation (2 items) 

 5 130

Red Mueller, NBC announcer; Gemini (7 items) 

 5 131

Gemini launch pad, announcer (2 items) 

 5 132

Space flight montages (8 items) 

 5 133

Fitting Gemini capsule to Titan II rocket (1 item) 

 5 134

Gemini launch, Titan rocket (1 item) 

 5 135

Launch of a Gemini mission (3 items) 

 5 136

Gemini 8 launchpad 1966 

 5 137

Gemini/Titan rocket stages (1 item) 

 5 138

Gemini first-second stage separation (1 item) 

 5 139

Gemini mission, 1st stage separation (1 item) 

 5 140

Astronauts flying Gemini seven (5 items) 

 5 141

Gemini capsule in orbit near first stage (1 item) 

 5 142

Gemini space walk, first stage repair? (1 item) 

 5 143

Cernan space walk, Gemini (2 items) 

 5 144

Gemini V, White space walk (1 item) 

 5 145

Gemini space walks (2 items) 

 5 146

Titan III rocket launch (1 item) 

 5 147

M-1 rocket montage (2 items) 

 5 148

M-1 rocket (1 item) 

 5 149

Apollo lunar orbiting capsule under construction-photo (1 item) 

 5 150

Apollo command and control capsule (2 items) 

 5 151

Apollo mission launch pad (3 items) 

 5 152

Apollo first stage (2 items) 

 5 153

M-1 to the moon (Apollo) (2 items) 

 5 154

Apollo command and control capsule, lunar module (1 item) 

 5 155

Lunar module descending to moon (1 item) 

 5 156

Lunar module descending to moon (1 item) 

 5 157

Apollo command and control capsule return to earth (1 item) 

 5 158

Ideal rocket of future (2 items) 

 5 159

Souvenir pictures, man on moon (10 items) 

 5 160

Conception of Venus probe (1 item) 

 5 161

Photo Negatives 
box folder

Mathis artwork (11 items) 

 6 162

George Mathis adding a color wash (1 item) 

 6 163

Friday House (35 items) 

 6 164

House remodeling (5 items) 

 6 165

George Mathis (6 items) 

 6 166

Carmel-Monterey (30 items) 

 6 167

Rocket engine montage (4 items) 

 6 168

Rocket engine montage (1 item) 

 6 169

Rocket montage (2 items) 

 6 170

Rocket montage (1 item) 

 6 171

Col. Vivian rocket montage (2 items) 

 6 172

Al Camp montage (1 item) 

 6 173

Airplane taking off (1 item) 

 6 174

U.S. Army plane with rocket launch (3 items) 

 6 175

Early rocket conceptions (1 item) 

 6 176

Delta rocket separation (2 items) 

 6 177

Rocket sea launchings, simulation (3 items) 

 6 178

Polaris missile (3 items) 

 6 179

Satellite in orbit (1 item) 

 6 180

Von Karman portrait (1 item) 

 6 181

Rocket scientists (Von Karman) (4 items) 

 6 182

Red Mueller, TV announcer (3 items) 

 6 183

Hoisting Gemini capsule unto Titan II rocket (3 items) 

 6 184

Astronauts (Gemini) on launchpad (3 items) 

 6 185

Titan rocket, Gemini astronauts montage (3 items) 

 6 186

Gemini launch pad, TV announcer (1 item) 

 6 187

Gemini launch pad, astronauts, TV announcer (3 items) 

 6 188

Gemini launch, Titan rocket (1 item) 

 6 189

Launch of a Gemini mission (1 item) 

 6 190

Gemini capsule in orbit (1 item) 

 6 191

Astronauts flying Gemini 7, with look at 2nd stage (1 item) 

 6 192

Gemini space walk (1 item) 

 6 193

Cernan space walk (Gemini) (4 items) 

 6 194

White space walk, Gemini V (4 items) 

 6 195

Gemini space walk (4 items) 

 6 196

Gemini space walk, just outside the door (2 items) 

 6 197

Titan III rocket, USAF Dynasoar (2 items) 

 6 198

Titan III rocket launch (2 items) 

 6 199

M-1 rocket montage (2 items) 

 6 200

M-1 rocket (4 items) 

 6 201

Apollo penultimate stage, hoisting unto rocket (3 items) 

 6 202

Apollo command and control capsule (1 item) 

 6 203

M-1, Apollo to the moon (3 items) 

 6 204

Apollo moon rocket, various stages (1 item) 

 6 205

Apollo rocket, various stages (1 item) 

 6 206

Lunar module separating from Apollo, Mother ship (2 items) 

