Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
A charming and warmly fraternal charcoal portrait of Jewel Flowers dated 1945, that was inscribed by the American artist Rolf Armstrong and given to the models parents - Mr. & Mrs. Colton Flowers. As a teenager Jewel Flowers was crowned "Miss Lumberton, North Carolina", she moved to New York City at 17 after graduating […]
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Price: Sold
In part one of our blog series on Jewel Flowers, we explored how the model rose from teenaged North Carolina beauty queen to become muse and adored friend to illustrator and Father of American Pin-Up, Rolf Armstrong as well as how the pair's keen eye for fashion translated into the gorgeous costumes seen in Armstrong's pastels. […]
Earlier this year, the Society of Illustrators inducted American illustrator and pin-up artist Rolf Armstrong into their Illustrator's Hall of Fame. Since 1958, the Society of Illustrators has elected to its Hall of Fame artists recognized for their distinguished achievement in the art of illustration. Artists are elected by former presidents of the Society and […]
Jewel Flowers; a diminutive gem of an artist's model who was muse to Rolf Armstrong for half his career, and whose popularity at times threatened to surpass his. Armstrong began the 1940s known for vampy flappers and radiant pin-ups with art deco sophistication, a style that was waning in popularity at the time. His meeting with Flowers, an unknown […]
Rolf Armstrong created this Western-themed pin-up cowgirl pastel for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company in the early 1950s. The adorable Americana image was published as a calendar with the titles Come And Get It!, and Soups On! This original artwork has tremendous electric cobalt blue coloring as the artist captured the last fleeting minutes of light, imagining a dreamy, well-realized, wide […]
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Price: Sold
Rolf Armstrong created this pastel titled "Come On In" for the Brown and Bigelow Calendar Company in 1941. The model is Jewel Flowers, Armstrong's favorite subject and close friend. Originally, this pastel included the full body of the model, sitting in a pool with a Scottish Terrier. At some point, this illustration (like several other examples by Armstrong that have recently surfaced), was cut down to appear as a portrait. This was possibly altered by the artist himself, as Armstrong would rework and alter his pieces in the cases he retained physical possession of the originals, in order to reuse them for a second commission.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Price: S O L D
A unique and inventive, large and luminous original pin-up pastel calendar illustration created for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company of Saint Paul Minnesota. This was used as a 1958 calendar titled "Moonglow". The model is Jewel Flowers and this is rendered in an electric cobalt blue palette with the model catching the golden hues afforded by a moonlit night. The work is pictured in "The Great American Pin-up" on page 98 plate #95.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Price: S O L D
An original graphite preliminary pin-up sketch by Rolf Armstrong of his favorite pin-up model Jewel Flowers. Nicely framed and matted with an original color snapshot of Jewel as posed by Armstrong in a wide brimmed straw sun hat from this specific setting, (likely taken by Rolf Armstrong himself). From the Jewel Flowers estate, gifted to Mike Wooldridge the co-author of Pin-up Dreams.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Price: S O L D
This is a unique and intriguing pair of original illustrations by Rolf Armstrong, created over the July 4th weekend in 1941, at the Brown & Bigelow holiday company retreat at Breezy Point Lodge in Northern Minnesota. Armstrong, and his favorite model, Jewel Flowers, were celebrities at the event, and Armstrong was called upon to create this impromptu view of Jewel in all-American sporting poses, as an instructional event. Jewel sat lakeside modeling, as Rolf depicted her first beneath a tent, then with a dog, then finally, holding a newly caught fish, similar to the prized walleye she caught at Breezy Point that weekend. These two pieces provide a rare look at the process Armstrong used to develop his iconic pin up creations, and come from the estate of Mike Wooldridge the co-author of "Pin-up Dreams" the well regarded and thoughtfully compiled monograph on the artist.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Price: S O L D
From the estate of Mike Wooldridge, our friend sadly departed and deeply missed author, historian and advanced pin-up collector comes this new to the the market original pastel illustration by Rolf Armstrong. Pictured is Jewel Flowers, the artist's favorite model and dear friend for decades. This beautiful pin up portrait dates to the war years of the 1940s and Jewel is depicted in a star spangled red, white and blue patriotic scarf as she readies herself to embark in an afternoon of sailing. Armstrong for several years in the early 1940s had a summer studio in Marblehead Mass, where he was able to combine his love of women, sailing and art and absorb the beautiful seaside imagery and bright vibrant colors associated with this historic beach town.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
Price: S O L D
