Grapefruit Moon Gallery

Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration

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A subversive youth gone wild party scene original cover painting by Peter Driben likely used for a paperback book title published by the Novel Library imprint. During the 1950s a hedonistic bohemian fictional sub-culture existed where teens smoked reefer and engaged in orgiastic exploits while becoming addicted to heroin. In showing these delinquents pursuing their darkest sinful desires, the illustrators of the day seemed to take great joy and this is a prime example of this sort of homage to debauchery.

The Make Out Room

Artist: Peter Driben

A whimsical art deco original gouache painting titled “La Coquette” by Alberto Vargas. An early work by the Peruvian born pin-up legend exploring the Commedia dell’arte revival that took hold around 1915, the cast of characters in this boldly colored and delightful Edwardian scene features the requisite maiden courted by a Harlequin with slapstick at his side as her guardian looks on in horror. Vargas brings a unique spin to this popular genre and his artistic mastery is apparent even at this early date. This was acquired by Charles Martignette in 1989 from the Vargas estate – the painting is accompanied by a series of Kodak color photographs (dated June 1989) taken by Martignette of this painting, also included are several color photographs of the artist and Martignette taken shortly before Vargas’ death in 1982.

La Coquette

Artist: Alberto Vargas

A 1942 original pastel on board by Cardwell Higgins created for an advertising display sign for “Adola Brassieres”. Higgins executed a series of these images all with erotically charged pin-up girl style and often times set in Hawaii as in this example. This is the only known surviving pastel from this campaign, the text on the die-cut display created from the artwork read “The Secret To a Lovely Figure”.

Secret To A Lovely Figure

Artist: Cardwell Higgins

“Eyes That Invite” is a colorful and classic 1950 original glamour girl pin-up pastel by Pearl Frush and published by the Gerlach-Barklow Calendar Company of Joliet Illinois. This was gifted by a salesman at Gerlach-Barklow to the Robberson Steel Company of Oklahoma City in appreciation for their lucrative advertising account.

Eyes That Invite

Artist: Pearl Frush

Jon Whitcomb was perhaps the most accomplished “glossy” magazine illustrator working in the mid-century modern style. This fabulous glamour and Western Americana mash-up interior gouache illustration painting for the January, 1951 edition of Cosmopolitan magazine showcases the skillful eye, technical excellence and delightful imaginative sense of narration that set him atop of the field. Commissioned for a story by Shirley Shapiro Pugh titled […]

Most Beautiful Girl In Texas

Artist: Jon Whitcomb

A dazzling original 1942 pastel on illustration board by Weston Taylor, commissioned by the C. Moss Calendar company for a pin-up calendar that was titled “Disconnected”. This is a classic art deco entanglement from pin-up’s best era, when flirty and coyly posed young flapper girls found themselves in precarious and risque situations that defy logic and often times words. Work is vivid, well rendered and in a fine gallery frame. Two archived vintage calendar prints of image included in sale. The Great American Pin-up personified.

Disconnected

Artist: Weston Taylor

An original oil on board illustration used as the cover for Joker No.16 – a 1949 digest sized magazine advertising “More Snappy Cartoons – Smack Full of Laughter!” A leggy, busty and quintessentially Driben pin-up beauty is seen trying her hand at a little “sofa fission” as the caption will have you know. Illustration is in a fine state of conservation, nicely framed and matted in a period, wide profile, handsome, gesso art deco frame.

Fission N’ Funnin’

Artist: Peter Driben

 

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