Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
This collection of three published Brown & Bigelow calendar girl paintings from 1950 offers a mid-century modernist Parisian take on classic pin up art. We believe the artist to be Jean-Gabriel Domergue who was active at the time in France, creating breezy coquettish often times topless hatted sophisticates. These are signed “Ioxia of Paris” we […]
Artist: Attributed to Domergue
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 delicately rendered original signed Pearl Frush watercolor pin-up illustration titled “Miss Gulf Coast”, was created for the 1947 Aqua Tour Series of bathing beauty images for the Shaw-Barton Calendar Company of Coshocton, Ohio. Pearl Frush was a prolific and talented female artist that was active during the 1940s and 50s and worked primarily out of Chicago. Painting is silk-matted and framed behind glass in a gorgeous wide profile museum quality gallery frame, signed lower right and verso is notated with usage publication text.
Artist: Pearl Frush
A rare surviving mixed medium calendar commissioned painting for “American Art Works Company”. A Great Depression-era 1930s art deco work by L. Goddard of a lovely young Indian maiden drawing back cupid’s bow and taking aim. This large impressive work is beautifully framed and matted and ready to hang in a period ornate carved wood gold frame.
Artist: L. Goddard
In this original oil on canvas painting by the prolific American artist Forrest H. Clough, a blond pirate girl styled pin-up beauty discovers a bounty of buried treasures from a previous shipwreck. This fresh to the market vintage calendar artwork is titled on the verso “Pirate’s Treasure” and is a published vintage example of the great American pin up.
Artist: F. H. Clough
This 1953 deliriously sexy nude pin-up oil painting by Gil Elvgren for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company dates to the artist’s best period. This image was used in a deck of playing cards under the title Cee Bee (To Hold) Fascinating Figures and is pictured as figure 251 in Gil Elvgren All His Glamorous American Pin-Ups by Charles G. Martignette and Louis K. Meisel. From the Estate of Charles Martignette.
Artist: Gil Elvgren
In this original oil on canvas painting by the prolific artist Forrest H. Clough, an aspiring French maid studies up on both her language skill and the art of seduction. From the suggestively placed feather duster to the silk stockings and garter costuming, this fresh to the market vintage calendar artwork presents a provocative, not so subtle take on the American pin up.
Artist: F. H. Clough
