A large format, lurid and iconic paperback cover painting by Verne Tossey that was used as the cover for the 1955 Ace paperback Left Bank Of Desire.
Artist: Verne Tossey
1950s
This Jane Russell inspired Americana cheesecake pin up illustration graced the September 1957 page of Bill Randall’s “Randall’s Date Book” calendar.
Artist: Bill Randall
Teen-Age Gangs was created by Rafael Desoto as cover art for a 1954 Popular Library Paperback Book written by Dale Kramer and Madeline Karr. A gritty defining example which shows a bleak sensationalized, youth gone wild culture, which was to captured the moral panic over juvenile delinquency that was a focal point of American culture […]
Artist: Rafael Desoto
This original gouache painting by Harry Bennett was used as cover art for the Pyramid paperback publication of “Cry Shame” written by Gore Vidal under the pseudonym Katherine Everard. During his early career, Vidal published under several pseudonyms in order to evade the accusation that the rate of his publishing made it impossible for him to be a “serious” literary author. This is a singular opportunity to own an original piece of both illustration art and literary history, from the estate of Charles Martignette.
Artist: Harry Bennett
Harry Barton painted this steamy gouache illustration for use as the cover of 1952’s Tender Hearted Harlot by Val Munroe. Published as a pulp digest, novella length story that takes place on the San Francisco waterfront and follows the proclivities of the young, bold and beautiful Ginny Parrish who… “is a gambler to the core – but the one thing she won’t bet on is love…” Sounds like a real page turner! The painting is in pristine condition and has been nicely matted and framed under glass, a copy of the published digest is included in the sale.
Artist: Harry Barton
An original Calendar published luminous oil on canvas by noted and prolific pin-up illustrator Art Frahm used in 1956 by “The Goes Litho. Company” of Chicago Illinois. This large and pristine pin-up painting displays to fine effect Art Frahm’s softer and less rough around the edges sensibilities and provides a good-girl art glamour counterpart to his infamous series of “panties dropped” pin-up paintings that have recently sold from the Charles Martignette estate and found buyers at between $20,000 – $25,000.00 per work at auction.
Artist: Art Frahm
Dating to the 1950s, this Mid-Century Modern original advertising illustration features a young, stylish, and well-to-do couple looking at travel posters and pondering their next destination. The African masks and tribal Zuni Fetish Doll on the mantle as well as the hanging modernist abstract art let the consumer know that this couple is sophisticated and well-traveled. A […]
Artist: Richard Preyer
This dazzling and otherworldly painting by Virgil Finlay appeared on the cover of the July 1954 issue of Fate magazine, a special issue solely focused on the powers of Hypnotism. A scarce original pulp cover illustration from this long running title, this was for many years part of the storied collection of Robert Weinberg. Work is nicely matted and framed […]
Artist: Virgil Finlay
This is a large preliminary charcoal drawing by Gil Elvgren that evokes two calendar works the artist completed for Brown & Bigelow; 1951’s Party Line and 1958’s A Good Connection. This is signed by Gil Elvgren lower right, above a note by the artist for the art director at Brown & Bigelow, Clair […]
Artist: Gil Elvgren
This is a large preliminary charcoal drawing by Gil Elvgren, a study for the Brown & Bigelow pin-up calendar painting published in 1956 with the title Fit To Be Tied. This comes from a collection of Elvgren preliminary graphite drawings that we acquired which were found in a house in Sarasota, Florida where the artist once […]
Artist: Gil Elvgren
