Harry "Ward" Ritchie (Los Angeles, California June 15, 1905 – Laguna Beach, California January 24, 1996) was an American printer, book designer, book collector and writer of around 100 books.[1] He was part of the "Golden Age" of fine printing that took place during the 1920s and 1930s in Southern California.[2] Ritchie was also part of the Artists of the Arroyo Seco community.
Harry "Ward" Ritchie | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 15, 1905 Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Died | January 24, 1996 Laguna Beach, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Printer, book designer, book collector, writer |
Ritchie grew up in South Pasadena and attended the Marengo Avenue School, South Pasadena High School, and graduated in 1928 from Occidental College in Northeast Los Angeles.[1] After a brief stint in law school at USC, Ritchie turned his attention to printing, his true passion. He enrolled at Frank Wiggins Trade School (now Los Angeles Trade–Technical College).[3] In 1930, Ritchie apprenticed in Paris with the renowned printer François-Louis Schmied.[4]
Returning to South Pasadena, Ritchie co-founded, along with fellow printer Grant Dahlstrom and bookseller Jacob "Jake" Zeitlin, the Rounce & Coffin Club.[5] This club was created as a less formal alternative to the Zamorano Club, where other bibliophiles gathered in Los Angeles, and to which he was later welcomed in 1934.[6][7] The following year, he established the Ward Ritchie Press, through which he published thousands of books, over 750 designed by himself; his output included works by poets Robinson Jeffers, Carl Sandburg, Archibald MacLeish, Carlyle MacIntyre, librarian Lawrence Clark Powell, novelist Alexandre Dumas, and many others.[1]
In 1983, Ritchie became romantically involved with film actress Gloria Stuart, who was inspired by him to design her own hand-printed books under the imprint Imprenta Glorias. Ritchie maintained a close relationship with Stuart until his death.[8]
Ritchie died of pancreatic cancer in Laguna Beach, California on January 24, 1996.[9]
References edit
- ^ a b c Oliver, Myrna (January 27, 1996). "Ward Ritchie; Master Printer, Bibliophile". Obituary. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
- ^ Lehmann, Sarah (July 2006). "The Ward Ritchie Collection". Online Archive of California.
- ^ Reuven, Ben (18 January 1976). "WEST VIEW: Ward Ritchie: His Imprimatur Is on Fine Printing". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Ward Ritchie Collection". www.oac.cdlib.org. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
- ^ Finding Aid for the Rounce & Coffin Club papers created by the Clark Memorial Library. Accessed 25 February 2012
- ^ Zeitlin, Jacob (1972). Small Renaissance, Southern California Style. Los Angeles: Bibliographical Society of America. p. 10.
- ^ "Ward Ritchie Press". History of Graphic Design. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
- ^ Harmetz, Aljean; Robert Berkvist (September 27, 2010). "Gloria Stuart, an Actress Rediscovered Late, Dies at 100". New York Times. p. B19. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
- ^ Letson, Lester (3 May 2011). "Harry Ward "Ward" Ritchie". findagrave.com.
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