Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Vassos, John, 1898-1989
Title:	John Vassos Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1914-1981
Quantity:	9.0 linear ft.
Abstract:	The collection consists of the artwork and professional papers of John Vassos. Arranged in four categories (Correspondence-Subject File, Artwork, Writings, and Memorabilia), the collection focuses on Vassos' creative efforts as an arts administrator (Silvermine Guild of Artists), an innovative illustrator (The Ballad of Reading Gaol, Phobia), and an industrial designer. The collection includes correspondence, designs, drawings, photographs, paintings, essays, books, memorabilia and printed material.
Language:	Bulk of the collection in English, some items in Greek
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives

Biographical History

Greek-American industrial designer, painter, illustrator, author, Vassos worked to establish industrial design as a profession with a strong academic foundation. A founding member of the American Designers Institute (ADI) and the Industrial Designers' Institute (IDI), Vassos played a major role in the 1965 merger of the Industrial Designers' Institute (IDI), the American Society of Industrial Designers (ASID), and the Industrial Design Education Association (IDEA) to form the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

Spanning the years 1928-1981, the collection consists of the artwork and professional papers of the Greek-American artist, author, industrial designer, and illustrator John Vassos (1898-1985). Arranged in four categories (Correspondence-subject files, artwork, writings, and memorabilia), the collection focuses on Vassos' creative efforts as an arts administrator (Silvermine Guild of Artists), an innovative illustrator (Salome, The Ballad of Reading Gaol , The Harlot's House, Contempo, Ultimo, Gray's Elegy, Kubla Khan, Phobia, Humanities, ), and an industrial designer (accordians for Hohner; computers, an electron microscope, radios, and televisions for RCA; as well as corporate logos, shotguns, and turnstyles).

The collection also reflects Vassos' work in establishing Industrial Design as a profession with a strong academic foundation. Collection materials testify to Vassos' efforts to educate businessmen with the help of other designers and to speak with design students at Syracuse University, the University of Bridgeport, and the University of Cincinnati. A founding member of the American Designers Institute (ADI) and the Industrial Designers' Institute (IDI), Vassos played a major role in the 1965 merger of the Industrial Designers' Institute (IDI), the American Society of Industrial Designers (ASID), and the Industrial Design Education Association (IDEA) to form the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).

Correspondence-Subject Files contains correspondence and related material from clients, colleagues and friends, and organizations. Among Vassos' clients were Kuljian, Prudential Lines, Inc., and the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), and material includes correspondence, designs, publications, and memorabilia relating to these companies. Colleagues and friends whose correspondence is represented include Constantinos Doxiadis, Martin Kamin, Tucker Madawick, Joseph Parriott, Arthur Pulos, and Rex Rand. Organizational material, consisting of correspondence, publications, and memorabilia, relates to the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and the Silvermine Guild of Artists. The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) materials pertain to the early organizational structure of the Society and also feature designs by Vassos.

Artwork includes designs (Bendix, "The Bible," M. Hohner, Inc., and Italian Lines Steamship Agency, Inc.) and drawings as well asoriginal and published illustrations. There are also photographs of some of Vassos' paintings and reproductions of some of his other work.

Writingswhich Vassos wrote and illustrated as well as drafts and published versions of essays constitute Writings. Essays, many of which concern the contributions of industrial design to society, appeared in various design and corporate journals, regional magazines, and newspapers.

Memorabilia comprises calendars, financial and legal material, documents pertaining to Vassos' military career, and assorted printed material.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Several books that came with the collection have been transferred to Rare Books for cataloging. They are identified in the inventory below. Please refer to Libraries Search to locate these items

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

John Vassos Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Finding Aid Information

Created by: JoD
Date: Oct 1991
Revision history: 13 Jul 2005 - EAD file created (MRR); 12 Jun 2013 - map-case locations updated (MRC); 8 Jul 2025 - collection rehoused, small number of additions, inventory expanded, corrected, and updated (MRC)

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Inventory

	Biographical material
Box 1		Miscellaneous 1938, 1963-1974, undated (2 folders)

