Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
A large, art deco era, original pastel on illustration board by the well listed and prolific American Illustrator Warde Traver. This is an as of yet unidentified calendar or magazine commission. Image features a proud brightly colored deftly rendered peacock showing his bright plumage. Work is matted and framed in period green painted wood frame.
Artist: Warde Traver
A whimsically rendered, belle-epoque pen and ink illustration, presumably created for an early issue of Life magazine, addressing the adventures of growing old. A young girl on the left attempts to gain the attention of father time (viewed literally handing out birthdays off of an old cart) while Edwardian attired women on the right flee the aging process. This appears to be an illustration for a writing by Helen Ring Robinson, the author who in 1908 adaped a version of Uncle Tom’s cabin for children. Her name is ghost written in light pencil upper left below one of the 8 draining hour glasses.
Artist: Orson Lowell
A sharp, scathing political commentary on the heartlessness of tycoons, barons and monopolists. Depicting a fat cat industrialist sitting on top of the world wih his east coast riches dreaming from behind binoculars of otherworldly conquests as he crushes the masses beneath him. A commsissioned illustration presumably for an early issue of Life Magazine, the image captures with wonderful humor the anti-Eastern, trust-busting late Progressive culture of the early 20th century. Work is beautifully framed and matted.
Artist: Orson Lowell
A large and bold, early 20th century patriotic German David and Goliath scene, by one of the defining “official” painters of the German empire and later, the Third Reich. This classically styled, expertly rendered scene features a highly eroticized nude David standing strong against the imposing Goliath force. This deeply allegorical mythical painting pronounces the vitality and virility of the German nation, a theme which dominated Nationalist German art throughout the late 19th and early 20th century, even as more abstract movements like German Sucessionism and the Jugendstihl gained prominence internationally.
Artist: Arthur Kampf
This is an absolutely exquisite pastel in the pre-Raphaelite style which depicts a climactic scene from “The Geste of Duke Joceyln.” Originally used as the frontispiece for the light verse novel by popular English author Jeffrey Farnol, the scene features the fetching Duchess Yolande being presented at court after winning the heart of Duke Jocelyn. This is a shining example of Eric Pape’s whimsical yet classic style of illustrating, and features remarkable use of color and detailing. Pape was a well-regarded and often-exhibited artist from the turn of the 20th century until his death in 1938. His original art is highly coveted and recently his pastel work has fetched $45,000.00 at Christies. This epic pastel is one of the nicest examples of Pape’s work I have come across.
Artist: Eric Pape
A presumed cover painting for a 1915-1920 edition of a young peoples magazine most likely St. Nicholas for Boys and Girls (I have yet to locate the actual magazine this was used for). A confident Edwardian attired young lady enjoying the active life as was prescribed in such periodicals after the turn of the last century and post Victorian idealized, more petite, feminine beauty. Looks like the work of Charles Relyea or perhaps Norman Price another possible candidate would be Charles Chase Emerson all of whom did covers in numorous periodicals in this genre.
Artist: Unknown
A fantastic and phrenetic original art deco era illustration of a nude nymph sea sprite and friends riding a school of flying fish ! Original use is unknown; looks like a pulp cover or perhaps an early Science & Invention cover to these eyes . A defining and whimsical example by the American Artist Charles W. Pancoast, who is credited with illustrating the 1907 edition of BLACK BEAUTY: The Autobiography of a Horse by Dodge Publishing Company, New York.
Artist: Charles Pancoast
An exceedingly scarce original oil on canvas by noted Illinois early calendar artist F.R. Harper. Harper had a long and successful career in American Illustration. He was particularily adept at portraying exotic-themed Anglo Saxon-ized Indian Maidens and his rare paintings of beautiful women are some of the most poignant in terms of mood and technique from the early art nouveau influenced pre art deco years of glamour art. This is nicely framed and has been oversprayed with some type of varnish or shellac at some point and is priced accordingly.
Artist: F. R. Harper
This is the second of a pair of institution-sized monumental hand-tinted highlighted fine art prints that were displayed in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum of Art after the turn of the last century. They found their way to a convent in the Midwest and recently went up for sale. We are proud to offer this most unusual Edwin Austin Abbey, King Lear, A Farewell To Cordelia .
Artist: Edwin Austin Abbey
An exceptional and defining example of William Malherbe’s post impressionistic landscapes and portaiture — a circa 1920’s oil on stretched canvas. Malherbe is a well-listed and coveted artist with outstanding auction hammer prices. To these eyes, an inferior village view with no figures sold for a record $4,180.00 in 1988. Original label on verso, as seen, boldly signed lower left. This oil painting is an evocative and stirring example of his mastery of the post impressionistic landscape.
Artist: William Malherbe
