• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Recent Additions
  • The Gallery
    • About
    • Browse by Topic
    • eBay
    • Sorry, It’s Sold
  • Guarantee & Policies
    • Guarantee
    • Shipping & Payment
    • Amazon.com Shipping Information
    • eBay Buyer Protection
  • Contact & Social Media
    • E-mail & Phone
    • eBay
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Grapefruit Moon Gallery

Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration

  • Gallery Blog
  • Golden Gallery
  • Fine & Decorative
  • Illustration & Advertising
  • Paperback & Pulp
  • Pin-Up & Glamour
Sorry, It's Sold

Shadow Of The Mafia

Artist:Lou Marchetti
Date:1951
Medium:Gouache and tempera on illustration board
Dimensions:Sight size 13" by 21 3/4" Framed 23 2/3" by 32 1/2"
Condition:Excellent
Original Use:Cover Art for Monach Books, Shadow Of The Mafia
Price: Sold
Full view
Full view

 

The artist's signature lower right
The artist’s signature lower right

 

1951 First Edition Digit Books edition (included in sale)
1951 British 1st Edition Digit Books  (included in sale)

A sultry mixed medium paperback cover illustration by Lou Marchetti, this first appeared in 1951 as the paperback cover of Shadow Of The Mafia, aka Horns of the Devil by Louis Malley.  The provocative and hard-boiled image shows an “easy loving” blonde beauty flirtatiously eying the streetwise tough Don Alberto, who lays on the bed, his enforcers gun within arms reach. With its danger and sensuality, the artwork is an enduring example of Marchetti’s talent for capturing the sexy underbelly of American life. The story of Sicilian Mafia crime families and political corruption is a forgotten classic pulp fiction page turner, and also a footnote in the legend of Marilyn Monroe.  During Monroe’s marriage to Joe Dimaggio, he was given a copy of the hardcover edition of the book, published under the title Horns for the Devil. So taken was he by the fast-paced and gritty story, that he convinced Monroe to buy the film rights for the novel and adapt it to the screen.  She spent $5000 dollars on the rights, and $20,000 to pay for the adaptation. Rather than produce the film however, Monroe insisted that if they wanted to renew her contract, Twentieth Century Fox would have to buy the film rights from her for $150,000, making the film one of the more profitable never-made pictures.

Painting is handsomely framed and published copies of both the American Monarch edition and British Digit Books paperback are included in the sale.

Framed and silk matted behind glass view
Framed and silk matted behind glass view

Frame corner profile
Frame corner profile

The 1958 Monarch Books Edition (Included in sale)
The 1958 Monarch Books Edition (Included in sale)

 

Verso story line and press quotes
Verso story line and press quotes
verso view
verso view

Shadow Of The Mafia

Artist: Lou Marchetti
Price:  Sold

Filed Under: Sorry, It's Sold
Tagged With: 1950s, blonde, crime, hard boiled, Lou Marchetti, mafia, original cover art, paperback, pulp, sleaze
Added to Gallery: December 14, 2014

 

Contact Grapefruit Moon Gallery



    Primary Sidebar

    Join our mailing list

    Grapefruit Moon Gallery Around the Web

    Facebook
    Instagram
    Pinterest
    Twitter

    Recent Additions

    Nude at Teatime

    Jewel Flowers (With My Fondest)

    Two on a Match

    Footer

    About Grapefruit Moon Gallery

    Grapefruit Moon Gallery, based in Minneapolis MN, specializes in vintage pin up and original illustration art.  We are the proud home of the Bunny Yeager archives.

    Since 2003, Grapefruit Moon Gallery has been a leading dealer of exclusive original paintings by Gil Elvgren, Alberto Vargas, Earl Moran, Rolf Armstrong and Henry Clive, as well as vintage photographs, prints, and period decorative arts in ceramic and metal.

    All artworks featured are original, accurately represented, and guaranteed to be the work of the named artist.

    Interested buyers may view pieces by appointment and we are happy to answer any questions you may have. [Contact Us]

    Grapefruit Moon Gallery on eBay

     

    Grapefruit Moon Gallery on Instagram

    View on Instagram

    Copyright © 2023