	Correspondence-subject files
Box 1		A misc. 1958-1973, undated
Box 1		Allcom Company, Inc. 1964, 1966
		American Designers Institute (ADI)
			See Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
Box 1		American Society for Neo-Hellenic Studies, Inc. 1964, 1973
		American Society of Industrial Designers (ASID)
			See Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
Box 1		The Argonaut 1972, 1974
Box 1		Atlantis 1972, undated
Box 1		B misc. 1961-1973
Box 1		Baer, Albert M. 1964-1974
Box 1		Baldwin, Faith undated
Box 1		Buttitta, Tony 1968
Box 1		C misc. 1965-1973
Box 1		Carrier, Ruth (Vassos' wife) 1922-1929, undated (2 folders)
		Chapman, David
			See Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
Box 1		Cherepov, George 1968
Box 1		Christian, John undated
Box 1		Columbia University 1963-1974
Box 1		D misc. 1952-1973
Box 1		Doxiadis, Constantinos A. [Kōnstantinos Apostolou Doxiadēs] 1965-1971
Box 1		E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc. 1968-1975
Box 1		E-F misc. 1962-1973
Box 1		Felix, Mary 1973-1974
			See also American Society for Neo-Hellenic Studies, Inc.
Box 1		Field trial clubs 1949-1962, undated (2 folders)
Box 1		Finch College Museum of Art 1970
Box 1		French, Benjamin I. 1975-1977
			See also Radio Corporation of America (RCA).
Box 1		G misc. 1950-1974, undated
Box 1		Guilfoyle, Roger 1971, undated
Box 1		H-I misc. 1966-1974
Box 1		Industrial Design Education Association (IDEA)
			See Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
Box 1		Industrial Designers' Institute (IDI)
			See Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
		Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA)
Box 1			Correspondence, general 1948-1962, undated (2 folders)
Box 2			Correspondence, general 1963-1971 Jul, undated (13 folders)
Box 3			Correspondence, general 1971 Aug-1978, undated (1 folder)
Box 3			Bylaws 1964-1969, undated (2 folders)
			Committees
Box 3				Bicentennial of American Design 1974
Box 3				Education 1958-1967, undated (2 folders)
Box 3				Grievance 1967 (2 folders)
Box 3				IDI/ASID Inter-Society 1964-1965
Box 3				Licensing 1949, 1965-1968 (3 folders)
Box 3				Nominating 1965
Box 3				Safety undated
Box 4			Designs 1941-1981
Oversize 1			Designs
			Meetings
Box 4				Board of Directors 1965-1969 (5 folders)
				Design awards
					See Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA): Meetings: National.
Box 4				National 1951-1965 (2 folders)
Box 4				Regional 1956-1967
Box 4			Membership directories 1952-1970 (2 folders)
			Publications
Box 4				News releases, various 1965, undated
Box 4				News releases about Vassos circa 1955, 1971-1978, undated
Box 4				Periodicals - ms drafts, production records
Box 5				Periodicals - ms drafts, production records (2 folders)
Box 5				Periodicals, various issues 1941-1973 (4 folders)
Box 5			Reports 1956-1966
			Memorabilia
Box 5				Clippings 1965
Box 5				Printed material about IDSA 1953-1972
Box 5				Miscellaneous
Box 5		Irwin, Donald 1972, undated
			See also Norwalk, CT.
Box 5		J-K misc. 1963-1973
Box 5		Kamin, Martin 1967-1971, undated
		Kaufmann, Edgar
			See Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
Box 5		Kiwanis Club 1971
		Kuljian
Box 5			Corporate identity program 1968, undated - designs, standards
Box 6			Correspondence 1968-1970, undated
Box 6			Promotional material undated (4 folders)
Box 6		L misc. 1965-1975
Box 6		Lilly, Elisabeth 1966-1973, undated
Box 6		Lord, Clifford Lee 1965
			See also Columbia University.
Box 6		M misc. 1963-1973, undated
Box 6		Madawick, Tucker P. 1963-1975
			See also Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and Radio Corporation of America (RCA).
		Miller, Leon Gordon
			See Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
Box 6		N misc. 1962-1972, undated
Box 6		National Art Museum of Sport 1962-1973, undated
Box 6		New York University 1950, 1952
Box 6		Norwalk, CT 1968-1975, undated
Box 6		O misc. 1942, 1971-1972, undated
Box 6		Onassis, Aristotle Socrates 1968
Box 6		P misc. 1964-1974
Box 6		Parriott, Joseph 1965, 1971
			See also Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
Box 6		Parsons School of Design 1964-1966
Box 7		Pavilions 1954-1958 (2 folders)
			See also Radio Corporation of America (RCA): Designs and Artwork: Designs: Pavilions.
Oversize 2		Pavilions 1964
Box 7		Perry, Helen Swick 1964
Box 7		Philadelphia Art Alliance 1964-1965, 1971, undated
Box 7		Pratt Institute 1954, 1971-1973, undated
		Prudential Lines, Inc.
Box 7			Correspondence 1965-1974, undated
			Designs
Box 7				Projects 1969, undated (4 folders)
Map-Case				Projects, oversize
Box 7				Standards 1970
Box 7				Promotional material drafts 1968-1969
Box 7				Promotional material undated
Box 7				Memorabilia 1967-1970 - clippimgs
Box 7		Pulos, Arthur
			See also Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and Syracuse University.
Box 7		Q-R misc. 1964-1974
		Radio Corporation of America (RCA)
Box 7			Correspondence, general 1945-1964 Apr, undated (2 folders)
Box 8			Correspondence, general 1964 May-1975, undated (4 folders)
Box 8			Committees, Advanced Design and Styling Center Advisory Board
			Designs
Box 8				The American Style 1964
Oversize 1				The American Style undated
Oversize 1				International sketches 1947, 1958-1959, undated (2 folders)
Oversize 3				International sketches 1947, 1958-1959, undated
Box 8				Magictron undated
Box 8				Pavilions undated
Oversize 3				Pavilions undated
Map-Case				Pavilions undated
Box 8				Projects, miscellaneous undated (2 folders)
Oversize 1				Projects, miscellaneous
Map-Case				Projects, miscellaneous
Box 8				Standards 1949, 1954, 1969, undated (2 folders)
Box 9				Standards 1968-1969, undated (2 folders)
Box 9				Trademark 1967
			Publications
Box 9				Annual reports 1959-1974 (4 folders)
Box 9				Broadcast News 1948, 1960-1961, 1968, 1969 - miscellaneous issues (3 folders)
Box 9				News releases 1960, 1970-1972, undated - includes photograph
Box 10				Periodicals, miscellaneous issues 1960, 1964
Box 10				Promotional material 1942-1947, 1950, undated (5 folders)
Box 10				RCA Art Collection undated
Box 10				Reports by Vassos 1962, 1972, undated
Box 10				Reports, miscellaneous 1942, 1972, undated (2 folders)
				Memorabilia
Box 10					Clippings 1952, 1968-1969, 1976, undated
Box 10					Vassos tribute 1970 - includes photographs
Box 11					Miscellaneous 1953, 1968, undated - includes photographs
Box 11		Rand, Rex 1954-1973, undated
Box 11		Risom, Jens 1958-1959
Box 11		Rockefeller, Nelson A. 1970
Box 11		Russian Dollar Bondholders Committee of the U.S.A. 1964-1973, undated
Box 11		S misc. 1955-1973, undated
Box 11		Silvermine Guild of Artists 1950-1973, undated (2 folders)
Oversize 2		Silvermine Guild of Artists
Oversize 4		Silvermine Guild of Artists
Box 11		Skouras, George 1955
Box 11		Society of Industrial Designers (SID)
			See also Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
Box 11		Spilman, Raymond
			See also Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
Box 11		Stanford University 1961
Box 11		Syracuse University 1973-1974, undated
Box 11		T misc. 1962-1973
		Trade fairs
			See Pavilions.
Box 11		U 1964-1969
		United States Department of Commerce
			See Pavilions.
		United States Foreign Service
			See Pavilions.
		United States Information Agency (USIA)
			See Pavilions.
Box 11		University of Bridgeport 1967-1973, undated - includes photographs
Box 11		University of Cincinnati 1974
Box 11		V misc. 1973
Box 11		Veterans of the Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S.) 1965-1973
Box 11		W-Z misc. and unidentified 1964-1973

