Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
This radiant, fabulously large original pastel by Rolf Armstrong was created in 1941 for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company. Titled “Figured To Win,” this original and previously undocumented beautiful illustration incorporates two of the artist’s great loves in life; sailing and Jewel Flowers. This pastel was owned for many years by Jewel herself, who was Armstrong’s favorite model and dearest friend for nearly two decades.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
A spectacular view of Clara Bow in jazz age headscarf with streamlined modernist style, by George Hommel. Bow’s wizened eyes and cupid feature captured the nihilism and eroticism of the Lost generation, as well as the heart of the American moviegoing public, and vintage original stills of her remain highly collectible.
Artist: George Hommel
This original 1942 oil-on-board artwork by well listed female artist Bettina Steinke was commissioned for a United States Government WWII poster titled “Keep ‘Em Flying”. The image also became popular as a calendar art print titled “When They Came Marching Home” for The Louis F. Dow calendar company during the years of World War II and the immediate post-war period. The image became one of the enduring pictures of a changing America during wartime, featuring a victory girl nurse and armed forces servicemen working together to protect the nation.
Artist: Bettina Steinke
A dramatic and artfully posed gelatin silver original photograph by Edward Bower Hesser taken along the secluded shores of the California Coast. A pretty pair of lounging nude models mindful of the nude imagery of Edward Weston another noted nude Pictorialist who worked in Southern California during the 1920s – 30s art deco jazz-age. From an Allied Artist’s Photographers Guild east coast estate. An original graflex photograph taken by Hesser for use in his “Art’s Monthly Pictorial” photography magazine for artists and art students.
Artist: Edwin Bower Hesser
A dramatic and artfully posed gelatin silver original photograph by Edward Bower Hesser taken along the secluded shores of the California Coast. A pretty model in a dancers pose which brings to mind the nude imagery of Edward Weston another noted nude Pictoralist who worked in Southern California during the 1920s – 30s art deco jazz-age. From an Allied Artist’s Photographers Guild east coast estate. An original graflex photograph taken by Hesser for use in his “Art’s Monthly Pictorial” photography magazine for artists and art students.
Artist: Edwin Bower Hesser
A lovely original gelatin silver photograph by Edwin Bower Hesser of a seductive nude model in soft focus. We believe the model to be Jeanette Loff a silent film siren and Rolf Armstrong pin-up model. From an Allied Artist’s Photographers Guild east coast estate. An original graflex photograph taken by Hesser for use in his “Art’s Monthly Pictorial” photography magazine for artists and art students.
Artist: Edwin Bower Hesser
An original 4″ by 5″ sepia photograph of Hollywood legend Jean Harlow posed nude at Los Angeles’ Griffith park in 1929. An original first generation gelatin silver antique photograph by Edwin Bower Hesser. From an Allied Artist’s Photographers Guild east coast estate. An original graflex photograph taken and developed by Hesser for use in his “Art’s Monthly Pictorial” photography magazine for artists and art students.
Artist: Edwin Bower Hesser
Carole Lombard, one of the finest actresses of the golden era of Hollywood film, is captured in all of her glamour in this promotional portrait for Paramount Pictures. In dramatic sequined gown, the platinum blonde beauty who captured the heart of America in the 1930s, and died tragically promoting the war effort in 1941, still captivates.
Artist: Unknown
A crisply rendered jazz-age take on Adam & Eve and temptation within The Garden of Eden; this was created for the important 1932 Random House hardcover edition of George Gershwin’s Song-Book. This gouache painting illustrated the 1926 Gershwin song “Do Do Do” from the musical “Oh Kay”. A recent New York City Christie’s auction for a leather bound signed and numbered first edition of the songbook signed by both Alajalov and Gershwin brought $4207.00 with buyers premiums illustrating the significance and historic beauty of this unique pairing of talents.
Artist: Constantin Alajalov
The quintessential jazz baby, Joan Crawford is captured coyly beckoning at the viewer in this large format, double weight gallery photograph by Ruth Harriet Louise. The most important female photographer in Hollywood during the golden age of film, Louise is remembered for her ability to make the spirit of the art deco jazz age come alive.
Artist: Ruth Harriet Louise
