Byron Knoblock, artist, author, collector, dies at age 91
Byron W. Knoblock, 91, of 2016 Jersey, retired commercial
artist and noted author, artist, conservationist and collector
of Indian artifacts, died at 6:26 PM, Wednesday, (December
5, 1984) in his home. Mr. Knoblock was born August 27, 1893,
in Quincy, a son of William and Bertha Steinbeck Knoblock.
He married Florence Katherine Fay February 22, 1920, in Quincy.
She died December 29, 1981. Mr. Knoblock was educated in
the Quincy Public Schools and took courses from Washington
University, St. Louis. He was a veteran of World War 1.
Mr. Knoblock was only 19 years old when he opened his own
studio in the Wells Building, then at Fifth and Main in Quincy,
and did commercial art work for local industries. He later
pursued a career in art work in the automotive field in St.
Louis, Chicago, Detroit and New York.
Mr. Knoblock pioneered in two developments in advertising
art. The realistic oils he did of new Studebakers in 1921
set the industry on an entirely new track from the retouched
black and white photos the agencies had used previously.
When color photography was being introduced, Mr. Knoblock,
through experimentation with dyes and shading, applied his
own secret process to picture finishing which was considered
more economical and realistic.
Mr. Knoblock was best known for his collections and his
avocational interests for which he was accorded numerous
honors and citations.
His collections of Indian mound builder artifacts, bird
eggs, jade and fine and antique guns and swords were considered
some of the most extensive to be gathered. An artist as well,
he painted in oil and watercolor and did more than 3,000
paintings of new automobiles from 1921 to 1934.
Mr.. Knoblock followed his interests in Indian
relics and pre-Columbian material for many years,
tracing it back to the age of seven when he found
his first
arrowhead on
his
uncle’s farm.
He received a Yellow Member Citation in 1937 from the Illinois
State Archaeological Society. In 1939, he authored a 600
page book, Banner-stones of the North American Indian.
Mr. Knoblock was accorded the Gold Medal Award from the
Illinois State Archaeological Society in 1940, and, in 1941,
received the Honorary Parchment Citation, signed by eight
university, museum and state society professional colleagues,
and the Eugene Field Society Honorary Membership Citation.
He was awarded the Honorary Member Citation from the International
Mark Twain Society in 1945 and the title of permanent president
emeritus of the Illinois State Archaeological Society in
1951.
From 1952 to 1957, Mr. Knoblock was editor in chief of the
Central States Archaeological Journal. In 1957, he was cited
for Honorary Life Membership in the Illinois State Archaeological
Society and, in 1961, was awarded Honorary Life Membership
in the Quincy Art Club. He was a past president of the Quincy
Indian Museum.
Surviving are two cousins, Eldon Knoblock of Quincy and
Mrs. Robert (Lois) Lefringhouse of Quincy. He was preceded
in death by his wife and a brother.
Services will be conducted at 11:30 AM, Saturday in the
Duker and Haugh Funeral Home by the Rev. Peter Andersen.
Burial will be in the Greenmount Cemetery. Memorials are
suggested to the Luther Memorial Church.
