Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
A fabulous surviving Gil Elvgren pin up oil painting from the Brown & Bigelow Calendar line of 1953, published with the title Out of the Running (What A Heel!). A pretty party girl laments the broken shoe that has temporarily taken her away from the evening’s fun. The image was a tremendous success for the company, […]
Artist: Gil Elvgren
A dazzling Hollywood glamour pastel portrait of the always radiant Carole Lombard by Zoe Mozert used as the cover for the April 1936 edition of Screen Book Magazine. This published cover illustration is signed lower right and matted behind glass in its original limed wood and black enamel painted art deco moderne frame. Really a […]
Artist: Zoe Mozert
A large c. 1936 signed pastel portrait by Zoe Mozert of the Hollywood film star Loretta Young from about the time of her starring turn in Ramona. Zoe Mozert was a much in demand Hollywood film magazine cover artist during the pre-code years of Hollywood tinsel town glamour. She later settled into a long and […]
Artist: Zoe Mozert
A very large, bright and breathtaking nude pin-up created by Rolf Armstrong in 1939-40. Possibly deemed too risque for publication, this provocative work features a sensational rich cobalt blue and crimson red color palette. A wonderful candlelight view of a divine glamour girl seen scandalously nude through her crinoline wrap. This monumental pastel is one of only a handful of nudes by this iconic and prolific American illustrator and The Father of American Pin-up.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
This never before offered for sale, large original Gil Elvgren calendar pin-up painting was originally commissioned by the Brown & Bigelow calendar company in 1950 for their “Miss Sylvania” advertising line. The stylized cobalt blue and neon light idealized view of Midtown Manhattan with The Sylvania Building ablaze in the night underscore the importance of the lighting and electric company to the city that never sleeps.
Artist: Gil Elvgren
An original pastel, gouache and graphite mixed media pin-up illustration by Frank D’Amario. Little has been written about D’Amario; we know that he worked for several calendar companies in the 1940s – 50s and was quite prolific producing dozens of published calendar pieces. Over our careers as antique dealers, we have sold many published examples of his work but his originals are scarce. This original pin-up illustration is beautifully framed and matted behind glass in a wide profile antique hand crafted gold painted basswood frame.
Artist: Frank D'Amario
This is a dazzling, masterful original calendar commissioned pastel by Billy Devorss. The large scale, finely rendered artwork was created for the Louis F Dow company, and the lavishly attired young model is the artists wife Gleena. This keenly detailed art deco portrait expertly demonstrates the attention to culture, haute couture fashion, and style that set Devorss apart from his contemporaries. Pastel is properly lined and matted and comes framed in a lavish gold gilt carved fine museum quality frame.
Artist: Billy DeVorss
This original gouache painting by Henry Clive was used as the cover of Randolph Hearst’s American Weekly Magazine, August 6, 1944. One from a series of covers that glorified the beauty of women from the cultures America found itself allied with during the dark days of World War II, Global Glamour presented a rare opportunity for Clive to depict women from a variety of races in the guise of pin up and glamour art.
Artist: Henry Clive
This early 1930s pastel by frequent Golden Age of Hollywood female cover artist Mila Baine, shows a radiant and stylish Norma Shearer looking smart, crisp and alluring. Likely a cover for the title Movie Mirror, for whom Blaine worked often during the period. Handsomely matted and framed behind glass in a fine period frame. Handsomely matted and framed behind glass in a fine period frame.
Artist: Mila Baine
A large and beautiful original pastel by Rolf Armstrong that first appeared as a pin-up calendar for The Thos. D. Murphy Calendar Company under the title “Orchids To You”. Armstrong only created eight artworks for the Iowa based company, and as he was already America’s premiere glamour illustrator when he began working with them, he was permitted to retain ownership of his original pastels. He often reworked these slightly for use as covers for College Humor magazine, during the tail end of his ten year association with the periodical. Staying just outside copyright infringement by removing the orchids from the model’s left hand, and placing a “New York” and “C” for copyright under his distinctive signature, this altered version appeared on the cover of College Humor in March of 1936, the last time an Armstrong girl would grace this title. This pastel appears in a mid 1930s “Armstrong Art Service’s” brochure with the title of “Flower of the North” which is included in sale.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
