Case 11 « Jeep Paintings » Case 12

JEEP PAINTINGS & PHOTOS

Original watercolors for “Jeep at War” advertising series, Ward M. Canaday Collection, MSS-072.
The “Jeep at War” series of advertisements was created by illustrator James M. Sessions.  The watercolor paintings shown here were meant to depict the Jeep’s versatility in times of war and peace.

Portrait of John Willys, unknown artist, n.d.
This portrait depicts the founder of Willys-Overland.

Photograph, Ward M. Canaday, ca. 1970.
Ward Canaday started his career at the Hoosier Cabinet Company in Indiana, where he pioneered the installment plan.  In 1916, he became advertising director for Willys-Overland in Toledo, and brought the idea of buying on credit to the automobile industry.  In 1936, Canaday took over Willys-Overland when it was in receivership.  He became president in 1950, and sold the company to Kaiser-Frazer in 1953.  The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections was dedicated in his memory by his daughter, Doreen Canaday Spitzer, in recognition of his 40-year service as president of the Friends of the UT Libraries.