 6 207

Rocket of the future (1 item) 

 6 208

Apollo lunar module descending to moon (simulation) (4 items) 

 6 209

Space stations (simulation) (4 items) 

 6 210

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Series II: Commercial Art 

Childhood Art; Commercial Art Originals and Samples 
box folder

Childhood art samples (9 items) 

 7 211

Marionette theater (2 items) 

 7 212

Small originals drawn at Friday House (2 items) 

 7 213

Small originals (12 items) 

 7 214

Small originals (9 items) 

 7 215

Art samples, mock-ups, cards (22 items) 

 7 216

Auburn, Calif., pamphlet (1 item) 

 7 217

Grass Valley, Calif. (1 item) 

 7 218

Use of Mathis illustrations (8 items) 

 7 219

Mother Lode Almanac and Buyer's Guide, booklet (1 item) 

 7 220

Mining pamphlet (1 item) 

 7 221

Stationary samples (12 items) 

 7 222

Commercial art samples (4 items) 

 7 223

Commercial art samples (11 items) 

 7 224

Commercial art samples (2 items) 

 7 225

Samples of Elton Bennett's art, silkscreens (7 items) 

 7 226

Booklets, Samples, Calendars, Carol Mathis Samples 
box folder

Art samples of Carol Mathis (40 items) 

 8 227

Pencil Sketching by George Mathis (1 item) 

 8 228

Landmark sketches by George Mathis, booklet (1 item) 

 8 229

Six hand-colored prints, booklet (1 item) 

 8 230

El Dorado sketches, booklet, incomplete (missing pages 1-2, 9-10, 15-16, 22-23) (1 item) 

 8 231

Coloma California-Gold Discovery Town, booklet (1 item) 

 8 232

Carmel and Monterey, booklet (1 item) 

 8 233

San Francisco, booklet (2 items) 

 8 234

Auburn Lake trails, sketch trip booklet (3 items) 

 8 235

Extra sketch trip pages (21 items) 

 8 236

Trip teaser booklets (7 items) 

 8 237

Pacific Historian, cover art (2 items) 

 8 238

Small prints of drawings (8 items) 

 8 239

Solargraph(?) of drawing (1 item) 

 8 240

Various uses of sketches (4 items) 

 8 241

Commercial art samples (7 items) 

 8 242

Wine bottle labels (12 items) 

 8 243

Christmas tags (48 items) 

 8 244

Notes for a sketchbook on Carson Pass (13 items) 

 8 245

Notes on sketches (4 items) 

 8 246

Notes for a print-up of sketches (15 items) 

 8 247

Oil print on canvas (1 item) 

 8 248

How to sketch with pencil, workbook (incomplete) (1 item) 

 8 249

Sample illustration of mother lode wallpaper (1 item) 

 8 250

Alpha calendars (9 items) 

 8 251

Illustrations (2 originals) (4 items) 

 8 252

Space Art 
box folder

Original sketches, mounted (6 items) 

 9 253

Missile rockets, watercolor sketch (1 item) 

 9 254

Sketch, area assembly/recovery booster application (1 item) 

 9 255

Small tempera sketches (5 items) 

 9 256

Transtage Titan III, mixed media/photo, tempera (1 item) 

 9 257

Gemini engines, 1 watercolor (2 items) 

 9 258

Apollo lunar module, photo collage (1 item) 

 9 259

Proposed Apollo lunar module (1 item) 

 9 260

Apollo lunar orbiter (1 item) 

 9 261

Gemini launch, mixed media (1 item) 

 9 262

Aerojet calendar mock-up (1 item) 

 9 263

Sketches, Aerojet stationery (9 items) 

 9 264

Examples of published space art (17 items) 

 9 265

Notes, ideas sketches (8 items) 

 9 266

Aerojet fact sheets (11 items) 

 9 267

Fact sheet mock-ups (4 items) 

 9 268

Mercury Atlas-9, reprint (1 item) 

 9 269

Orlando Sentinel, article on space art (1 item) 

 9 270

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Series III: Reference Material 

Mother Lode, California History 
box folder

Sutter's Fort, James Marshall (7 items) 

 10 271

Jack London (5 items) 

 10 272

Various images, California, etc. (11 items) 

 10 273

Relief of the Donner Party by Daniel Rhoads (7 items) 

 10 274

Newspaper articles on gold country (15 items) 

 10 275

Interview with oldtimers by Al Bequette (17 items) 

 10 276

Mother Lode, towns and mines (15 items) 

 10 277

Mother Lode, towns and mines (17 items) 

 10 278

El Dorado Hills (4 items) 

