This is a beautiful, unique, and rare preliminary graphite drawing by Gil Elvgren for a 1955 speciality advertising calendar for Brown & Bigelow’s exclusive “Miss Sylvania” line for Sylvania Electric. The Miss Sylvania account adapted The Great American Pin-Up to middle America’s buttoned up sensibilities. Each year one of the calendar company’s star artists would create a wholesome yet alluring “Miss Sylvania” exclusively for this prestigious advertising campaign. This includes Elvgren’s handwritten notations in the bottom right of the drawing to Clair Fry, the art director at Brown & Bigelow.

For this year, the subject was a glamorous Hollywood style showgirl dancer readying herself for her big moment. Poised on a director’s chair which bears the name of the campaign and holding a vanity mirror, this glamour girl is certainly ready for her close up!

This comes from a collection of Gil Elvgren preliminary graphite drawings we acquired which were found in a house in Sarasota, Florida where the artist once lived. Drawing has been professionally matted and shrink wrapped – ready for framing and display!  Please note, this does feature loss and substantial toning in the paper but it displays well as is and the condition issues are reflected in the bargain price for such a well-realized substantial signed Elvgren preliminary.