Postcard Mania

Clapsaddle, Ellen

Written by admin on 23 August, 2009 – 6:02 pm -

Born Ellen Hattie Clapsaddle on 8 January 1863 in New York State, Ellen Clapsaddle was one of, if not the most prolific postcard and greeting card artist of her era. Her ability to draw was noticed from a very early age and was encouraged accordingly by her parents and teachers. She studied at the Cooper Institute in NY for two years from 1882 before returning home to begin her career of teaching art from home.

After the death of her father in 1891 Ellen moved with her mother to live with her Aunt. She lived there for 14 years teaching art and also creating and selling artwork of various descriptions. In 1905 whilst Ellen was working in Germany for the International Art Company her mother died. After returning home in 1906, Ellen was hired by the Wolf Company and was soon to became their sole artist. She was again in Germany working for the Wolf brothers in August 1914 at the start of WWI and despite the US not being involved initially, was unable to leave Germany.

She had invested considerable amounts of her own money in the German firm with which she was working and when they went bust during the war (much of their trade was with the English speaking world) her own finances suffered to such an extent that they could never recover. The Wolf Company also went out of business, but at the end of the war one of the brothers journeyed to Germany to bring Ellen home.

She was in an extremely poor state of health but despite their own financial difficulties the Wolf brothers looked after Ellen. On their deaths Ellen was left penniless and alone and mentally incapacitated, to die in the Peabody Home in New York on 7 January 1934, the day before her 71^st birthday.

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