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 large, Victorian era, original watercolor on illustration board by frequent LIFE Magazine illustrator, Charles Howard Johnson. This was most likely an interior, 2-page, color plate illustration for Truth Magazine. A stylized Belle Epoque, old world gondola scene. Nicely framed in a large, period, gesso wood frame.
Artist: Charles Howard Johnson
A large and impressive oil on canvas by beloved American illustrator Haddon Sundblom titled “Moonlight and Roses.” An inspired and luminous, traditional southern Gone With the Wind inspired scene that was likely a commission for Maxwell House Coffee. Included in the assembled cast of characters is a self portrait of the artist himself. Framed in an ornate period gilt frame with a Louisville Kentucky verso framing label.
Artist: Haddon Sundblom
A delightful, whimsical early oil on board painting by Henry Clive, one of our favorite American Illustrators. This dates from 1916-1920 and was likely created as cover art for Randolph Hearst’s American Weekly Magazine. Featuring a cute and perky flapper in pirate girl garb, this a rare surviving example by this gifted and influential, prolific illustrator. Work is nicely framed in a period 1930s limed wood frame.
Artist: Henry Clive
A delightful and never before offered on the market large and sensational Brown & Bigelow commissioned pastel illustration by Rolf Armstrong, featuring a sassy and sexy stylized southwestern attired cowgirl in traditional charro hat, riding pants and and tassled boots. From the zenith of Armstrong’s long tenure as “The Father of American Pin-up”. A 1944 large Brown & Bigelow Calendar of image titled “Hi, Neighbor” is included in sale. Among the finest Armstrong works we have ever owned.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
A rare original Norman Saunders cover painting created for a 1950s era pulp publication. Saunders created a similarly composed Black Mask pulp cover in 1950 with essentially the same scene. This is a defining example of the suspense and danger that are the trademarks of Saunders masterful noir cover paintings. The painting has been estate stamped by the artist’s daughter and work is nicely and professionally framed.
Artist: Norman Saunders
A typically action packed interior illustration gouache painting by Mort Kunstler for the April 1957 edition of Sports Afield Magazine. A large menacing polar bear in pre-global warming, shrinking ice cap terrain with a Cessna water landing small aircraft as the backdrop. Nicely matted and framed and in pristine condition. Issue of magazine included in sale, caption reads “Not now!” I screamed at him. Too Late. There was no sound of slug hitting flesh. Instead, it chopped through the fuselage and smashed into the motor…
Artist: Mort Künstler
A large and fantastic oil painting by New York Illustrator and artist Edmund F. Ward for an interior story in The Pictorial Review Nov. 1921; titled “The Girl Who Wanted a Fairy Prince”. A magical other-worldly scene that serves as the artists image selection in the Walt Reed penned “The Illustrator in America”. Additionally this painting has been exhibited at The Norman Rockwell Museum in 2002, and at The Society Of Illustrators in 1984. Nicely framed in a handsome hand crafted white gold museum quality frame.
Artist: Edmund Ward
A vignette style interior illustration by Charles Chambers for an as of yet undetermined American slick magazine, featuring a damsel being rescued from rising waters in a precarious flood zone destination. This style of vignette painting likely had text overlaid in in the final printed version. The white painted expanses upper left and lower right would become part of the story developments and turns, to keep the 1920s magazine reader glued to the adventure and action in the story.
Artist: Charles Edward Chambers
Grapefruit Moon Gallery is proud to offer a fine art nude oil painting by Pal Fried from the 1940s. This fresh estate find is titled on verso “Suzanne” and retains its handsome ornate gold painted gesso frame. A luminous example by this gifted and prolific Hungarian painter and illustrator.
Artist: Pal Fried
A rare surviving Edward Sheriff Curtis nude titled “Aphrodite”, (Spirit of the Sea)” circa 1920s, a blue-toned gelatin silver photograph. Signed with the Curtis LA copyright insignia in the negative on the image, accompanied by the original frame backing stamped Aphrodite, Curtis Studio, Los Angeles. One of 3 blue nudes Curtis did towards the end of his life and a coveted rare old original photograph. In a fine state of conservation with silvering in the emulsion along the photographs edges.
Artist: Edward Curtis
