Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
Grapefruit Moon Gallery is honored to be able to offer “Ye Chiseler – Yo Ho Ho And a Bottle of Rum”, a large, commanding, seductive and masterful mural created by Henry Clive, to our eyes the finest illustrator working in jazz age Hollywood. Along with its companion work “The Infidel” (also available through Grapefruit Moon Gallery), Clive created this masterwork for the tavern of The Masquers Club, a historic and fascinating Hollywood institution.
Artist: Henry Clive
A large expressive C. 1920 Art Deco American painting signed by the artist Sidis, a name which is unfamiliar to us. Though mysterious, this is a fabulous work featuring a harem of nude forest sprites making merriment in lavish erotic dance. The tree foliage is boldly applied impasto paint, which provides stark contrast to the muted tones […]
Artist: Sidis
Grapefruit Moon Gallery is ecstatic to offer Sultana, the original Louis F. Dow commissioned calendar pin-up painting by Henry Clive. Created in 1925, Sultana is in all regards the artist’s signature and defining creation, featuring an exotic nearly nude dreamy enchantress in an Art Deco Egyptian fantasy dreamscape. This enchanting artwork is littered with sophisticated touches such as the Moorish architecture which glimmers behind Sultana as she releases a white dove. This timeless image was again issued in 1941 as a mutoscope card with the title Lucky Dove–a vintage calendar print and mutoscope card are included in the sale.
Artist: Henry Clive
Along with its companion work “Ye Chiselers” (previously sold through Grapefruit Moon Gallery), Clive created this masterwork for the tavern of The Masquers Club, a historic and fascinating Hollywood institution. A reclining redheaded flapper is seen consorting with a Persian genie of sorts, illustrating the verse from the Rubaiyat which is inscribed on the mural.
Artist: Henry Clive
A deftly rendered, intricate, highly decorative oil on canvas painting by noted Brandywine School illustrator Arthur E. Becher, a student of Howard Pyle. An East Indian Minstrel performs magic feats to the delight of his adoring harem in this Orientalist Golden Age of Illustration depiction. Becher’s work appeared in numerous magazine titles after the turn of the last century; Scribner’s and Leslie’s most notably. He also created full color bookplates for such titles as “Long Live the King” and an 1914 adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” by P.F. Collier & Sons.
Artist: Arthur Becher
This large, fresh to the market Henry Clive painting was created for the June 20th, 1948 cover of The American Weekly. The work finds the artist portraying Delilah as posed by Earl Carroll showgirl Beryl Wallace in seductive harem girl garb with barber’s shears prominently featured. Clive created a series of these artworks under the title “Enchantresses of the Ages” for Randolph Hearst’s American Weekly title where Clive enjoyed a three decade career as cover illustrator.
Artist: Henry Clive
A Grecian inspired, fantasy themed, mixed media illustration that was used by the Thos. D. Murphy Calendar company for a 1930 calendar titled The Glory That Was Ancient Greece. This whimsical yet erotic Grecian maiden themed work consists of a heavily tinted photograph of the two Grecian adorned beauties by L.G. Woolenden and an elaborate garden landscape painting by Rudolph Ingerle that envelopes the photographic element. This team of enterprising calendar art talents created numerous works under the pseudonym L. Goddard Surviving original L Goddard artworks are quite rare and spectacular, and among our favorite examples of fantastical and escapist art deco/Great Depression calendar illustration. A large printed calendar from the Thomas D. Murphy calendar company archives is included in the sale.
Artist: L. Goddard
A smartly rendered pin-up girl gag watercolor cartoon for Esquire Magazine by noted African American cartoon artist and illustrator E. Simms Campbell. Gag features a Bedouin trader desert scene with a harem girl, tagline reads “Personally, I think the camel is a much smarter buy”. Work is ink stamped by Esquire Magazine on the verso and signed by the artist lower right.
Artist: E. Simms Campbell
A photo-realist, kinetic original oil on board by James Bama. This painting, created as a cover for Stag Magzine, illustrates the outlandish true story of Faustin Wirkus, an American soldier who became king of a small island off Haiti in 1906. Faustus was made famous in the 1930s book “The Magic Isle” and was a cult figure thereafter. Interior text reads in part “For five fabulous years, by order of the U.S. Marine Corps, he ruled the mid-ocean island- voodoo, personal harem and all.” Work is unsigned but article credits art by James Bama, magazine is included in sale.
Artist: James Bama
A sublime and richly rendered excursion along the low road, this gouache on illustration board was used as the front cover of Volume #1 Issue #6 of Rogue For Men an early Men’s magazine that was direct competition to Playboy for Men. A Post-war pulp artwork by Lester Bentley which illustrates the interior story by Robert Bloch titled So You’d Like to Have a Harem? Nicely matted and framed and ready to hang in your harem.
Artist: Lester Bentley
