A large format, lurid and iconic paperback cover painting by Verne Tossey that was used as the cover for the 1955 Ace paperback book title Left Bank Of Desire, written by R.V. Cassill & Eric Protter. Pictured are the blonde femme-fatale, Marina, who has allowed herself to “become too fascinated with her own strange desires”, and Jay Harrison, a shady businessman drawn into the orbit of this lost American girl roaming through the jazzed up disillusionment of Paris, the City of Light.

Verne Tossey’s art career began as a student at the Art Students’ League in New York under Frank J. Riley, working as an apprentice in a New York City commercial art studio. He soon found work creating covers for many paperback book titles during the 1940s and 50s, and contributed a cover for a 1953 American Weekly magazine. He also did commercial advertisements for Coca- Cola and Pepsi soda brands. Later he excelled as a historical and Western Illustrator which featured his realistic depictions of the rugged cowboys, young and old, the various Indian tribes, their horses and traditional western dress.

Verne was a charter member of the “Northwest Rendezvous,” a prestigious group of Western and Wildlife artists, in addition, his work is in the permanent collection of many museums including the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., as well as corporate and private collections and he was the recipient of numerous art awards.