	Artwork
		Designs
Map-Case			Architectural drawings, miscellaneous
Box 11			Bendix undated
Box 11			"The Bible" A-L 1928-1952, undated - photographs and negatives (2 folders)
Box 12			"The Bible" M-Z 1928-1952, undated - photographs and negatives (3 folders)
Map-Case			Chromespun House of Color
			Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA)
				See Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA): Designs.
Box 12			Italian Line Steamship Agency, Inc. 1974, undated
			Kuljian
				See Correspondence-subject files : Kuljian : Designs.
Box 12			M. Hohner, Inc. undated
Oversize 3			M. Hohner, Inc. undated
Map-Case			M. Hohner, Inc.
Box 12			Marti French Real Estate 1974, undated
Map-Case			Pavilions
			Prudential Lines, Inc.
				See Correspondence-subject files : Prudential Lines, Inc.: Designs.
			Radio Corporation of America (RCA)
				See Correspondence-subject files : Radio Corporation of America (RCA): Designs.
Oversize 1			Shotgun - 4 drawings
Map-Case			Shotgun
Box 12			Miscellaneous projects 1948-1972, undated
Oversize 3			Miscellaneous projects
		Drawings
Box 12			Miscellaneous (9 items)
Oversize 2			Miscellaneous (2 items)
		Illustrations, original
Map-Case			"The Abduction of Helen of Troy" 1935 (1 item)
Box 12			The Courier 1968 (1 item)
Map-Case			Humanities 1935 (1 item)
				Page numbers refer to Contempo, Phobia and Other Graphic Interpretations, Dover Publications, 1976.
				p. 101 - Waste
Map-Case			Kubla Khan 1934 (8 items)
				Page numbers refer to Contempo, Phobia and Other Graphic Interpretations, Dover Publications, 1976.
				p. 1, stanza xxiii - In Xanadu... p. 2, stanza xxvii - Where Alph... p. 4, stanza xxxv - And Here Were Gardens... p. 7, stanza xdvii - And From This Chasm... p. 8, stanza di - Amid Whose Swift Half-intermitted Burst... p. 10, stanza dix - And 'Mid This Tumult p. 11, stanza dxiii - The Shadow Of The Dome Of Pleasure... p. 13, stanza dxxi - And All Who Heard...
Map-Case			Phobia, #49-54 1931
				Page numbers refer to Contempo, Phobia and Other Graphic Interpretations, Dover Publications, 1976.
				p. 49 - Frontispiece p. 50 - Nyctophobia p. 51 - Astrophobia p. 52 - Zoophobia p. 53 - Potamophobia p. 54 - Hylophobia
Map-Case			Phobia, #55-71 1931
				Page numbers refer to Contempo, Phobia and Other Graphic Interpretations, Dover Publications, 1976.
				p. 55 - Necrophobia p. 56 - Acrophobia p. 57 - Climacophobia p. 58 - Batophobia p. 59 - Dromophobia p. 60 - Aichmophobia p. 61 - Agrophobia p. 62 - Claustrophobia p. 63 - Monophobia p. 64 - Topophobia p. 65 - Kleptophobia p. 66 - Mysophobia p. 67 - Anthropophobia p. 68 - Phagophobia p. 69 - Syphilophobia p. 70 - Hypnophobia p. 71 - Pantophobia
Map-Case			Ship - abstract painting
Map-Case			Subway, "The First Subway Drawing in Charcoal" 1926
		Illustrations, published
			Coleridge, Samuel Taylor, Kubla Khan 1933, 1934
				Transferred to Rare Books for cataloging.
Box 12			The Courier no. 29 1968
			Wilde, Oscar, The Ballad of Reading Gaol 1928, 1930
				Transferred to Rare Books for cataloging.
			Wilde, Oscar, The Harlot's House and Other Poems 1929
				Transferred to Rare Books for cataloging.
Box 12		Murals, reproductions of circa 1930 - pictured in promotional booklet for WCAU radio station
Box 12		Paintings, photographs of
Oversize 4		Palette model - large artist's palette, wood
Box 12		Miscellaneous reproductions

