1920s

A large, inventive oil on canvas by the well listed artist and illustrator Charles Shepard Chapman. A spirited look at the ongoing Industrial Revolution and progress minded upheaval of the 1920s with a focus on transportation. Pictured in the mist of streamlined modernist trains and bi-planes are antiquated horse and buggy carriages and river paddle boats. The artwork heralds the machine age and harnesses the art deco shapes, forms and exuberance that was infectious in the epoch before the stock market crash of 1929.

The Spirit of Transportation

Artist: Charles Chapman

Grapefruit Moon Gallery is delighted to offer this spectacularly executed, and exceedingly rare surviving original painting by Henry Clive of the glamorous silent era Hollywood superstar Gloria Swanson. Clive, a staff illustrator at Paramount, executed a series of portraits for for the film studio of stars including Rudolph Valentino, Mae Murray, Pola Negri, Betty Compson, Jackie Coogan and Charlie Chaplin. These portraits graced the lids of 1920s Canco company tins, and this is the only original painting from the series known to exist. It is truly rare treasure from the Lost Era of Hollywood.

Portrait of Gloria Swanson

Artist: Henry Clive

A comic illustration in pen & ink by noted New York illustrator John Held Jr. This was published in the newspaper “The Westport Herald”, with commentary on the Saugatuck River and pollution issues of the time in Connecticut. Caption reads “Hey Buddy How Can I Find The Saugatuck? Follow Your Nose!” Matted and framed and signed lower right by the artist.

Follow Your Nose

Artist: John Held Jr.

A dazzling 1920s – early 30s art deco illustration painting of a playfully posed young flapper girl in silk nightie and ermine trimmed silk robe, amusing her kitty as was often the scene. Work is stylistically mindful of Edward Eggleston and Gene Pressler who created similar fanciful colorful and ornamental images for calendar companies of the era. It is our belief that this too was a published calendar image. Signed lower right “Eyre”.

Hello Kitty

Artist: Eyre

A bright and colorful, new to the market, original gouache on board by the prolific Hungarian artist Willy Pogany. This was created as an interior book plate illustration for an undetermined publication. A feast is laid before the king and his dog in this cleverly rendered original illustration. The verso is notated “pg. 7” and with the text “Golden Cocker #3” and an inventory number designating this as a published work. It is boldly signed lower right and nicely matted and framed behind glass.

The Feast

Artist: Willy Pogany

A colorful and festive original gouache painting by the prolific Hungarian artist Willy Pogany created as an interior book plate illustration. A drunken king is carried off by the kingdom’s subjects after a sumptious feast in this colorful and cleverly rendered original illustration. The verso is notated “pg. 47” this was a published work. It is boldly signed lower right and nicely matted and framed behind glass.

After The Feast

Artist: Willy Pogany

A deeply romantic jazz age view of Gilda Gray, “the Shimmy girl” from her starring turn in “The Devil’s Dancer.” This is a treasure of the orientalist movement in photography in the 1920s, featuring the theater and film star in highly exotic lush costuming and soft focus, hyper close up style. The rich sepia of the photography and the soft focus were among the signatures of photographer Irving Chidnoff, who specialized in these idealized yet realistic photographic portraits of theater and films stars in New York.

Gilda Gray in Sepia

Artist: Irving Chidnoff

A large and magnificent rare surviving signed F. Earl Christy pastel advertising illustration on canvas for “The Princess Pat” Cosmetic Company. A defining glamorous pin-up girl with a chic and elegantly sophisticated jazz-age style and modernist machine age aesthetic. F. Earl Christy was a prolific early 1900’s illustrator who’s career spanned four decades. We rarely come across his original works this is an estate fresh large and luminous example from his best period nicely matted and framed in a pristine state of original conservation.

Princess Pat Cosmetics Flapper Girl

Artist: Earl Christy

A rare surviving early signed cover painting by Enoch Bolles for the October 1925 issue of Film Fun Magazine. A delightful modernist flapper girl envisioned as only Bolles could see, titled “Port ‘O Dreams”. Painting is initialed lower middle and in a fine state of preservation. Recent auction records for this artist have topped $30,000.00 and as collectors know his original cover works are very scarce.

Port ‘O Dreams

Artist: Enoch Bolles

A colorful and festive original gouache painting by the prolific Hungarian artist Willy Pogany for an as of yet undetermined interior book plate illustration. A courting scene with a knight and princess assembled in a far away idyllic surround. The verso is notated with “pg. 26” this was a published work it is boldly signed lower right and nicely matted with a silk mat and framed behind glass.

In the Court of the Princess

Artist: Willy Pogany

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