This original late 1940s-early 1950s pin-up sketch drawing is attributed to Gil Elvgren and was originally purchased from the artist’s son.  Years ago, this was acquired by our colleague Rick Martin, author of the reference guide Vintage Illustration, and full provenance history comes with purchase. The work is unsigned, and as such can only be officially attributed to Gil Elvgren, though to our mind there is no question that is the work of Elvgren.  This piece has all of the essential Elvgren pin-up elements – the oops pursed lip, the mid-century modern radio, the under exposed curvy pin-up girl–who happens to be the same model who appeared in Jeepers Peepers and many other works by Elvgren.

The artwork is a large format graphite rendering on artist’s paper, and shares conceptual components and design elements of “Hard to Suit” a Brown and Bigelow Calendar painting our gallery sold last year. Here are a few photos of that work for comparison purposes.

Also for comparison is Gil Elvgren’s sketch of “Flying High”, as it appears in the monograph Gil Elvgren All his glamorous pin-ups, plate #376.