bathing beauty

A rare surviving gouache painting by Brooklyn, New York pin-up artist and Calendar Illustrator Frank D’amario. Grapefruitmoongallery has sold dozens of this artists published pin-up prints and calendars over the years and recently acquired a pair of his original paintings. This sadly has a faint water tide line and rippling to the paper in the bottom portion. It is certainly acceptable as-is but could perhaps benefit from some careful paper conservation, it is bargain priced accordingly and by all accounts a scarce surviving example of The Great American Pin-up.

The Swimming Hole

Artist: Frank D'Amario

This original oil painting is one of three estate finds by the artist “Eyre” which was possibly a pseudonym for the east coast 1920s – 30s Illustrator Edward Eggleston. Though this example is unsigned, it was undoubtedly created by the same hand as the two signed Eyre pieces, and all three strongly resemble the work of Eggleston, who created several similar flapper girl seaside bathing beauty imagery for Atlantic City travel posters. The “EYRE” signature (visible in the other examples offered by the gallery) is stylistically similar to Eggleston’s signature and the color palette is reminiscent as well. This is a beautiful painting and is framed in an ornate period art deco frame matted behind glass.

Atlantic City Flapper Seaside

Artist: Eyre

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 delightful and rare surviving Art Frahm pin-up Calendar oil painting likely commissioned by The Joseph Hoover Calendar Company. This was from the collection of the late Charles Martignette, co-author of “The Great American Pin-up”. Verso indicates the work was done by Vaughan Bass but it is clearly initialed lower left by Art Frahm and is the work of Frahm without question. This was likely mislabeled years ago by a Calendar Company printer or office worker.

Come on Over

Artist: Art Frahm

A large and well rendered oil painting by William Medcalf, likely created for The Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company. This dates from the 1940s to early 50s; an era of situationally challenged cheesecake themed entanglements. In this instance, a red head bathing beauty has been startled (or perhaps merely amused) by a green frog. William Medcalf was a leading and prolific illustrator who worked in a variety of styles. His surviving pin-up commissions are especially coveted and this is a fresh-to-the-market, masterful work.

Bathing Beauty Startled by a Frog

Artist: William Medcalf

An erotic and sensational pin-up painting by Mayo Olmstead presumably created for The Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company. The work is mixed media on a Crescent illustration board with pastel used for the central figure and skin tones and oil or acrylic applied in an impasto textured bold technique to the border areas creating an alarming and lively composition. Olmstead was known for his good girl styled beauties, this sun burned she devil on the other hand is entirely of another vernacular.

Crazy From The Heat

Artist: Mayo Olmstead

This large, epically scaled, WPA-era beach scene is a wonderful fine art painting that takes the forms and themes of the regionalist art movement which was revolutionizing the American art scene in 1939 when this was created, and adapts them to the classic Connecticut shore. Recalling the work of Thomas Hart Benton, and George Bellows, this oil on board shows a group of friends looking on in a mix of shock and wonder at some roughhousing co-eds. Three men appear to have a bathing beauty and appear to be about to toss her into the ocean. Is it all in good fun, or is it something more sinister? By withholding the answer, the artwork takes the beach scene and gives it the provocative modernist spin and Ashcan School grittiness that defined art in the WPA regionalist era.

At The Beach

Artist: Alton Tobey

A large, luminous pastel created as pin up calendar art for the Thomas D. Murphy Calendar Company of Red Oak Iowa. This colorful and bright mid-century bathing beauty scene by the artist Paul Kafka was marketed under the title “Sunny.” Nicely framed and properly lined under glass. A multi-image color separation proof series and finished calendar print is included in sale as well as a complete Calendar line Salesman Sample Brochure for the year 1952 titled “The Murphy Record Prize Edition; What Lines!”. Featuring this calendar girl as the cover by The Thos. D. Murphy Calendar Company.

Sunny

Artist: Paul Kafka

An alarmingly beautiful art deco era original pastel pin-up illustration by Billy Devorss titled “Prize Winner”. A ravishing and radiant blond bathing beauty contestant winner in her slinky and current one piece suit and beach cape. One of the artist’s most successful and enduring creations. In original limed wood frame behind glass with a framing label from “M.Goldberg picture frames, 323 W. 45th St. N.Y. A rare surviving radiant work from Devorss’ most productive period, when his penthouse studio was in New York City’s prestigious Beaux Arts Building.

Prize Winner

Artist: Billy DeVorss

A rare surviving original cover painting by Enoch Bolles which appeared as the cover for the June 1945 Issue of Breezy Stories an envelope pushing, spicy pulp publication of much notoriety. This was most likely painted earlier than the published date noted here, as the magazine was in the practice of re-using existing artwork for its covers and the style and imagery mark this as coming from the 1930s, when Bolles produced his most inventive and important work.

Pin Up Girl With Garlands

Artist: Enoch Bolles

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