 10 279

Malakoff Diggins (3 items) 

 10 280

Auburn, Calif. (14 items) 

 10 281

Coloma, Calif. (8 items) 

 10 282

Articles on Lyman Gilmore (6 items) 

 10 283

Fort Ross (3 items) 

 10 284

The Story of Fort Ross by Thomas Crandall (2 copies) (93 items) 

 10 285

Diary of a 49-er by John Clifton (27 items) 

 10 286

Pioneer Lore by Lillian Lafaille (28 items) 

 10 287

Gold Rush Mining Camps (18 items) 

 10 288

A portion of the diary of John A. Markle (4 items) 

 10 289

James Marshall As I Knew Him by Thomas Bayley (9 items) 

 10 290

First Ferry on the American River by T. Bayley (4 items) 

 10 291

Bayley House, Columa, Calif. (11 items) 

 10 292

California during the gold rush by T. Bayley (9 items) 

 10 293

Sutter's Mill by Thomas Bayley (4 items) 

 10 294

Sales and Transfers of Sutter's Fort.by T. Bayley (9 items) 

 10 295

Reference material about trains (8 items) 

 10 296

Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks (booklet) (1 item) 

 10 297

Missions of California (booklet) (1 item) 

 10 298

The Gold Spike Album (booklet) (2 items) 

 10 299

Material relating to Gold Spike album (14 items) 

 10 300

Nevada County material (5 items) 

 10 301

Wagon trains (booklet) (1 item) 

 10 302

Camino, California map (1 item) 

 10 303

Directory to City of Nevada; Wells Fargo pamphl. (2 items) 

 10 304

Trains; Mathis' Miscellaneous Notes 
box folder

Trains, stereo cards (2 items) 

 11 305

Historic Southern Pacific Cars (booklet) (1 item) 

 11 306

Trains, various pamphlets (8 items) 

 11 307

Trains, newspaper clippings (35 items) 

 11 308

Yard limits (magazine) (2 items) 

 11 309

Pacific News (magazine) (1 item) 

 11 310

DeWitt Clinton (1 item) 

 11 311

Trains, various images (7 items) 

 11 312

Notes by Mathis on various topics, including gold rush, early California, pony express 

 11 313-323

Biographical notes on and by George Mathis (48 items) 

 11 324

Newspaper Depictions of Mathis' Work; Danger Trails Comics 
box folder

George Mathis life and work 1951-1979 (18 items) 

 12 325

The Independent, newspaper article @ Mathis (1 item) 

 12 326

George Mathis life and work, articles undated (4 items) 

 12 327

George Mathis space artist (4 items) 

 12 328

Historic issue newspaper, Mathis work (1 item) 

 12 329

Newspaper depictions of Mathis' work (17 items) 

 12 330

Depictions of work in color (2 items) 

 12 331

Depictions of George and Carol Mathis' work (7 items) 

 12 332

The Pacific Citizen (newspaper) (2 items) 

 12 333

Danger Trails comics (16 items) 

 12 334

Newspaper Articles on Space Flight with Mathis Illustrations; Aerojet Material, Contracts 
box folder

Space flight, steam rocketry (2 items) 

 13 335

Sea launching (1 item) 

 13 336

Space flight, Gemini 3 (2 items) 

 13 337

Space flight, Gemini 4 (4 items) 

 13 338

Gemini 5 and 7 (2 items) 

 13 339

Miscellaneous (5 items) 

 13 340

Titan III-C rocket (8 items) 

 13 341

Apollo flight, M-1 engine (2 items) 

 13 342

Mechanical drafts (9 items) 

 13 343

Newsletter, Flight Deck (17 items) 

 13 344

Consolidated Vultee, drawings (9 items) 

 13 345

Aerojet, Mathis contracts (6 items) 

 13 346

Aerojet, Booster (in house publication) (13 items) 

 13 347

Aerojet, Gemini supplier conference (pamphlet) (3 items) 

 13 348

Aerojet publications (2 items) 

 13 349

Aerojet, annual reports (6 items) 

 13 350

Aerojet, security manual (1 item) 

 13 351

Aerojet notes (11 items) 

 13 352

Space Flight Magazine, Astrophilatelist... (7 items) 

 13 353

National Rocket Safety Registry Program, misc. (13 items) 

 13 354

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Series IV: College Mementos, Correspondence, Advertisements, etc. 

