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J. Tom Morgan Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MC 360

Scope and Contents

The collection has nine series and are as follows:

Series 1: Kiss Impressions Contains materials relating to the book KISS Impressions. This collection consists Morgan's speeches throughout his long career and materials related to the 1983 publication of his book, Kiss Impressions: My Love Affair With Lithography, as well as the related endowment of the Morgan Scholarship endowment for printing students at the Rochester Institute of Technology. In addition, there are many awards, paintings, reproductions, photographs, plaques and artwork, all relating to Morgan's publishing/printing activities both at Litho-Krome and from his later business pursuits. Such work included reproductions of artwork by Henry Nordhausen, Gloria Sampson and other artists, as well as samples of job printing such as brochures, ad campaigns, calendars, etc. There was no particular arrangement to these oversized materials. Some items have water damage.

Series 2: LithoKrome Story Contains slides from a series of carousels all labeled “LithoKrome Story.” Each folder contains the slides from one carousel. The transparencies and slides are a variety of images similar to those found in other collections giving an overview of the type of photography and printing LithoKrome has done.

Series 3: Timken Contains Timken Transparencies and slides. The 35mm transparencies have been put into sleeves, some slides have been put into sleeves while others have been left in small boxes with information on the outsides. Other sized transparencies have been put into sleeves. Examples of slides and transparencies include photoshoot images for calendars of models or houses depending on the year. The calendar years range from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s.

Series 4: Metalux Contains slides from a series of carousels labeled “Metalux.” Each Folder contains the slides from one carousel. Examples of images are of lighting fixtures and industrial areas, without written context. The dates are unknown.

Series 5: Portfolios Contains transparencies, photographs, and slides from various photographer and printing portfolios.

Series 6: Harland Sales Show Contains transparencies, slides, and a script from a group of folders labeled Harland Sales Show.

Series 7: Southern Educators Contains transparencies, slides, and a script from a group of folders labeled Southern Educators.

Series 8: W.C. Bradley Turner Show Contains transparencies slides, and a script from a group of folders labeled W.C. Bradley Turner Show.

Series 9: Paper Records Contains folders, transparencies, and some paper records from various labelled folders.

Dates

  • Creation: 1940 - 1999

Biographical / Historical

James Thomas Morgan (known as J. Tom Morgan) was born in Columbus, Georgia on February 7, 1911 to James Thomas Morgan and Frances G. Harris. His first wife was Lillie Patterson born on the 4th of July, 1935 in Washington, D.C. She died in 1988. They had two children, James Thomas Morgan III (1935-1995) and Frederick P. Morgan. Morgan married his second wife, Marietta Isabelle Solimeo, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on December 4, 1953. After having left Columbus to pursue a career as an artist, he returned to Columbus to make a career as a commercial artist, buying Commercial Printers Incorporated (formerly Walton Printing Company), at the courthouse door at its bankruptcy auction in 1933. The company was renamed Litho-Krome. He ran the company until Hallmark bought it in 1979. J. Tom Morgan died on December 30, 1999 and is buried in Parkhill Cemetery in Columbus, along with his second wife, Marietta Isabelle Morgan and his son J. Tom Morgan III.

According to the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer story by Tony Adams of February 15, 2015, Hallmark closed the Litho-Krome printing plant in Columbus in 2015, ending it is more than eight-decade run in Columbus. The Columbus facility printed Hallmark greeting cards and packaging for Crayola products. In March of 2014, it halted work on reproduction of fine art and photos, while shifting portions of the greeting card production process to the Kansas facility. At one time, the Columbus Company was known for producing limited-edition prints for a number of major art publishers and artists. Henry Nordhausen, Norman Rockwell and Thomas Kinkade were among those who used the company's fine art expertise.

Extent

7 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Related Materials

Litho-Krome Records (MC 353)

Author
Belisle, Samuel
Date
14 May 2021
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Edition statement
Updated May 14, 2021 to incorporate new additional materials

Repository Details

Part of the Columbus State University Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
4225 University Ave
Columbus Georgia 31907 United States