Illustration & Advertising Art

At the turn of the 20th century, Industrial Revolution inventions brought technological advancements to printmaking that ushered in a Golden Age of American illustration. Publishers and calendar companies developed new techniques for producing multi-color offset lithographs that were fast, affordable, and flat-out glorious to view, blurring the distinction between fine art and "art for commerce." The best examples by the finest commercial illustrators were revered by the public, and today are beloved by collectors.

A stark, eerie, machine age/industrial revolution 1938 Works Progress Administration sponsored oil painting by Thomas Tyrone Comfort, this darkly modernist view titled “Heat on Steel” features a haunting view of an arc welder at work in a surrealist factory. This large scale painting was created as public art and exhibited by the Federal Arts Project in 1938 and retains its original verso label. 1938 marked the height of the WPA art movement, and Comfort was one of its promising talents, creating evocatively expressive, and moody visions of Depression era science and industry.

Heat On Steel

Artist: Tyrone Comfort

A large, inventive oil on canvas by the well listed artist and illustrator Charles Shepard Chapman. A spirited look at the ongoing Industrial Revolution and progress minded upheaval of the 1920s with a focus on transportation. Pictured in the mist of streamlined modernist trains and bi-planes are antiquated horse and buggy carriages and river paddle boats. The artwork heralds the machine age and harnesses the art deco shapes, forms and exuberance that was infectious in the epoch before the stock market crash of 1929.

The Spirit of Transportation

Artist: Charles Chapman

A delightful New years Day 1917 illustration in pen & ink by noted female artist and illustrator Nell Brinkley titled Happiness A Plenty. This finds the New Years Baby scene adapted to a young couple who are finding the joys of home and hearth that much more appealing with their new born cherubic smiling infant welcomed into the world. Signed lower middle and matted and framed in a simple black wood frame.

Happiness A Plenty

Artist: Nell Brinkley

A comic illustration in pen & ink by noted New York illustrator John Held Jr. This was published in the newspaper “The Westport Herald”, with commentary on the Saugatuck River and pollution issues of the time in Connecticut. Caption reads “Hey Buddy How Can I Find The Saugatuck? Follow Your Nose!” Matted and framed and signed lower right by the artist.

Follow Your Nose

Artist: John Held Jr.

A bright and colorful, new to the market, original gouache on board by the prolific Hungarian artist Willy Pogany. This was created as an interior book plate illustration for an undetermined publication. A feast is laid before the king and his dog in this cleverly rendered original illustration. The verso is notated “pg. 7” and with the text “Golden Cocker #3” and an inventory number designating this as a published work. It is boldly signed lower right and nicely matted and framed behind glass.

The Feast

Artist: Willy Pogany

A colorful and festive original gouache painting by the prolific Hungarian artist Willy Pogany created as an interior book plate illustration. A drunken king is carried off by the kingdom’s subjects after a sumptious feast in this colorful and cleverly rendered original illustration. The verso is notated “pg. 47” this was a published work. It is boldly signed lower right and nicely matted and framed behind glass.

After The Feast

Artist: Willy Pogany

A large and magnificent rare surviving signed F. Earl Christy pastel advertising illustration on canvas for “The Princess Pat” Cosmetic Company. A defining glamorous pin-up girl with a chic and elegantly sophisticated jazz-age style and modernist machine age aesthetic. F. Earl Christy was a prolific early 1900’s illustrator who’s career spanned four decades. We rarely come across his original works this is an estate fresh large and luminous example from his best period nicely matted and framed in a pristine state of original conservation.

Princess Pat Cosmetics Flapper Girl

Artist: Earl Christy

A wonderfully inventive and unique early space-age (dated 1955) gouache calendar illustration by Bill Layne for the Royal 76 Gas Station chain. Showing the companies inventive and modernist machine age state of the art service station facilities. Uniquely embellished by the artist with his familiar elf figures and space exploration themes. Banner flag reads “Tickets Here For Cosmic Ray Absorber”. This is a tremendous futuristic work that should find traction among Petroliana collectors and space-age/atomic age lovers.

Space Age Royal 76 Petroliana

Artist: Bill Layne

A large and decorative gouache and graphite illustration by Willy Pogany titled on verso in the artists hand “Love’s Labour’s Lost”. Likely used in a William Shakespeare adaptation perhaps a cover for “The American Weekly” a large courting scene and a grand depiction by this very important artist from “The Golden Age of Illustration”. Work is beautifully silk matted and framed behind glass and ready to hang.

Love’s Labour’s Lost

Artist: Willy Pogany

An unusual and impacting Edwin Georgi interior illustration that appeared in The March 1952 Edition of Cosmopolitan Magazine in a story titled “The Coward”. A luminous and other wordly Georgi-girl seemingly kissing an enlisted soldier engaged in fierce combat goodbye.

The Coward

Artist: Edwin Georgi

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