Collins White Circle Artists Part XXXIII - Murray Smith (2)

In the last post I introduced Murray Smith who signed 10 covers for the White Circle paperback line from Toronto's Wm. Collins Sons & Co. Canada. Here are his last six covers, including his best known for Hugh Garner's Cabbagetown.

I also show the signature on There Will I Follow which has nearly been covered by the imprint name. But there is just enough visible to identify it, and, of course, the art supports the identification.

White Circle CD 461

White Circle CD 482

White Circle 447 - 1950

White Circle 448 - 1950

White Circle CD 460 - 1950

White Circle CD 461 - 1950

White Circle CD 482 - 1950

White Circle C.D. 493 - 1951

Collins White Circle Artists Part XXXII - Murray Smith (1)

Murray Smith ranks third behind Margaret Paull (67) and John Fernie (22) with 10 signed covers for the 1940s Canadian paperback line White Circle. They are all from 1949 to early 1951, towards the end of the series. I don't know anything about Smith. The Toronto City Directories for 1948 to 1951 have him listed as a commercial artist, one year (1948) at Brigden's Ltd., printers at 160 Richmond Street W. in downtown Toronto.

His first four covers are below. The third book highlights a problem with identifying artists. The signature is barely visible at bottom left. I imagine many covers don't show a signature because it has been cropped from the art.

White Circle C.D. 435

White Circle C.D. 389 - 1949

White Circle CD 405 - 1949

White Circle CD 412 - 1949

White Circle C.D. 435 - 1950 

Harlequin Artists Part VIII - Eric Nasmith (1)

There are 480 different illustrated covers on books Harlequin published between 1949 and 1959. About 60% are signed. But a few of the signed covers are little help in identifying the artist. Either because there are initials or the signature is illegible.

Here is an example of the latter. This signature is better than most but still not entirely clear. The last five letters are clearly "smith" but what are the first? - "na" or "nu" or something else? are they part of the last name or first name? The two Harlequins below are the only ones with this signature.

Harlequin 285

White Circle 435

There is a tempting similarity with the signature of Murray Smith who did eight White Circles for Wm. Collins Sons & Co. Canada from 1949 to 1951. The "th" are alike. Smith could have changed his signature over the years.

Harlequin 271 - January 1954

Harlequin 285 - March 1954

White Circle 435 - 1951