School and College Mementos; Correspondence 
box folder

School, wedding certificates (3 items) 

 14 355

High school diploma (Hoquiam) (1 item) 

 14 356

High school annual, Hesperian (1 item) 

 14 357

College momentos, newspaper clippings (23 items) 

 14 358

National Guard service certificate (2 items) 

 14 359

College momentos (3 items) 

 14 360

College diploma, State College of Washington (1 item) 

 14 361

Correspondence, J.H. Sadler 1909 (2 items) 

 14 362

Correspondence, family and church 1920 1927 (6 items) 

 14 363

Correspondence, State College of Washington (4 items) 

 14 364

Correspondence, parents 1933-1943 (19 items) 

 14 365

Correspondence, Jean Mathis (4 items) 

 14 366

Correspondence, friends (3 items) 

 14 367

Correspondence, Elton Bennett (3 items) 

 14 368

Correspondence, letters of appreciation (35 items) 

 14 369

Correspondence, Bonnie Flint, Edwin Markham School (1 item) 

 14 370

Correspondence, re: reference pictures and materials (12 items) 

 14 371

Correspondence, Aerojet (26 items) 

 14 372

Correspondence, thank-yous, Aerojet (2 items) 

 14 373

Correspondence, thank-yous, Gold Spike Album 1967-1970 (7 items) 

 14 374

Correspondence, thank-yous, Smithsonian acquisition 1968-1971 (11 items) 

 14 375

Correspondence, thank-yous, art proposals (3 items) 

 14 376

Correspondence, thank-yous, business dealings, gifts and loans (37 items) 

 14 377

Correspondence, thank-yous, use of Mathis prints (10 items) 

 14 378

Correspondence, thank-yous, re: newspaper release (4 items) 

 14 379

Correspondence, thank-yous, letters of thanks from children (21 items) 

 14 380

Correspondence, thank-yous, miscellaneous (4 items) 

 14 381

Correspondence, thank-yous, copyright claims and certificates (30 items) 

 14 382

Advertisements of Work; Sketches of Friday House 
box folder

Advertisements for Mathis prints (9 items) 

 15 383

Catalogues of work at Friday House (5 items) 

 15 384

Advertisements and price lists (18 items) 

 15 385

Mock-ups for advertisement signs (6 items) 

 15 386

Advertisement, George Mathis (3 items) 

 15 387

Newspaper advertisements of work (9 items) 

 15 388

Advertisements of Mathis lithographs (4 items) 

 15 389

Signs, price tags for Friday House (42 items) 

 15 390

Signs, price tags for Friday House (23 items) 

 15 391

Signs, price tags for Friday House (8 items) 

 15 392

House plan sketches for Friday House 

 15 393-400

Sympathy Cards and Letters; Hugh and Helen Mathis Items 
box folder

Sympathy cards and letters (20 items) 

 16 401

Sympathy cards and letters (56 items) 

 16 402

Sympathy guest list (1 item) 

 16 403

Hugh and Helen Mathis wedding book (1 item) 

 16 404

Hugh and Helen Mathis correspondence (8 items) 

 16 405

Hugh and Helen Mathis estate matters, deeds, wills (24 items) 

 16 406

Film and Video Materials 
box folder

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) 

 17 407

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) 

 18 408

Awards and Plaques 
box folder

Awards and plaques (5 items) 

 19 409

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Series V: Oversize photos, sketches, commercial art 
box folder

Oversize photos (train, Malakoff Diggings) (6 items) 

 20 410

Commercial art (11 items) 

 20 411

Elton Bennett silkscreens (2 items) 

 20 412

House plan (1 item) 

 20 413

Rough sketches (2 items) 

 20 414

Florida-Orlando Sentinel (space art article) (1 item) 

 20 415

Signed prints: Vineyard House, Coloma, 1878; Sierra Nevada House III, Coloma; Friday House, Coloma. Gift of Pat Davis, 2007. (3 items) 