	Writings
		Books
			Contempo, Phobia, and Other Graphic Interpretations 1976
				Transferred to Rare Books for cataloging.
			Phobia 1931
				Transferred to Rare Books for cataloging.
		Essays
Oversize 2			"The Artist's Foreword" 1934 - manuscript draft, "Kubla Khan"
Box 12			"As the Walls Come Tumbling Down" - manuscript draft
Box 12			"Challenge and Opportunity" undated
Box 12			"The Chromespun House of Color for the Young in Heart," John Vassos / Thomas H. Yardley 1959
Box 12			"Controlled Light," Interiors Feb 1948
Box 12			"Design for Selling," Sales Executives Club Weekly News Bulletin 24 May 1935
Box 12			"Designing in Depth - Reflections." IDSA American Designer Dec 1966
Box 12			"Designing Today's Living Room," Upholstering Jun 1946
Box 12			"Future Designers Tackle Gas Stations," County Oct 1967
Box 12			"Imagination is Not Enough," County Jan 1968
Box 12			"Industrial Design - Quo Vadis?" - manuscript drafts
Box 12			"Islander's Design" - manuscript drafts
Box 12			“Orange Juice Goes Modern. A Solution of a Contemporary Problem,” Pencil Points Sep 1932
Box 12			"The Real Jamaica," County Oct 1967
Box 12			"The Rivoli Murals" brochure undated
Box 12			"Shaping a New World Through Design," County Jan 1967
Box 12			"This is Norwalk," Fairfield County Magazine Feb 1975
Box 12			"Tribute to Malcarney: Executive, Sportsman" - manuscript draft with working title "A Tribute to a Sportsman"
Box 12			"Tribute to Malcarney: Executive, Sportsman" (working title: "A Tribute to a Sportsman") (clipping) undated
Box 13			"Tribute to Pert Prince: A True New England Sportsman" - manuscript drafts
Box 13			"Why Not All-Electric Living-Units?" Electrical Manufacturing Oct 1940
Box 13			Miscellaneous

