Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
A large and early bathing beauty themed pin-up illustration in pastel by K.O. Munson, the gifted and prolific illustrator who worked many years for The Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company. This is an early work note the stylized signature and 1940’s glamour girl pose. Work is in fine condition and properly lined behind glass in an attractive period wide profile gold gesso frame.
Artist: K. O. Munson
A well rendered humorous gouache calendar painting for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar by prolific and well listed staff artist Bill Layne. This was used as an advertising calendar and is a published work. A precise depiction of what what Layne does best. Work is beautifully matted and framed in a maple gallery frame and ready to display.
Artist: Bill Layne
 |
A well rendered humorous gouache calendar painting for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar by prolific and well listed staff artist Bill Layne. This was used in their 1957 Calendar line and is a precise depiction of what what Layne does best. Work is beautifully matted and framed in a maple gallery frame and ready to display.
Artist: Bill Layne
Perhaps the finest nude pin-up ever created, this Earl Steffa Moran pastel is a fresh midwest estate find. This luminous masterwork dates from Moran’s “Light & Shadow” period. Marketed under the title “Tomorrow’s Star,” the model was reported to be Jean Harlow. Six early nudes by Moran were packaged as a large format high end print folio which Brown & Bigelow gave as a premium gift to its most lucrative business accounts under the title “Running into Six Figures.” Many collectors site the folio as the high water mark of pin-up art.
Artist: Earl Moran
Jewel Flowers was Armstrong’s favorite model and closest personal friend. She passed away last year and is fondly remembered and sorely missed by the pin-up and illustration art community. Her zesty, sexy spirit, and the kinship between the artist and model are clearly visible in this wonderful pastel.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
An original 1961 Oil on Canvas by Gilette Elvgren commissioned for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company and published under the title “A Neat Package”. A sexy Elvgren pin-up that explores the silk stockings and garters scenario that the artist is best known for. For those of you not keeping track, recent auctions have seen Elvgren’s pin-up works for Brown & Bigelow topping $200,000.00 at auction on more than one occasion with a high water mark of $262,900.00 this June.
Artist: Gil Elvgren
A whimsical snow scene pastel illustration by Rolf Armstrong which initially appeared as the cover for College Humor in December of 1929. This image was slightly altered by Armstrong and appeared again in 1936 as a Brown & Bigelow Calendar titled “The Call of the North”. The pastel was dedicated to Stan Fenelle another Brown & Bigelow artist by Armstrong and is a new to the market Saint Paul Minnesota estate find. Work is matted and framed in a period art deco era Newcomb-Macklin antique gold carved frame.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
A snappy and sexy original pastel illustration by Earl Moran commissioned as a 1951 Brown & Bigelow calendar. Text reads “Here’s an extra addition you can hardly refuse; for this little gal is just covered in news…” Pastel is beautifully framed and condition is outstanding as is the image.
Artist: Earl Moran
This wonderful, coy and large original pastel on board by Earl Moran was created as a commissioned illustration for Brown & Bigelow. The pin-up calendar image was published in the early 1950’s with the quip “Leading a parade Without a falter, is easier than leading A man to the altar.” Pastel is beautifully framed in a gold gilt fine museum frame and properly lined with printed tear sheet of published calendar included in sale.
Artist: Earl Moran
A large and new to the market, early 1950s pastel by Earl Moran, featuring the unlikely proportioned pin-up model Danice Daniels in a sexy, coy, playful, sex kitten pose that recalls Alberto Vargas’ work for the pages of Playboy Magazine during the era. Work is properly lined and housed in an attactive gallery frame. A fine example of Earl Moran’s masterful pastel work capturing his stylized ideals of feminine allure and temptation.
Artist: Earl Moran
