Ruth Vassos

Ruth Vassos (born 1890s – February 18, 1965), born Ruth Carrier, was an American writer. She collaborated with her husband, designer John Vassos.

Ruth Vassos
Born
Ruth Carrier

1890s
Albany, New York
DiedFebruary 18, 1965
Wilton, Connecticut
Other namesRuth Carriere, Ruth Dodds (after first marriage in 1912)
OccupationWriter
Spouse(s)John Vassos

Early life

Ruth Carrier was born in Albany, New York in the 1890s (sources vary on the exact year), the daughter of Fred Carrier and Emma Regnier Carrier.

Career

Cover of Ultimo (1930), by John and Ruth Vassos

Vassos was a fashion writer and editor in New York City.[1] She was editor of Press of the Avenue, a fashion industry magazine.[2] She was a fashion consultant working with Saks Fifth Avenue. She received a government citation for her volunteer work during World War II.[1] She was co-founder and publicist of the Silvermine Guild of Artists,[3] and the Silvermine Festival.[4]

Vassos also wrote the text for illustrated books,[5] most notably Ultimo, an imaginative narration of life under the earth (1930), a post-apocalyptic science fiction story[6] illustrated by her husband.[7] Other titles written by Ruth Vassos and illustrated by John Vassos included Contempo: This American Tempo (1929),[8][9] about modern urban life,[10] and Humanities (1935),[11] a meditation on social issues, including peace, education, food, crime, and war.[12][13][14]

Personal life

Ruth Carrier married twice. Her first husband was salesman Walter S. Dodds; they married in 1912, and divorced in 1915.[15] She married again, to designer John Vassos, in 1923. They lived in Norwalk, Connecticut after 1935. She died in 1965, in a nursing home in Wilton, Connecticut.[2][16] Her papers are included in the John Vassos Papers at the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.[12] The Vassos's house in Norwalk is listed on the Connecticut State Register of Historic Places.[17]

References

  1. "Mrs. Ruth C. Vassos, Fashion Writer, 70". The New York Times. 1965-02-21. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  2. "Mrs. Ruth Vassos". Women's Wear Daily: 20. February 23, 1965 via ProQuest.
  3. "Silvermine Art Guild's Aim Moves from 'Fine' to 'Great'". The Bridgeport Post. 1958-01-26. p. 34. Retrieved 2020-09-23 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "John Vassos and the Cartoonists of Silvermine". Norwalk Association of Silvermine Homeowners. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  5. "Vassos, Ruth". SFE: Science Fiction Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  6. Griffin, Mary (1930-11-16). "Vassos Fantasy Highly Creative". Detroit Free Press. p. 52. Retrieved 2020-09-23 via Newspapers.com.
  7. Vassos, John; Vassos, Ruth (1930). Ultimo, an Imaginative Narration of Life Under the Earth. E.P. Dutton.
  8. Vassos, John; Vassos, Ruth (1929). Contempo, this American Tempo. E.P. Dutton Incorporated.
  9. Stein, Hannah (1929-11-17). "Went to Jail for Realism". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. p. 94. Retrieved 2020-09-23 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "John Vassos Draws Striking Picture". Arizona Republic. 1930-01-19. p. 10. Retrieved 2020-09-23 via Newspapers.com.
  11. Kaufman, Samuel A. (1935-10-26). "Today's New Books". Times Union. p. 6. Retrieved 2020-09-23 via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Biographical Note | A Finding Aid to the John Vassos Papers, 1915-1989". Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  13. Shapiro, Danielle (2016-03-30). John Vassos: Industrial Design for Modern Life. U of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-1-4529-5175-1.
  14. Rasula, Jed (2020-02-27). Acrobatic Modernism from the Avant-Garde to Prehistory. Oxford University Press. pp. 17–18. ISBN 978-0-19-257072-7.
  15. "Divorce Granted". The Buffalo Enquirer. 1915-05-18. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-09-23 via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Ruth Vassos". Creative Places: Arts & Letters in 20th Century Connecticut. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  17. "100 Comstock Hill Avenue, Norwalk". Creative Places. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
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