Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
The history of the Cox Studio fits within the 1913 timeframe pertaining to Sosman & Landis scenic artist and studio vice-president, Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934). That year, the Jesse Cox Scenic Company was destroyed by fire. This was the first of two studio disasters, with the second occurring in 1936 when a tornado razed the building.
On March 8, 1913, Des Moines Register reported, “Estherville, Ia., March 7 – Special! Fire destroyed the Jesse Cox scenic studio in twenty-five minutes. The blizzard from the northwest made the efforts of firemen unavailing. The loss in 2,000 with no insurance. Mr. Cox will rebuild at once. Mr. Cox has a national reputation as a scene painter” (page 12). By that fall, the studio was up and running again. The “Gazette” reported, “An interesting place to visit is the Jesse Cox scenic studio, where several artists are employed at painting scenery for opera houses and traveling theatrical companies and whose work goes into nearly every state in the union” (Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 15 Nov, 1913, page 7).
In 1916, the Jesse Cox Scenic Co. published and distributed a new sales catalogue. A Xerox copy remains part of the John H. Rothgeb papers at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas – Austin. I had the opportunity to photograph the copy a few years ago while doing some research and tucked it away until now.
The illustrated 1916 catalogue lists Cox’s second studio location in Estherville, located at 1221 East Roberts Street. A letter from the Estherville State Bank is included in the catalogue and notes that Cox’s firm has “trustworthy and honorable,” having been a client for 18 years. This means that Cox established a studio in Estherville during 1898. In 1898 Cox was also touring as a musician and comedian with the Noble Theatre Co. That spring, the Estherville Daily News reported, “Jesse Cox is here this week with the Noble Theatre Company. He is the same old Jes and his many friends here are anxious to give him the glad hand. The company has an excellent band and Jes, as baritone player, is in his element” (April 20, 1899, page 25). By the summer of 1899 “Jes” adds another feather in his cap and the Estherville Daily News reported, “During his vacation Jesse Cox is busily engaged at the opera house painting twelve complete sets of scenery for the Noble Theatre Co. He will join the company again July 29 at Cedar Rapids, Iowa” (20 July 1899, page 21).
As far as the Cox studio, it was a family affair. Brothers Jesse and James both worked as scenic artists, with James also working as an architect and owner/editor of the Opera House Reporter. James had even designed the Lough Opera House, credited as the location for the Cox’s first studio. Their younger brother George R. Cox (b. 1881) worked as a salesman for the firm in the beginning before striking out on his own (Estherville Daily News, 10, Nov. 1941, page 1). Finally, their father Spencer constructed much of the scenery over the years. His carpentry expertise brought a much-needed skill to the endeavor. Even Jesse’s son, Eugene, would also become a scenic artist for the firm.
By 1902, they firm expanded their scope, advertising in Minneapolis, Minnesota, newspapers for “a good pictorial sign writer” (The Minneapolis Journal, 6 Sept. 1902, page 13).
In 1907, the firm contemplated a move. The Des Moines Tribune reported, “Coming to Des Moines – Fred Buchanan is the authority for the statement that the Jesse Cox Co., of Estherville, will move to this city soon. They expect to erect a large studio for painting stage scenery, in addition to the continuing their theatrical publication, The Stage Reporter (14 Dec. 1907, page 8). The Evening Times Republican added Every opera house manager in the state will be interested in the statement that the Opera House reporter, the leading exponent of the theatrical profession in the west, will soon be moved to Des Moines from Estherville. At the same time, it is said, the big scenic studio of Cox & Company will be moved to the state capital. Some years ago, Jesse Cox & Company, or Estherville, commenced the publication of a small paper devoted to the interests of the opera house managers of the west. The new paper made a hit almost instantaneously, and has grown quite rapidly in recent years in both scope and usefulness. Messrs. Cox have at the same time built up a bog business in painting scenery for theatrical companies and many of the theatres of the west have been equipped from this studio. It is said that the Reporter as well as the studio have outgrown their present quarters and that the managers of both enterprises are seeking the facilities that a larger city will offer them and at the same time keep in touch with the constituency in the west and northwest” (Marshalltown, Iowa, 18 Dec, 1907, page 2). It is unclear whether the move ever took place, but five years later, they were in the same location.
In 1912, the Jesse Cox Scenic Co. was located in Estherville, Iowa. The next year the studio was destroyed by fire. But that didn’t stop the Cox brothers and they rebuilt.
By 1916, the 1916 Jesse Cox Scenic Company catalogue notes, “For over sixteen years we have made a specialty of equipping theatres and road shows with high grade and artistic scenery.” This places the establishment of the company in 1900. Of their work, they catalogue states, “We furnish everything complete to equip your stage or show and everything in the line of special sets and practical, knock down set stuff. We furnish proscenium fronts for small theaters for less money than your local contractor can build them and they give an added attractiveness to your stage that cannot be obtained otherwise. These proscenium fronts are built to fit your building from wall to wall and from stage floor to ceiling, so no fitting is required in installing them in your theatre. They are durable and add much to the beauty of your theatre. In this catalogue we make no attempts to show a full line f our designs, but we have on hand hundreds of designs and photos of different scenes and will be pleased to mail you designs of any particular scene r setting you may require, or if necessary will make you a sketch in colors to meet your individual requirements.”
The catalogue also noted that the Jesse Cox Scenic Co. was the “only studio in Iowa designed and built exclusively for scene painting,” adding, ”Our studio is thoroughly equipped for turning out high grade work promptly and our artists are all men with years of experience in scenic work.
At this time, scenic studios began popping up all across the country. Not everyone delivered quality work, and this fact was addressed in the 1916 catalogue. Under the heading “Cheap Work,” the catalogue noted:
“IF YOU ARE A LIVE ONE you don’t use the cheapest film service for your picture show, you don’t book the cheapest vaudeville acts regardless of ability, you aim to get QUATITY [sic.] at a price you can afford to pay. CHEAP SCENERY will just as surely disgust your patrons as cheap films or vaudeville. We give you QUALITY ALWAYS at the lowest possible price consistent with work that we can ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEE to please you. GET THE BEST at a price you can AFFORD TO PAY.” Earlier in the catalogue, the firm advertised, “OUR GUARANTEE – We guarantee you prompt and efficient service and ABSOLUTE SATISFACTION in both workmanship and materials or your money back.”
To be continued…