Three Point Landing

Full view

The artist's signature lower right

Detail

The artwork as it appeared in print (included in sale)

The Louis F. Dow Calendar Company of Saint Paul, Minnesota commissioned this pristine and rare surviving pin-up painting by Art Frahm for publication in their 1941 calendar line under the title "Three Point Landing." The image shows an underdressed, startled redhead having an "oops" moment as her hammock string has broken causing her along with her romantic pulp magazine she was reading to incur a tumble, causing a leg show garters and silk stocking pin-up moment as was often the scene. This fresh estate find we recently purchased in Kentucky, before that time it appears to have never been on the market or photographed for the various pin-up books on the genre, making her a lost girl... It must have been hard for this artist to see his work as printed by Louis F. Dow, as so much of the vibrancy, coloring, and attention to detail was lost in the translation from painting to print. This is quite simply a remarkable pin-up painting, which has been handsomely framed in a fine gallery frame that compliments the illustration well.

Framed view

Framed corner profile

Original stretcher bars and canvas view with date and various publication notations

Verso notations detail

The artist's hand written Chicago address on back stretcher bar detail

Frahm is best remembered for his "embarrassment" series of cheesecake images in which gleefully conceived fresh faced young wives trying to make their way through the world found themselves caught with their pants down--so to speak--while boarding buses, dropping off the mail, and even bowling. His name has become synonymous with lighthearted cheesecake, and while the title and situation of this pin-up certainly show why Frahm is considered a master of the genre.