 20 416

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

Original Pencil Drawings 

Wharfside, Oakland 1930-1939 
box-folder item

Estuary 1933 

 o.s./1 1

Estuary 1933 

 o.s./1 2

Oakland Estuary 1935 

 o.s./1 3

Wharfside, Oakland 1935 

 o.s./1 4

Church Near 20th and San Pablo, Oakland 1935 

 o.s./1 5

Oakland 1936 

 o.s./1 6

Bay area, Mother Lode 1940-1949 
box-folder item

Half Moon Bay 1940 

 o.s./2 7

Half Moon Bay 1940 

 o.s./2 8

Santa Cruz 1941 

 o.s./2 9

Half Moon Bay 1943 

 o.s./2 10

Carmel Mission 1944 

 o.s./2 11

La Port 1945 

 o.s./2 12

St. Louis 1945 

 o.s./2 13

Mill Street, Grass Valley 1949 

 o.s./2 14

Masachusetts Hill 1949 

 o.s./2 15

Cannon at Indian Valley 1949 

 o.s./2 16

Rainbow Lodge 1949 

 o.s./2 17

Fairyland, Oakland, Gold Country 1950 
box-folder item

Beckwourth's Cabin, Sierra Valley 1950 

 o.s./3 18

Weather Station, Soda Springs 1950 

 o.s./3 19

Indian Valley Outpost 1950 

 o.s./3 20

Fiddle Creek 1950 

 o.s./3 21

Trinity Episcopal Church, Nevada City 1950 

 o.s./3 22

Blacksmith Shop 1950 

 o.s./3 23

Hooker Oak 1950 

 o.s./3 24

Chief Solano 1950 

 o.s./3 25

Yosemite Valley 1950 

 o.s./3 26

Reliance Hose Company #3, Grass Valley (framed) 1950 

 o.s./3 27

Rattlesnake Bar on the American River (framed) 1950 

 o.s./3 28

Fairyland, Oakland 1950 

 o.s./3 29

Oakland Fairyland (castle, geese) 1950 

 o.s./3 30

Oakland Fairyland (whale) 1950 

 o.s./3 31

Fairyland, Oakland (windmill) 1950 

 o.s./3 32

Fairyland, Oakland (old woman, shoe) 1950 

 o.s./3 33

Oakland Fairyland (boat and pond) 1950 

 o.s./3 34

Oakland Fairyland (house, pond, geese) 1950 

 o.s./3 35

Nevada City, Railroads, Mining 1951-1959 
box-folder item

Methodist Church, Nevada City 1951 

 o.s./4 36

University Campus, Reno, Nevada 1951 

 o.s./4 37

Cathedral, Reno, Nevada 1951 

 o.s./4 38

Young America Mine, Sardine Lake 1951 

 o.s./4 39

Sierra Buttes, Calif. 1951 

 o.s./4 40

Lone Grave 1952 

 o.s./4 41

Bethlehem, (Israel) 1952 

 o.s./4 42

(Farm buildings) 1952 

 o.s./4 43

Bodie Wagons 1952 

 o.s./4 44

Lola Montez House, Grass Valley 1953 

 o.s./4 45

Ott's Assay Office, Nevada City 1953 

 o.s./4 46

Home in Nevada City, Calif. 1953 

 o.s./4 47

Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad 1954 

 o.s./4 48

North San Juan 1954 

 o.s./4 49

Central Pacific at Cisco 1955 

 o.s./4 50

Town Talk, Nevada County Narrow Gauge R.R. 1955 

 o.s./4 51

Bassetts Station, Yuba Pass, 1895 1955 

 o.s./4 52

La Port 1955 

 o.s./4 53

Bowman Ranch in 1863 1957 

 o.s./4 54

Sierra Railroad, Chinese Hill 1957 

 o.s./4 55

Alleghany sixteen-to-one-mine 1958 

 o.s./4 56

Blacksmith Shop, rough and ready 1959 

 o.s./4 57

Nevada City Traction Co. Glen Brook Barns, 1901-1924 1959 

 o.s./4 58

Sierra Nevadas, Cities, Mines, etc. 1960-1969 
box-folder item

Glen Canyon Bridge near Santa Cruz 1960 

 o.s./5 59

Sutter's Sawmill 1960 

 o.s./5 60

Sentinal Dome, Yosemite 1960 

 o.s./5 61

Gold Center Mine, Grass Valley 1960 

 o.s./5 62

Holbrook Hotel, Grass Valley 1960 

 o.s./5 63

Tremoureux House, Grass Valley 1960 

 o.s./5 64

Cohn House, Folsom Calif. 1961 

 o.s./5 65

The Mighty Malakoff Diggins, North Bloomfield, 1961 1969 

 o.s./5 66

Bear Valley Overlook 1963 

 o.s./5 67

Bear River Trestle 1963 

 o.s./5 68

Rollins Reservoir 1963 

 o.s./5 69

Solano County 1966 

 o.s./5 70

Oriental Mine 1968 

 o.s./5 71

Coloma 1969 

 o.s./5 72

Folsom Depot and Shops, Sacramento Valley R.R., 1856 1969 

