Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
A rare surviving oil on canvas depicting the rogue pulp detective magazine villain Maxwell Sanderson in one of his serialized escapades. This was created as a commissioned cover for the July 16, 1929 issue of Street and Smith’s “Detective Story Magazine.” Painted by John A. Coughlin, this work finds Sanderson with his hand caught in the safe–verso is notated with a publishing date and the title “Sanderson Trapped.” Relined and ready to frame and enjoy.
Artist: John Coughlin
A delightful, whimsical early oil on board painting by Henry Clive, one of our favorite American Illustrators. This dates from 1916-1920 and was likely created as cover art for Randolph Hearst’s American Weekly Magazine. Featuring a cute and perky flapper in pirate girl garb, this a rare surviving example by this gifted and influential, prolific illustrator. Work is nicely framed in a period 1930s limed wood frame.
Artist: Henry Clive
A tense and clever, menace-themed, rare surviving cover painting for the January 1939 issue of Double Action Detective.. A Science Fiction/Spicy Pulp epic entanglement illustrating George Alden Edson’s story, The Midnight Murderer. This original oil-on-canvas painting is unsigned, we are of the strong belief that it was done Rudolph Zirm. A xeroxed color print of the pulp magazine cover proof is included in the sale.
Artist: Rudolph Zirm (attributed)
A scarce and wonderful original gouache painting on illustration board by Anne Harriet Sefton a.k.a. Fish; this was the cover for The December 1921 Christmas edition of Vanity Fair Magazine. Work is in the humorous yet refined swinging youth style that came to personify the art deco jazz age. Painting is elaborately framed in a hand carved ornate antique wood frame and comes with a bound volume of 1921 Vanity Fair Magazines which includes the complete December 1921 volume.
Artist: Anne Harriet Fish
A New Year’s themed cover painting by Leslie Thrasher for the January 9, 1932 edition of Liberty Magazine. The painting finds the serialized couple “Sandy and Lil” renewing their wedding vows in the midst of the Great Depression with a cherubic baby New Year with quill pen acting as the notary clerk. Image follows the tradition of January New Years Babies covers painted by Norman Rockwell and J. C. Lyendecker in The Saturday Evening Post.
Artist: Leslie Thrasher
A humorous moment in the midst of the Great Depression is the subject of this Liberty Magazine (November 21, 1931) original cover painting by Leslie Thrasher. Titled “Second From The Right” the cover chronicles the continuing story of “Sandy and Lil”, who frequented the cover of Liberty magazine in scenes from their typically 1920s courtship, wedding and early married life. This artwork (as explained in short interior story) finds the couple’a finances wiped out in the recent stock market crash. A neighbor (a rich lawless bootlegger!) turns up with a pair of complimentary tickets to The Follies and Sandy finds a particular showgirl much to his liking “second to the right.”
Artist: Leslie Thrasher
A rare surviving cover painting by Harold H.W. McCauley for the September 1938 edition of Fantastic Adventures; Volume #1 issue #5. This is likely the earliest commissioned pulp cover illustration by the artist. A classic art deco depiction of the perils of the near future space age, as envisioned in the campy, naive era of the 1930s. The mild bondage, damsel in distress content provided an additional titillating shock at the newsstands which carried this early pulp/science fiction title.
Artist: Harold McCauley
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.
Artist: Enoch Bolles
This jazz age artwork from the late fall of 1924 smartly blends Halloween season & boxing as a metaphor for the presidential election of that November. In this vibrant gouache, used as a cover for “The Brooklyn Eagle Sunday Magazine,” an Uncle Sam-inspired ring girl attempts to keep the peace between the two parties. This is a spirited roaring 20s time capsule.
Artist: Charles Verschuuren
In Willy Pogany’s dazzling oil on board artwork, an Art Nouveau maiden finds herself in the summer foliage conversing with a little bird. This whimsical scene was created for and used as the front cover of Metropolitan Magazine, July 1916. This artwork marks the best period in Pogany’s prolific and well remembered long and successful career. A stylized belle-epoque, tightly rendered work that features a vibrant color palette and intricate use of the free-flowing forms that came to define the Art Nouveau aesthetic.
Artist: Willy Pogany
