Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
Welcome to Grapefruit Moon Gallery. Here you will find an archived visual history of past sales. Pretty to look at, some are quite old; but when they're in here, consider them sold!
A roaring 20’s flapper girl in a tophat tames a pair of tigers with her feminine guiles. Most likely a cover for a spicy pulp or early vaudeville era magazine. Artwork is mindful of similar covers by Earle K . Bergey, Otto Grenier or H.J. Ward. Like much pulp cover art, this work is unsigned.
Artist: Unknown
A fun and decidedly unabashed, sexy pin-up calendar girl by Saint Paul native and Brown and Bigelow illustrator Paul Cernia. Image is titled High Pressure Cooker and labeled on back stretcher. There are numerous overpainted signings of the artists signature as he was seemingly trying to create a stylized version to go with his new found pin-up commissions. Many times these racy images of this era would fade into the canvas and leave nonessential, non-girl details ommitted. It is not clear if this piece is unfinished or completed as intended. Retains what would appear to be original plain handsome wood frame.
Artist: Paul Cernia
A fun, snow-covered portrait cover for assuredly a winter month issue of Randolph Hearst’s American Weekly Magazine. Labeled by artist’s hand, lower right ACCENT ON SPORTS #2, A SERIES OF OILS BY HENRY CLIVE; SNOW FLIGHT. This piece was found an an abondoned Atlanta, Georgia apartment complex years ago. How it got there is a mystery, to be sure. Nicely framed and double matted in a vintage 1940’s ornate gesso wood gallery frame.
Artist: Henry Clive
Completed preliminary study for a 1920’s magazine cover. Benda was best known for his illustrations of beautiful exotic women. He was also very well known for his creations of theatrical art deco masks. Benda authored his own book copyright 1944 entitled Masks, showing many examples of his work and detailed instructions on his mask-making.
Artist: Wladyslaw Benda
This humorous watercolor by famed American Illustrator, James Montgomery Flagg, attests to the fraternity and friendship that existed between peers during the Golden Age of Illustration. After Clive threatened to leave illustration behind and become a southwestern landscape painter, Flagg perfectly lampooned Clive in this painting. Flagg was an amazingly prolific illustrator and is best known for his WWI poster artwork and for creating the resonating famed image of our dear old Uncle Sam.
Artist: James Montgomery Flagg
Spear did a series called “Sea Weeds” with haunting images of art nouveau mermaids and other sea dwellers. This original pastel is a stunning and highly detailed example from this series. The colors are vivid and her ghost-like presence is breathtaking. This original gouache is referenced in the Warren Historical Society book on Spear on page 33 lot # 147. it was completed in February of 1927 and sold in 1930 at a New York City studio show. Artwork retains original period frame which shows some wear and there is some very minor “bubbling” where paper surface has lifted from board. This wear is minor and easily repaired.
Artist: Arthur Prince Spear
Spear did a series called “Sea Weeds” with haunting images of art nouveau mermaids and other sea dwellers. This is an original pastel on sandboard from this series. The mystical beauty of this underwater nymph lies in the simplicity of his rendering. It is housed in a beautiful original vintage art nouveau frame with corner detailing.
Artist: Arthur Prince Spear
A rare surviving original illustration by James Arthur for use as calendar art created in the late 1920’s for the Louis F. Dow calendar company under the title Land of Sky Blue Waters. The allure of the Indian Maiden proved inspiration for many American Illustrators. They were curiously portrayed as “white” and anglicized in their features. Today, Indian Maidens are even more collectible than during their initial popularity of the 1920’s. This work has photographic elements in her face and figure (which was often the case with artists of this genre), with much detailed oil painting. A published calendar top with artwork is included in sale.
Artist: James Arthur
he September 1923 cover of Picture Play magazine, a delightful red headed flapper portrait of silent movie player, Pauline Garon. During the roaring twenties, Clive created numerous jazz age-inspired portrait covers for Silent Movie era magazines. These covers were in direct competition with those Rolf Armstrong was creating for College Humor Magazine. A masterful painter, on par with Rolf Armstrong and the other top deco era American Illustrators, Henry Clive was adept at both pastel work and oils, and his original works are extremely scarce and coveted by collectors.
Artist: Henry Clive
An original Brown & Bigelow commissioned illustration presumably for a jewelers’ calendar advertisement. Bill Layne was best known for his humorous “hillbilly” renderings which blended in shapely pin-up girls and elves. During the later years of Brown & Bigelow’s long run, Layne was one of their star illustrators.
Artist: Bill Layne