 o.s./5 73

(Stone wall ruin, aspens) 1969 

 o.s./5 74

Pippins Blacksmith Shop, Rough and Ready 1969 

 o.s./5 75

Old Time Sprinkler Wagon 1969 

 o.s./5 76

Red Castle, 1859 1969 

 o.s./5 77

Odd Fellows Hall, Coloma, Calif. 1969 

 o.s./5 78

Entrance to Fort Santiago, Walled City, Manila, The Philippines 1969 

 o.s./5 79

The Antelope (river steamer) 1969 

 o.s./5 80

The oldest existing R.R. Station in the West, Folsom, Calif. 1969 

 o.s./5 81

Thomas Flyer, New York to Paris, 1909 1969 

 o.s./5 82

Mother Lode 1970-1979 
box-folder item

Sutter Mill 1970 

 o.s./6 83

Nevada City Overlook 1970 

 o.s./6 84

St. John's, Coloma 1970 

 o.s./6 85

Marshall's Cabin 1970 

 o.s./6 86

Commander's Headquarters, Ft. Ross 1970 

 o.s./6 87

Academy, Grass Valley 1970 

 o.s./6 88

Le Compton Mine 1971 

 o.s./6 89

Old Sacramento 1971 

 o.s./6 90

Star of Texas 1972 

 o.s./6 91

Paper Mill Creek 1972 

 o.s./6 92

Lawyer's Office, Nevada City 1972 

 o.s./6 93

Kidder Mansion 1972 

 o.s./6 94

Donner Monument 1972 

 o.s./6 95

Donation Day House, Grass Valley, 1883 1972 

 o.s./6 96

Early sketches, undated 
box-folder item

(Rock formation) 

 o.s./7 97

(Boulders, canyon) 

 o.s./7 98

(Trees, fence) 

 o.s./7 99

(Mountain, trees) 

 o.s./7 100

(Tree trunk, trees, boulders) 

 o.s./7 101

Early sketches, dockside, Oakland, undated 
box-folder item

(Delapitated building on rocky shore) 

 o.s./8 102

(Wharfside, fishing docks) 

 o.s./8 103

(Fishing boats, dock, man) 

 o.s./8 104

(Shipyard dock) 

 o.s./8 105

(Warehouses, wharfside) 

 o.s./8 106

(Boats, dock) 

 o.s./8 107

(Wharf scene) 

 o.s./8 108

Fisherman's wharf 

 o.s./8 109

(Fishing boat, dock scene) 

 o.s./8 110

(Building, fence, street) 

 o.s./8 111

(Small house, garden, fence) 

 o.s./8 112

(Old houses/shacks, old truck) 

 o.s./8 113

(Warehouses, shacks) 

 o.s./8 114

(Two sketches of detail) 

 o.s./8 115

(Houses among trees) 

 o.s./8 116

(House, cistern) 

 o.s./8 117

(Old house, tree) 

 o.s./8 118

Jack London wrote here 

 o.s./8 119

Trains, Bay Area, landscapes, undated 
box-folder item

Sacramento Valley Railroad 1856 

 o.s./9 120

Washoe City 

 o.s./9 121

Pino Grande, North Anchor 

 o.s./9 122

(Rusting engine and caboose) 

 o.s./9 123

Turning the Engine 

 o.s./9 124

(Steam locomotive, steam boat) 

 o.s./9 125

(Train, river trestle) 

 o.s./9 126

(Water wheel) (image taped together) 

 o.s./9 127

Rio Vista (signed, "Old Riverboat Docks") 1940 

 o.s./9 128

Golden Gate 

 o.s./9 129

Corregidor 

 o.s./9 130

A Part of Battery Way, Corregidor 

 o.s./9 131

Oregon Creek Covered Bridge 

 o.s./9 132

(Covered bridge with buckboard wagon) 

 o.s./9 133

Wood's Road 

 o.s./9 134

(Meadow, mountains) 

 o.s./9 135

(Large trees forground, lake with an island) 

 o.s./9 136

(Mountainous setting) 

 o.s./9 137

(Signed, "Lotus" on board--mountain valley, farm) 

 o.s./9 138

(Basalt mountain) 

 o.s./9 139

Mining, Cities in Mother Lode, undated 
box-folder item

Pelton Wheel at Champion Mine 

 o.s./10 140

Sutter's Famous Saw Mill 

 o.s./10 141

(Sutter's sawmill, Coloma, Calif.) 

 o.s./10 142

(Oxen-pulled covered wagons) 

 o.s./10 143

Chinese at the Mines 1852 

 o.s./10 144

The "Fort Sutter" at Three Mile Slough 

 o.s./10 145

Site of Yore Bros. Toll Bridge 

 o.s./10 146

Freeman's Crossing 

 o.s./10 147

(Kentucky Mine) -signed, Jean George Mathis 

 o.s./10 148

Brush Creek Tunnel #2, Goodyears Bar 

 o.s./10 149

Mine? 

