Above: Framed and matted behind glass view of Pastel Portrait

Above: Full view

This is a unique and intriguing pair of original illustrations by Rolf Armstrong, created over the July 4th weekend in 1941 at the Brown & Bigelow holiday company retreat at Breezy Point Lodge in Northern Minnesota. Armstrong, and his favorite model, Jewel Flowers, were celebrities at the event, and Armstrong was called upon to create this impromptu view of Jewel in all-American sporting poses, as an instructional event. Jewel sat lakeside modeling, as Rolf depicted her first beneath a tent, then with a dog, then finally, holding a newly caught fish, similar to the prized walleye she caught at Breezy Point that weekend. These two pieces provide a rare look at the process Armstrong used to develop his iconic pin up creations, and come from the estate of Mike Wooldridge the co-author of “Pin-up Dreams” the well regarded and thoughtfully compiled monograph on the artist.

Above: Detail of Jewel Flowers

Above: Full view of preliminary sketch

Above: Detail of sketch

Above: Another detail

This pastel illustration and preliminary sketch were kept in the collection of model Jewel Flowers. Jewel remembered the weekend very fondly, which is a large part of why she held on to these pieces,this unique collection also contains numerous photographs of her taken at the event, with notations on the verso, and her fishing license. Recently departed Mike Wooldridge (the premiere scholar of Rolf Armstrong, and author of Pin Up Dreams) obtained this pair of artworks directly from Jewel, and they have never been offered on the market before. Professionally framed and ready to hang, these pieces provide a charming window into the world of American pin-up at the height of the Golden era of the genre.

Above: Jewel in canoe

Above: Jewel posed at retreat

Above: The Breezy Point newsletter

Above: Jewel’s fishing license and verso of photograph