1920s

An early published and signed oil on canvas by John A. Coughlin for an as of yet unidentified Street & Smith pulp title. The hand of a New York City police officer is seen menacing a formally attired crowd in a surreal, chaotic action packed moment. A rare surviving original cover painting from The Golden Age of Illustration and a recent Pennsylvania estate find. Verso is titled “You Can’t Win” with a partial Street & Smith publishing label as seen. Relined and restretched and ready to frame and enjoy.

The House of Horror

Artist: John Coughlin

A rare surviving oil on canvas depicting the rogue pulp detective magazine villain Maxwell Sanderson in one of his serialized escapades. This was created as a commissioned cover for the July 16, 1929 issue of Street and Smith’s “Detective Story Magazine.” Painted by John A. Coughlin, this work finds Sanderson with his hand caught in the safe–verso is notated with a publishing date and the title “Sanderson Trapped.” Relined and ready to frame and enjoy.

Maxwell Sanderson Trapped

Artist: John Coughlin

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.

The Girl Who Wanted a Fairy Prince

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.

From the Flood

Artist: Charles Edward Chambers

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.

Aphrodite

Artist: Edward Curtis

A tremendous original late 1920s pen and ink drawing by Cardwell Higgins titled “A Delightful Page in the Record of My Existence”. The artist created five of these noir illustrative costumed art deco pen & ink drawings between the years of 1927 – 1929 that were later marketed as limited edition art prints under the guidance of Charles Martignette in 1979. This is assuredly the finest from this series of Aubrey Beardsley / Harry Clarke inspired fantasy scenes that the young Higgins executed. From the Estate of Charles Martignette, who championed the efforts of Cardwell Higgins and organized a one man show for the artist in 1983 shortly after the artist’s death in Hollywood Florida.

A Delightful Page…

Artist: Cardwell Higgins

A scarce and wonderful original gouache painting on illustration board by Anne Harriet Sefton a.k.a. Fish; this was the cover for The December 1921 Christmas edition of Vanity Fair Magazine. Work is in the humorous yet refined swinging youth style that came to personify the art deco jazz age. Painting is elaborately framed in a hand carved ornate antique wood frame and comes with a bound volume of 1921 Vanity Fair Magazines which includes the complete December 1921 volume.

Three Under The Mistletoe

Artist: Anne Harriet Fish

A delightful original pastel by Charles Sheldon of a lavishly-attired Gloria Swanson posed in the style of a Follies Showgirl, bathed in red light. Double matted and framed in a period art deco gesso wood painted frame.

Follies Girl in Red

Artist: Charles Sheldon

An exceptional pastel rendering of a Gloria Swanson in blue glamorous Follies showgirl manner by Charles Sheldon. Pastel is double matted and framed in a museum quality carved wood frame.

Costumed Ziegfeld Follies Girl With Mask

Artist: Charles Sheldon

A large and deftly rendered interior illustration painting by beloved American Illustrator James Montgomery Flagg. Created for a 1920s edition of Hearst’s Magazine. A young jazz age couple who find themselves with 3 young children are pondering their sleep deprived chaotic extistence with “Twisted Hearts”. Flagg was a wildly popular prolific illustrator who is best known for creating The Uncle Sam characterization that has become an iconic American part of history. Work is nicely matted and framed.

A Twisted Heart

Artist: James Montgomery Flagg

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