	Memorabilia
Box 13		Address book and addresses
Box 13		Alien Seamen’s Identification Card undated
Box 13		Business cards
Box 13		Business correspondence 1917-1927, undated
Box 13		Calendars 1963 , 1964 (2 folders)
Box 13		Financial 1950, 1964-1974
Box 13		Invitations 1973, undated
Box 13		Legal - wills
Box 13		Military undated - probably World War II
Oversize 4		Military undated - probably World War II
Box 13		Photographs, personal 1927-1930, 1941, 1964-1974, undated (3 folders)
		Printed material
Box 14			Brochures and booklets 1962-1973, undated (5 folders)
			Clippings
Box 14				Advertising and business 1925, undated
Box 14				Articles about or mentioning Vassos 1925, 1928-1932, 1939-1973, undated (4 folders)
Box 14				"The Ballad of Reading Gaol" 1928-1929
Box 14				Building designs for Athens skyscraper, New York soda fountain 1929-1932
Box 15				Dance and Dramas 1921-1932
Box 15				Exhibits and lectures 1928-1931
Box 15				"Gray"s Elegy" 1931 - includes "Phobia"
Box 15				"The Harlot"s House and Other Poems" 1929-1931
Oversize 2				Illustrations 1930, undated
Box 15				"Salome" 1930 - English clippings
Box 15				"Salome" 1930 - Greek language clippings
Box 15				"Ultimo" 1930-1931
Box 15				Miscellaneous 1914, 1931-1932, 1960-1975, undated
Oversize 2				Miscellaneous 1961-1962
Box 15			Design competitions 1957-1958, 1963, 1965, 1974-1975, undated
Box 15			Exhibition catalogs and announcements 1971-1973, undated
Box 15			Periodicals 1969-1974
Box 15			Publicity 1970-1973, undated
Box 15			Miscellaneous undated
Box 15		Real estate 1961, undated
Box 15		Resumes
Box 15		Miscellaneous undated
Map-Case		Miscellaneous oversize items

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