 o.s./10 150

Sutter's Office at Sutter's Fort 

 o.s./10 151

Red Bank Winery Building, Folsom 

 o.s./10 152

Freeway view, Auburn, CA 

 o.s./10 153

(Old school or church in woods) 

 o.s./10 154

Nevada City 1950 

 o.s./10 155

National Hotel 

 o.s./10 156

(Horse and buggy, abandoned bldgs.) 

 o.s./10 157

Christmas at Grass Valley Mines 1860 

 o.s./10 158

" " " " --two-part panorama 

 o.s./10 159

(Nevada City) 

 o.s./10 160

Nevada City in the 80's 

 o.s./10 161

Auburn Old Town 

 o.s./10 162

(View of city bldgs. Auburn, CA) 

 o.s./10 163

Sierra City (Calif.) 

 o.s./10 164

Methodist Church, Downieville 1855 

 o.s./10 165

Downieville (Calif.) 

 o.s./10 166

Houses, Buildings, undated 
box-folder item

(Large house, stagecoach in front) 

 o.s./11 167

Bidwell Mansion 

 o.s./11 168

Sacramento Street, Coloma (Calif.) 

 o.s./11 169

(The Red Castle) (cut drawing, also written on) 

 o.s./11 170

M.L. Marsh house built in 1873 

 o.s./11 171

(Horse drawn street car) 

 o.s./11 172

Lola Montez Home, Grass Valley 

 o.s./11 173

Miner's Foundry 

 o.s./11 174

Home of Edward C. Coleman, Grass Valley 1863 

 o.s./11 175

Maltman Homestead (two-piece, cut drawing) 

 o.s./11 176

North San Juan 

 o.s./11 177

Bldg. Rough and Ready 

 o.s./11 178

(Brick House) 

 o.s./11 179

(Back alley view of houses) 

 o.s./11 180

(Victorian style house) 

 o.s./11 181

(Cabin among trees) 

 o.s./11 182

(House/hillside/river/trees/horse carriage) 

 o.s./11 183

Clark, Booth and Yardley, 9th H St. 1885 

 o.s./11 184

A.D. Foote--North Star House Built in 1906 

 o.s./11 185

(Church on hillside) 

 o.s./11 186

(Old shacks, tree) 

 o.s./11 187

Lithos, Offset Reproductions 

San Francisco, Bay Area, Missions (lithos) 
box-folder item

Golden Gate Bridge, A/P 

 o.s./12 188

Chinese Telephone Exchange, A/P 

 o.s./12 189

Powell and Market, A/P 

 o.s./12 190

(Downtown San Francisco, incomplete) 

 o.s./12 191

(Downtown San Francisco) 

 o.s./12 192

Coit Tower, A/P 

 o.s./12 193

Japanese Tea Gardens, Golden Gate,A/P 

 o.s./12 194

Opera House, San Francisco, A/P 

 o.s./12 195

(Condominiums?) 

 o.s./12 196

Seal Rocks, A/P 

 o.s./12 197

Pt. Pinos Lighthouse 

 o.s./12 198

Cannery Row, A/P 

 o.s./12 199

Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey, A/P 

 o.s./12 200

Carmel Beach, A/P 

 o.s./12 201

Juan Vardas' Home, Monterey, A/P 

 o.s./12 202

Monterey Cypress, A/P 

 o.s./12 203

Royal Presidio Chapel at Monterey, A/P 

 o.s./12 204

Carmel Mission 

 o.s./12 205

Carmel Mission, A/P 

 o.s./12 206

Mission Dolores, S.F., A/P 

 o.s./12 207

Mission Dolores 

 o.s./12 208

Landscapes, Mining area (lithos) 
box-folder item

Mt. Shasta, A/P 

 o.s./13 209

Yosemite, A/P 

 o.s./13 210

Yosemite Falls, A/P 

 o.s./13 211

El Capitan, Yosemite, A/P 

 o.s./13 212

Three Grizzly Bears, A/P 

 o.s./13 213

Bears, A/P 

 o.s./13 214

Sentinel Dome 

 o.s./13 215

Cliffs at Muford Lake, A/P (front) 305 Will Street, A/P (back) 

 o.s./13 216

Red Woods, A/P 

 o.s./13 217

Red Woods, A/P 

 o.s./13 218

Burning Falls, A/P 

 o.s./13 219

Muir Woods, A/P 

 o.s./13 220

Entrance to Muir Woods, A/P 

 o.s./13 221

Muir Woods, A/P 

 o.s./13 222

Unfinished (failed plate), redwood tree 

 o.s./13 223

Sanford Lake, A/P 

 o.s./13 224

Grey Eagle Creek 

 o.s./13 225

Grey Eagle Lake, A/P (front) Mary Had a Little Lamb, A/P (back) 1950 

 o.s./13 226

North San Juan, A/P 

 o.s./13 227

National Hotel, Nevada City 

 o.s./13 228

Arrastra at Scott's Valley, A/P 

 o.s./13 229

Minden, Nevada, A/P (image on litho plate, fldr. XV) 

