Russell H. Tandy

Russell H. Tandy (1893-?) was an American illustrator, best known for his cover art for early editions of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series.

Tandy was a friend of Edward Stratemeyer, whose syndicate created several series of books for young readers. When Stratemeyer approached Grosset & Dunlap with his concept for Nancy Drew in 1930, he submitted dust jacket art by both Russell and Ernest Townsend for the publishing house's consideration. They selected Tandy, who went on to illustrate the first twenty-six books in the series, from 1930 until 1949, contributing both cover and internal artwork. He was responsible for six Hardy Boy titles, as well as series featuring characters named Billie Bradley, the Adventure Boys, Buddy, Maxie, Betty Gordon, Ruth Fielding, and Beverly Gray.

In addition to his work for children's literature, Tandy worked for department stores as a fashion illustrator. He also drew some of the illustrations for Butterick Patterns and designed the original logo for Jantzen swimwear.

Tandy's friends included Ernest Hemingway, Salvadore Dali, and Norman Rockwell. He published only one book, a compilation of his work entitled "Tandy's Babies".

External links

* [http://www.nancydrewsleuth.com/history.html/ The History of Nancy Drew]