Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
This Earl Moran original pastel features a cheeky, carhop waitress from the long-gone drive-in-diner era, providing car side service with a smile. This pastel was commissioned by Brown & Bigelow, a sample printed ink blotter is included in sale. Text reads in full A waitress leads a happy life, and sunshine fills her days. The outlook’s good the job is fine, because money grows on trays.
Artist: Earl Moran
A large, colorful, situationally challenged pin-up girl finds herself in a revealing moment deftly rendered by the infamous Edward D’ancona. This painting, entitled Handle With Care was commissioned by The Thos. D. Murphy Calendar Company; Red Oak Iowa and a large original archived published calendar of this image is included in the sale. A scarce surviving original work by this prolific American cheesecake maestro.
Artist: Edward D'Ancona
A luminous and glowing glamour girl painting by the well listed prolific pin-up illustrator and Hollywood Portrait artist Edward Runci. This fine oil-on-streched-canvas features a Haddon Sundblom/Gil Elvgren color palette and painterly technique. A formally posed beauty queen in purple gloves and fur with an orchid and a inviting smile awaits you. Condition, like the work, is flawless.
Artist: Edward Runci
Titled at turns “Toast of the Town” and “A Frame Worth PIcturing,” this 1954 Oil on Canvas is Gil Elvgren at his finest. The painting displays Elvgren’s unsurpassed mastery of composition, color, humor, and the female form. Elvgren’s favorite model, Myrna Hansen, is shown cheekily posed in garters, stockings, and heels by an artist’s easel. Scandalously, Hansen modeled for this pin-up while she was the reigning Miss USA. Describing her tenure as Elvgren’s muse, Hansen has said: “I just had to lift my skirt and say, ‘ahh.'”
Artist: Gil Elvgren
A crisply rendered Americana themed original commissioned calendar art oil painting, created for a Brown & Bigelow series titled The American Road. Bill Medcalf was the calendar company’s star artist and alongside Norman Rockwell created the enduring Americana view of the slow paced rural life. Through the years, Medcalf continued drawing the same boy, dog, and small town doctor, aging them slowly and gracefully. Calendars featuring the characters are included with sale.
Artist: William Medcalf
This is a finely executed, modernist oil-on-canvas fine art work by the important American bohemian artist, Eric von Schmidt. The painting features a loosely and emotionally presented view of a nude figure-painting art class. The abstracted presentation and languid posture of the nude sitter reflect the objection that the bohemians felt towards the commercialization of art and the body in 1950s American culture. This stunning piece of Americana modern art comes nicely matted and framed and ready to hang.
Artist: Eric Von Schmidt
A rare surviving original cover illustration for Rogue For Men magazine by Lloyd Rognan for the premiere edition, a December 1955 Volume #1, Edition #1. This is a particularily rich interpretation of a Men’s magazine cover , and illustrates the interior story on page 9 of included published issue of Rogue For Men magazine, story is titled Gentlemen for Rent by Ted Peckham . Rogue was published from December 1955 – December 1967 by Greenleaf publishing and was a direct competitor with Playboy Magazine.
Artist: Lloyd Rognan
This is a remarkable, new to the market, original 1959 Oil on Canvas by Gillette Elvgren. This stunning painting was used for a Brown & Bigelow Pin-up Calendar smartly titled T.V. Spectacular. This remarkable work personifies the appeal of Elvgren, with cleverly posed sexy cutie in garters and stockings precarious posed in a bright colorful outdoor setting. comes beautifully framed in a museum quality carved period frame, verso features original calendar company label. Condition is astounding as is the work.
Artist: Gil Elvgren
A bright, large, dazzling original Redbook Magazine interior illustration for the story Old Miguel’s Girl. A defining gouache by the gifted and inventive American illustrator Edwin Georgi, this dramatic work features the color palatte and shadowing that Georgi affecionados have come to appreciate. The work radiates around a central glamour girl that is quintessential Georgi.
Artist: Edwin Georgi
This large and colorful noir montage by Alexander Sharpe Ross was created as an interior illustration for a mid 1950’s American mainstream slick magazine. Ross was a leading American illustrator of the time with work featured on the covers of Good Housekeeping, The Saturday Evening Post, Ladies Home Journal and Colliers. Along with a handful of key illustrators — Coby Whitmore, John Whitcomb, Al Parker, and Norman Rockwell — Ross helped create an indelible image of Americans in the post WWII decades.
Artist: Alex Ross
