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 rare surviving original oil painting by Leslie Thrasher which was created as cover art the June 18, 1927 issue of Liberty Magazine. A Westward expanionist-themed view of California real estate speculation and planned communities, featuring a handsome modernist jazz age couple imagining their new life at the intersection of Buena Vista Boulevard & Broadway. Hope, determination and an underlying tension are created with the surprising color palette and the placement of the central figures against a surround that lies purely in the speculative imagination.

Buena Vista Boulevard & Broadway

Artist: Leslie Thrasher

A bizarre and macabre artwork by one of our favorite illustrators Mahlon Blaine titled on verso “A Fish Story.” A mermaid Medusa-like nude rendered in a pastel colored palette with an unusual size and configuration that leads us to believe this was created as a left-hand page interior illustration in a pulp magazine such as Weird Tales. When reproduced we imagine text would have been blocked around the right edge of this highly creative image.

A Fish Story

Artist: Mahlon Blaine

A wonderful original work by the gifted and prolific Louis F. Rhead this is 4 images on one illustration board, all were used for the 1916 Harper & Brothers published edition of The Arabian Nights . The maiden was the frontispiece for the introduction section and the stylized letters where the artists created fonts for chapter first letters. This is framed in a period, antique art nouveau bat wing gesso antique frame and looks devine as such.

Introduction From Arabian Nights

Artist: Louis Rhead

A large allegorical oil on stretched canvas, created for a 1919 Edition Of Randolph Hearst’s Hearst Magazine. Titled ” In The Year Of Our Lord”. A handsome near nude angel in the midst of a gathering of the wretched in a Book of Revelations inspired scene. This mythic and richly iconic humanist, sensuous, yet spiritual art is the genre Charles Allan Winter helped develop. This is a deeply moving and emotionally raw published original painting by this leading artist.

In the Year Of Our Lord

Artist: Charles Winter

A large Victorian watercolor by famed illustrator Albert Beck Wenzell featuring an Art Nouveau virginal beauty surrounded by putti shown in idyllic purity with nimbis overhead. Wenzell is best known for his 1903 illustrated book The Passing Show. He also created stunning murals for the New Amsterdam Theater in New York City at the turn of the last century and was a cover artist for leading early 20th century magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post.

Victorian Virgin with Cherubs

Artist: Albert Wenzell

An original gouache humorous Edwardian boudoir themed interior painting for the notorious French publication La Vie Parisienne. The long running, blatantly at times erotic and racy magazine that chronicled the exploits and sexual proclivities of sassy and free spirited French follies showgirls and their often dim witted suitors in risque, breezy, spicy pulp-like fashion. Maurice Milliere was a frequent contributor of cover illustrations. French text on margin translates to “I’m all that you have”. This is framed in a museum quality genuine gold gilt hand carved frame .

La Noblesse en Folie

Artist: Maurice Milliere

A signed and dated 1943 erotic, lesbian-themed, art deco nude pastel by the notorious New York City libertine photographer and fine artist G. Maillard Kesslere. This defiantly “out” New York vanguard artist made his name by blurring the distinctions between the homosexual arts community and high society during the avant-garde interwar era. Both his pastels and photographs of sensuously-posed follies showgirls were much in demand among sophisticated circles during the exuberant, decadent art deco era.

Girlfriends

Artist: G. Maillard Kesslere

The Augsbrug Sailors is a dramatic, boldly rendered, surrealist and homoerotic World War II illustration by the renowned illustrator Karl Godwin. Best remembered for his longtime work as artist for Reader’s Digest and calendar illustration, Godwin was a versatile talent, as shown by this unusual, patriotic image of one semi-nude sailor defiantly eyeing the sky as he cares for his wounded brother in arms. Piece comes nicely matted and framed in a fine gold gesso period gallery frame.

The Augsburg Sailors

Artist: Karl Godwin

This is a bright, well-executed, published oil on canvas by “The King of the Pulps” Walter Baumhofer. Originally an interior illustration for The Girl With the Lemon Colored Hair, a short piece of fiction by the infamous author Vina Delmar. This stunning artwork was published in the September 1943 issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine. A published tear sheet is included with sale.

The Girl with the Lemon Colored Hair

Artist: Walter Baumhofer

A crisply rendered Americana themed original commissioned calendar art oil painting, created for a Brown & Bigelow series titled The American Road. Bill Medcalf was the calendar company’s star artist and alongside Norman Rockwell created the enduring Americana view of the slow paced rural life. Through the years, Medcalf continued drawing the same boy, dog, and small town doctor, aging them slowly and gracefully. Calendars featuring the characters are included with sale.

Fishin’ Fever

Artist: William Medcalf

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