Harold Gilbert began his work in publishing in 1930 at age thirteen when he purchased a small printing outfit and started the Gilbert Printing Service. He used it to print business cards, recital programs and advertising handbills. This was the beginning of a career that has seen him through to the present day.
He attended Lakewood High School where he majored in Art, wrote a column for the High Times school newspaper and was a member of the Quill and Scroll Honorary Journalism Society. He graduated in 1934 with an 'A' average, ranked 19th in a class of 383. In 1994 he was inducted into the Lakewood High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.
Mr. Gilbert served in the Air Force during World War II. He operated an Air Corps printing plant in Texas. He was sent to Officer Candidate School at the Harvard Business School to become an Air Force Statistical Control Officer. He was assigned to the 20th Air Force Guam Air Depot, and was awarded the Bronze Star.
In 1946, after completing his military service, he took over the family's Gilbert Music Publishing Company and combined it with his own publishing service to form the Gilbert Publishing Company. Over the years, he acquired several other companies and built his company into a million dollar operation.
His interests outside of publishing include Russian Avant-Garde Art and railroad artwork. He has lectured at the Cleveland Museum of Art and his nationally recognized collection has been shown in 11 museums in 5 cities.
Mr. Gilbert has a long tradition of service to his community. He is a member of many area organizations including the Lakewood Hospital Foundation and NOAH (Neighbors Organized for Action in Housing), which he helped found.
He continues to consult and assist with special projects for the City of Lakewood, the Lakewood Board of Education, the Cleveland Board of Education, and the Beck Center for the Cultural Arts.
A Catalog of The Art Collections of Harold and Alice Gilbert
To see some of Harold Gilbert's printing work click on the images below.
From
1934, Harold Gilbert's 'People's Penny Weekly' front
page (62 Kb GIF)
From
1952, a pamphlet designed for the Lakewood Chamber
of Commerce (82 Kb GIF)
A
Christmas Card from Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert from the 1990's (64 Kb GIF)
From
1991, the cover to a pamphlet for a showing of Mr.
Gilbert's Russian Avant-Garde Art collection (43 Kb GIF)![[original Gilbert Publishing Co. location]](photo.gif)
Where
it all began! (96 Kb GIF)
An obituary appeared
in Lakewood Lore on January 8, 1998.
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