Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
Publishers of depression-era pulp magazines, post war men’s adventure and girlie magazines, and lurid paperback titles all used risqué, action-packed illustrations to make their offerings jump off the newsstands in the highly competitive market for readers attention. Cover art pushed the boundaries of what was allowable in a heavily-censored era, coming up with increasingly deviant and outlandish portrayals of sex, violence, and perilous escapes from danger. Today, these works—which provide an intriguing peek into the shadow side of 20th century American culture—are studied by historians and coveted by collectors.
Original Men’s Adventure Magazine Illustration by Samson Pollen Offered here is a thrilling, vintage and original, grayscale gouache on board by the prolific and frequently-published illustrator Samson Pollen. A classic example of 1960s men’s magazine art, this high-stakes, action-packed illustration was likely published as an interior illustration of a men’s adventure magazine. Excitement abounds in […]
Artist: Samson Pollen
Enric Torres-Prat and Selecciones Ilustradas In this original oil on board cover painting for an as-of-yet unidentified crime paperback, Enric Torres-Prat, better known simply as Enric, draws on the style of Robert McGinnis to create a montage featuring a redheaded femme fatale and an oversized purple gun. Please note, the gun is applied via a […]
Artist: Enric
A behind-the-scenes look at a Hollywood dramatization of space travelers exploring the surface of the moon, this this gouache cover painting by Ed Lafferty appeared on the cover of the May, 1950 edition of Popular Mechanics. The scene illustrates an interior story that investigates how close scientists were in 1950 to manned space flight and dissects the accuracy (or lack thereof) of Pal Productions film “Destination Moon.”
Artist: Ed Lafferty
An original painting by Fred Rodewald which appeared as the cover of the December, 1949 edition of the digest pulp fiction title Exotic Novel Magazine.
Artist: Fred Rodewald
Exotic Harem Cover Girl by John Drew This is an original c. 1920s–1930s oil on canvas painting by pulp artist and illustrator John Drew. An alluring glamour portrait, Drew has created an enchanting view of a raven-haired harem girl with gold headband draped across her forehead, matching gold earrings and arm cuff, and a colorful […]
Artist: John Drew
Original Men’s Adventure Magazine Illustration by Samson Pollen Offered here is an exceptionally rendered, exceedingly sexy, vintage and original gouache on board grayscale illustration by the prolific and frequently-published illustrator Samson Pollen. A classic example of 1970s men’s magazine art, this heady, thrilling illustration was published in a November 1970 issue of For Men Only […]
Artist: Samson Pollen
Original Men’s Adventure Magazine Illustration by Samson Pollen Offered here is an extensive, vintage and original, gouache on board illustration done in grayscale by the prolific and frequently-published illustrator Samson Pollen. A classic example of 1960s men’s magazine art, this salacious and provocative illustration was published in a July issue of Men magazine to accompany […]
Artist: Samson Pollen
This is an exciting, fresh-to-the-market paperback book cover illustration by Al Schmidt for the 1952 Cardinal Complete Book Edition of The White Tower by James Ramsey Ullman. The text slug on the paperback reads, “Five men and one woman gazed upward at Weissturm – The White Tower – hypnotized by the beckoning shadows […]
Artist: Al Schmidt
This vintage illustration features a disheveled Jimmy Stewart type in rumpled raincoat and hat, being side-eyed with disdain. The other fellow appears to be wearing last night’s tuxedo, if the stack of pancakes is any indication. Since we have yet identified the use or artist of this piece, we can’t do more than speculate on […]
Artist: American Artist
A feisty redhead is caught in a private moment in this voyeuristic and menacing published pulp painting that was used as the cover of Ecstasy Books #15 “Wanton By Night.” The image is filled with classic pulp iconography, from the scantily-clad femme fatale hurryingly drawing down her shade in the close confines of urban apartment […]
Artist: George Gross
