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Grapefruit Moon Gallery

Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration

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Sorry, It's Sold

Miss Bermuda

Artist:Pearl Frush
Date:1947
Medium:Watercolor on Illustration Board
Dimensions:Sight Size: 13" x 17 1/2" Framed: 22" x 27"
Condition:Pristine
Original Use:Pin-Up Art for the Gerlach-Barklow Calendar Company
Price: Sold
Full view
Full view
The artist's signature lower right and published blotter of Miss Bermuda
The artist’s signature, lower right and published blotter of Miss Bermuda
Handsomely matted and framed under glass
Handsomely matted and framed under glass

This delicately rendered, original, signed Pearl Frush pin-up illustration was published by the Gerlach-Barklow Calendar Company under the title “Miss Bermuda.” The nearly photo-realist watercolor appeared as part of a 1947 “Aqua Tour” series of bathing beauty images. Pearl Frush was a prolific and talented female artist who was active during the 1940s and 50s and worked primarily out of Chicago. “Miss Bermuda” is pictured in Taschen’s 1996 volume The Great American Pin-Up by Louis Meisel and Charles Martignette (plate #445 page 195). The painting was owned by the pair of authors and was previously sold at Manhattan’s Louis K. Meisel gallery. Verso bears print specific printers notations which indicate it appeared in March and also a Louis K. Meisel gallery label.

Verso view
Verso view
Verso notations detail
Verso notations detail

Nicely matted and framed, the artwork is accompanied by two vintage ink blotters. The blurb which accompanied the published painting captured our heart as gallery owners in Minneapolis, Minnesota; it reads as follows – “The Gulf Stream is credited with giving Bermuda its famous climate, warm and sunny all year round. But we’ll take credit for sending you Miss Bermuda as a pleasant relief from blustery March winds. Few of us can travel as much as we’d like – but theres one luxury that’s always available. We mean good old fashioned dependability from your dealer. May We serve you?”

A companion painting of “Miss Gulf Coast,” shown below, from this same series by Pearl Frush “Miss Nassau” was sold at auction 2/18/2010 for $35,850.00, showing how in demand pin-up images by the artist are.

pearl-add
Miss Nassau by Pearl Frush

Pearl Frush was one the twentieth century’s leading female pin-up illustrators and she worked steadily with many of the USA’s premiere calendar companies. She was adept at creating life-like illustrations using pastel, gouache, and watercolors.

Born in Iowa, she initially enrolled in art classes in New Orleans, with further training in Philadelphia and New York, before eventually studying at the Chicago Art Institute under Charles Schroeder. Her first studio was opened in the early 40s, at a time when Vargas was only just reaching the masses through Esquire. The attention to detail on Frush’s artwork was often much more intricate than that of similar artists, lending an almost photo-realist quality to some of her work.

By the 50s, she was one of the top female pin-up artists and, as often seems to be the case when an artist excelled during this period, she came to the attention of Brown & Bigelow. During her time working for them she created a hanger calendar for release in 1956.

Miss Bermuda

Artist: Pearl Frush
Price:  Sold

Filed Under: Sorry, It's Sold
Tagged With: 1940s, bathing beauty, Charles Martignette, Gerlach-Barklow, glamour, Golden Age, Miss Bermuda, original calendar art, original illustration art, Pearl Frush, pin up, risque, The Golden Gallery
Added to Gallery: August 2, 2016

 

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    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]

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