Archive for August 2006
28 August 2006
I received this feedback with a picture, so I have included it here.
"Thank you for the site. I've been a fan of his work since my early school days when the books on space travel he illustrated came out.
I'm a professional Model Builder and his work, and others like him, has been a constant source of wonderment and inspiration.
Thank you for the site. A great look back on 'what might have been' through the eyes of a careful and studied illustrator."
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24 August 2006
I have found a excellent blog entry about Jack, posted by Fred Ray on August 21, 2006, who has kindly given permission to reproduce his article.
"I was sorry to learn of the death of artist Jack Coggins in January at age 94. His family put up a web site about him that gives the details of his life and work. Although Coggins is best known as a maritime painter, he had many other interests besides. As a kid in high school I also used to avidly read the books on space travel that he co-wrote and illustrated with other authors like Fletcher Pratt and Willy Ley.
We in the Civil War community remember him for the one book he did on the Late Unpleasantness, Arms and Equipment of the Civil War. Lavishly and accurately illustrated with precision drawings like the one below of the Sharps rifle, the book stands up well even after forty years. It is still in print in soft cover, but I found a first edition hard cover on line for only $10.
I never met Coggins, but I did have some contact with him. When collecting the final artwork for the sharpshooter book, I wrote and asked him if I could use some the illustrations in Arms and Equipment. To tell the truth, I was surprised he was still with us. I'd queried the publisher, who informed me that Coggins still controlled all the rights. It was worth a try, so I looked up his address and sent a letter with a release form. To my surprise he signed and returned it, granting permission for the book and web site. I think it really added a lot, as it's hard to get that kind of quality these days.
So I will always be grateful to the man, whose work I have admired for many years. I was sorry, however, to see that he passed away before being able to see the finished book. So Godspeed, Jack, and thanks."
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22 August 2006
In regard to the previous article on the Tredegar Foundry, I have managed to make contact with the right person in Ethyl Corporation, who very kindly located the painting and sent images. The name of the painting quoted in the previous article was not correct, it is called "The Casting of a Brooke Gun" and I have reproduced a low resolution image of it below. Apparently this is the painting that the researcher was looking for, and he will now be able to include it in his presentation. He has offered to send some information on his presentation, so we will look forward to seeing it.
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14 August 2006
I have been contacted by a website visitor looking for an image of a Jack Coggins painting of Tredegar Foundry - I was unable to assist but I am doing some further research.
The Tredegar Gun Foundry was built on the James River in Richmond, Virginia in 1861 and manufactured cannon for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Now owned by neighbouring Ethyl Corporation, it is one of five historic buildings on the 8.3 acre Tredegar site. Click here for more about the Tredegar Foundry.
In 1981 Jack Coggins was commissioned to execute a painting titled, "Tredegar Foundry, c. 1861" for the Ethyl Corporation restoration of the historic Tredegar Foundry building.
In February of 1986, a backhoe operator accidentally discovered four 10lb Tredegar Foundry Parrott Guns in Chester, South Carolina, while digging a trench for his church's annex building. Each gun tube was severely damaged and was loaded with "live" shells. S.C. state Archaeologist and the University of S.C. Dept. of Archaeology and Anthropology disarmed all four gun tubes and they were repaired for display. Click here for more about Parrott guns.
One of the gun tubes was subsequently sent to South Bend Indiana, where a modern cannon manufacturer placed a protective steel sleeve in the barrel enabling this one tube to be safely fired again in Civil War re-enanctments. The enquirer is giving a presentation on the four guns and wants to use an image of Jack's painting as part of the presentation.
The image below is Tredegar Foundry on the banks of the James River, Richmond, VA in 1865, and Jack's painting may be similar in composition to this photo.
The image below left is Tredegar Foundry as it is today, and on the right is an example of a Parrott gun or rifle.
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9 August 2006
A while back, I sent a request to the US Military Records Center for a copy of Jack's War Service Record. On their website they advise that on July 12, 1973, there was a fire in their archives, during which a large number of service records were lost or damaged, so I wasn't too hopeful.
Today, I received a reply from the Center with some typed information and a photocopy of Jack's military record card showing the top edge partially burned away - it must have been a close thing! Fortunately all the information is readable, and fills in a few blanks in my information.
The records show that he served in campaigns in Normandy, Northern France and Air Offensive. He was awarded the American Campaign Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Service Stars, Good Conduct Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, WWII Victory Medal and Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII.
Jack was inducted into the US Army on April 8, 1943 and after a short training period commenced duty with the Morale Section, Special Service Division (i.e. US YANK magazine) on May 20, 1943, located at 205 E 42nd St, New York City (which apparently still contains US Federal offices). The previous item contains an interesting old photo of the office.
About October 16, 1943 he was transferred to the HQ Def UK Base (i.e. British YANK) where he remained until August 2, 1945. He was officially discharged on November 3, 1945 with the rank of Sergeant.
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9 August 2006
Currently on eBay there is a very interesting piece of memorabilia for sale. Click Here to have a look at the item.
It is a copy of a book "The Best of Yank" with 52 autographs and original signed sketches by George Baker (Sad Sack) and others on the YANK staff. Also included is a photograph of the office staff from 19 September 1944 (alas, long after Jack's departure) and a letter naming most of the staff.
The photograph (shown below) includes George Baker at his desk right at the back of the room - Jack told me that he sat near him in the New York office, but from the cramped layout, many of the staff would have been near George Baker!!
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8 August 2006
I received an email from a friend of Jack and Alma's (see feedback) mentioning another great friend, Mary Hamman. This is an extract from a Wikipedia entry on Mary Hamman. Click here to see the full entry.
Mary Hamman (2 August 1907 – 18 November 1984) was an American writer and editor. She was an editor for Pictorial Review, Good Housekeeping, Mademoiselle, the modern living editor for LIFE, editor in chief for Bride & Home.
Jack Coggins a friend from the days of LIFE and later a neighbor said:
I've never laughed more than at some of Mary's stories — they came out visually like comic strips. You could see her father's Christmas turkey from a grateful patient, safely anaesthetized, plucked and put over-night in the ice-box — until it leaped out at the first early riser and ran naked and squawking through the startled house...
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