Provenance:          Neal Adair Prince Trust u/a/d 10.18.1999

Neal Prince

Neal Prince and Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr.

Robert Galster

This item was a gift from by Mr. Galster to Mr. Prince and Mr. Hemphill during one of their well received cocktail parties.

Footnote¹:             Artwork was created as an example to a proposed designed for playing cards. Mr. Galster created other designs for playing cards, which are held by the Executor of Mr. Galster’s Estate, being Mr. Gilbert Ireland, residing in New York, New York.

Robert Galster (1923-1991), American, Illustrator, Photographer

Robert Miller Galster, was born in Pana, Illinois, the eldest of five siblings of Myrtle and Benjamin Galster. In 1938, the family moved to Mansfield, Ohio. While attending Mansfield High School, Robert excelled in the Art Curriculum and was hired by Sears Roebuck as head of the Display Department. In 1941, his family moved to Dayton, Ohio, and left Robert in Mansfield where he was basically adopted by Mr. David and Mrs. Elsie Ireland. The Irelands had three sons and the youngest, Gilbert, and Robert became life-long companions. Gilbert and Robert began designing ladies hats until World War II. In March 1942, both boys were drafted into the United States Army. Robert was sent to the United States Air Force and eventually landed on Omaha Beach for the invasion of France. He was promoted to sergeant and was stationed in France until the War ended. He returned to the Ireland Family in Mansfield and resumed his work with Sears Roebuck, until he and Gilbert enrolled at Parsons, in New York to study fashion design. After graduating with honors, Robert became a free lance artist, designing book jackets for Double Day, record sleeves for Urania, and illustrating children's books for Crowell. Robert and Gilbert lived in Greenwich Village for eight years before moving to East 4th Street where they met Neal A. Prince and Herbert W. Hemphill, Jr. They all met Leonard Sillman and the cast of "New Faces of 1952". Robert designed of New Faces theatrical poster followed by Eartha Kitt's "Mrs. Patterson", "Dark at the Top of the Stairs", "Anastasia", "Bus Stop" and others. Robert also was working at Barneys until he died in 1991. The close companionship of Robert and Gilbert lasted for 51 years.