Antique Tony Sarg Hand Colored Whimsical Map of Nantucket, circa 1926

Antique Tony Sarg Hand Colored Whimsical Map of Nantucket, circa 1926, a decorative colored folk art tourist map of Nantucket Island by Tony Sarg (Nantucket: 1880 – 1942) depicting geographic features, place names and streets, as well as historic facts, iconic images, and whimsical decorative motifs, signed lower right and dated upper center.

The print is in extremely good condition, with very strong color and even tanning.

Measures: 15-1/2 in H x 18-1/2 in W

Anthony Frederick Sarg was born in Guatemala in 1880, and after living in Germany, England and New York, he purchased a house on Nantucket in 1921 with his wife and daughter (the artist Mary Sarg Murphy).

Starting as an artist for the Saturday Evening Post, he became best known as an illustrator of children’s books. He was fond of creating animal characters to both educate and entertain young readers, and was noted for his use of whimsy and humor. His books often involved moving parts, a proclivity that led to his creating a variety of toys and puzzles.

Sarg was also extremely important as the reviver of marionette theater in America. In 1935 he also designed the first animated window display for Macy’s Department Store, and continued to create new designs for their holiday windows until his death in 1942. He was also the inventor of the first hot air balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

On Nantucket he opened the Tony Sarg Shop at 38 Centre Street, later relocated in 1929 to the corner of Easy Street and Steamboat Wharf where it became Tony Sarg’s Curiosity Shop. He hand crafted and sold a variety toys, puppets, prints, fabrics, wall-paper, decoupage decorated pantry boxes and other folk art. He is especially remembered on-island for his maps, posters and Nantucket theme decorated boxes.

A major collection of his work is held by the Nantucket Historical Association, and was featured in an exhibition at the Fair Street Museum in 1983. He is currently the subject of a traveling exhibit curated by the Norman Rockwell Museum which is currently on display at the Nantucket Whaling Museum.