Skaggs was born in 1917. In high school he apprenticed in an art studio, where he learned the fundamentals of printing processes. He went to Chicago and made his mark designing advertising art, packaging and posters. In Chicago he was introduced to the art of book design by Chicago bibliophiles, including Raymond DaBoll, who showed him the work of William Addison Dwiggins. He moved to New York City in 1945 and worked on books and jackets for the Limited Editions Club and for the publisher Alfred A. Knopf. Through Knopf, Skaggs worked closely with Dwiggins. He joined the faculty of the Cooper Union in 1953 and taught there for five years. In 1969 he returned to Kentucky and continued to work as a freelance designer for New York firms and for the University of Kentucky. Skaggs moved to Colorado in 1981 and later to Washington state.
From the description of Charles E. Skaggs collection, ca. 1940-2002. (Smith College). WorldCat record id: 53810762