 o.s./13 230

Lola Montez Blar? House, A/P 

 o.s./13 231

Grande Ranch, R R, A/P 

 o.s./13 232

Auburn Old Town, A/P 1949 

 o.s./13 233

The Covered Bridge at Bridgeport 

 o.s./13 234

Auburn 

 o.s./13 235

(Old church) 

 o.s./13 236

Empire's Blacksmith, A/P 

 o.s./13 237

Rough and Ready, A/P 1949 

 o.s./13 238

Amador City, A/P 1948 

 o.s./13 239

Sierra City, A/P 

 o.s./13 240

Emmanuel Episcopal Church, A/P 1952 

 o.s./13 241

Romaggie House, Angel's Camp, A/P 1948 

 o.s./13 242

Brush Creek Mine 1949 

 o.s./13 243

Nevada City's Red Castle, A/P (hand-colored) 

 o.s./13 244

North San Juan (hand-colored) 1948 

 o.s./13 245

Columbia (hand-colored) 

 o.s./13 246

Nevada City Firehouse #2 (hand-colored) 

 o.s./13 247

Benfeldt Mine, Smith's Flat 10/200 

 o.s./13 248

Offset Reproductions 

Mining, Trains, Cities 
box-folder item

Placer Mining Methods 

 o.s./14 249

Sutter's Sawmill, Coloma 

 o.s./14 250

The Mighty Malakoff Diggins, North Bloomfield 

 o.s./14 251

Nevada Theater 1865 

 o.s./14 252

Bassett's Station 

 o.s./14 253

Michigan Log Buggy 

 o.s./14 254

Folsom 

 o.s./14 255

Empire Mine 

 o.s./14 256

Sacramento Embarcadero 

 o.s./14 257

Sacramento Valley R.R 1856 

 o.s./14 258

Pino Grande, North Anchor 

 o.s./14 259

Feather River Railroad 

 o.s./14 260

Nevada County Narrow Gauge R.R. at Towntalk 

 o.s./14 261

Chinese Hill (Sierra Railroad) 

 o.s./14 262

Central Pacific R.R. at Cisco 1865 

 o.s./14 263

Governor's Mansion, Sacramento, Built in 1877 

 o.s./14 264

Public Market (Sacramento) 1923 

 o.s./14 265

3rd and J Street, Sacramento (Old Sacramento) 1950 

 o.s./14 266

(China Union Lines; Port of Sacramento) 

 o.s./14 267

Meet Me At the Golden Bear (State Fair Bldg.) 

 o.s./14 268

Leland Stanford Home, Sacramento 

 o.s./14 269

"The Tin Lizzies rambled into growing Davis under the Second Street Arch during World War One Years" 

 o.s./14 270

Gemini launchpad (2 copies) 

 o.s./14 271

Miscellaneous 
box-folder item

(Mock up, rocket engines for Apollo) 

 o.s./15 272

(Von Karmen) 

 o.s./15 273

Aerojet poster, rocket engines 

 o.s./15 274

Knights Ferry, drawing by Jean Mathis 

 o.s./15 275

Litho plate for George Mathis drawing "Minden, Nevada" 

 o.s./15 276

Space rocketry collage (photo) 

 o.s./15 277

Gemini engines/astronauts (photo) 

 o.s./15 278

Example of Danger Trails comics, drawn by George Mathis and his brother-in-law Bill Steward 

 o.s./15 279

"The Chuckwagon" watercolor mock-up by George Mathis 

 o.s./15 280

Two sketches and seven commercial art samples 

 o.s./15 281-289

Jack Lond's Benicia. Gift from Harold Levy. 

 o.s./15 290

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

Silt Wheels at Jackson 

 21/16 290

Sierra City 

 21/16 291

Firehouse Number Two - Nevada City 

 21/16 292

North San Juan 

 21/16 292

Dutch Flat Hotel 

 21/16 294

Columbia St. Scene 

 21/16 295

Amador City 

 21/16 296

The Red Castle - Nevada City 

 21/16 297

North San Juan - Nevada County 

 21/16 298

Chinese Camp 

 21/16 299

The Blacksmith Shop at Rough and Ready 

 21/16 300

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