During the 1920’s, two of Beatrice Tonnesen’s photos, both featuring charming children protected by their faithful dogs, became colorful calendar prints signed “A. Pope.”  Because no artist listing or biographical information has been found for A. Pope, collectors, myself included, have speculated for years that the signature might be a pseudonym for another artist.  Possibilities include Tonnesen herself and R. Atkinson Fox (1860-1935), who shared Tonnesen’s studio for a time and was known to use pseudonyms.  It’s also possible that A. Pope was either the real name or a pseudonym for an unknown staff artist, employed by either Tonnesen’s Studio or by the publisher of the print.

Recently, however, I purchased a 1927 salesman’s sample calendar featuring A. Pope’s “Safely Guarded” which came from a photo by Tonnesen, previously titled “On Guard.”  Under the print, the following information appeared:

(c)1924 Robert Chapman Co. NY.  Reproduced from the original by A. Pope.
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