Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
This rare original painting by Henry Clive graced the cover of the June 18, 1933 edition of William Randolph Hearst’s The American Weekly. Clive was often called upon to create serialized images of pin up enchantresses who embodied a theme. This is one of those works – from a series of images which depicted a variety of maidens about to be struck by cupid’s arrow.
Artist: Henry Clive
This original Old Gold Cigarettes commissioned advertising painting appeared in print in 1939 under the title “Wa-Ta-Hun-Ee!”. That year George Petty created a full years worth of Old Gold Petty girls for the ad agency Lennen & Mitchell, creating continued interest in the Old Gold Brand with the monthly appearance of his deliriously successful pin-up creations. In the scene, a sexy Indian Maiden takes aim with quiver and bow in what has surely become one of the more iconic works by this great artist and illustrator.
Artist: George Petty
An original Gil Elvgren pin-up oil painting created in 1952 for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company of Saint Paul Minnesota. This curvy pin-up beauty appeared under the title “Hard To Suit,” a pun the copy department liked so much they used it again in 1954 to describe an Elvgren girl disrobing from her duck hunting garb to reveal lingerie. This is the prototypical Elvgren girl in a comically harrowing and skin revealing pin-up entanglement with the artist’s classic pursed lip expression that evokes surprise, embarrassment and provocation.
Artist: Gil Elvgren
This fresh to the market large pastel pin-up illustration by Zoe Mozert was commissioned for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company and used in their 1950 line under the title “Ready To Serve”. Work is nicely lined and beautifully framed and in pristine original untouched condition with a large Brown & Bigelow published Calendar of artwork included in sale.
Artist: Zoe Mozert
The original cover painting by H.W. McCauley used for the August 1953 cover of “Fate, True Stories of the Strange and Unknown”, illustrating “The Gods of Voodoo” by North Hildabrand. In this offering a dancing pin-up girl levitates oblivious to the black magic and darkness that lurks in the background where a goat is about to get sacrificed in a voodoo ritualistic fire blazing act, creating the collision of beauty and darkness which is in essence what makes the pulp cover paintings by H.J. Ward, H.W. McCauley, Virgil Finlay and other American illustrators fascinating and so desirable today.
Artist: Harold McCauley
A macabre and dark highly inventive large format gouache illustration painting by Harrison Fisher used as a full color book plate in the 1907 edition of “A Dream of Fair Women” by Lord Alfred Tennyson. In this scene our maiden fair has just completed lent and prepares to give the devil his due and go out ballroom dancing in revealing for the day, corseted attire. This is a classic Harrison Fisher painting and a wonderful and historically impactful example of late Victorian period imagery where traditional customs are seen colliding with a less restrained, more promiscuous Edwardian vision of femininity.
Artist: Harrison Fisher
A recently discovered radiant C.1934 pastel portrait by Rolf Armstrong of the beautiful and glamorous and tragically short lived Hollywood film legend Carole Lombard. This work was never published, it was likely proposed as a cover for Modern Screen magazine. A luminous and large pastel on illustration board, handsomely matted and framed behind glass, a fresh never before on the market rare and important offering.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
An original pastel sketch of an aquatically themed pin-up girl in a sailors cap by the prolific American pin-up artist Earl Steffa Moran. This is not a finished calendar pastel it was either a preliminary sketch for his 1941 Brown & Bigelow Calendar “I’ll be Seeing You” or was a presentation drawing given as a gift to a fan, friend or family member. This is 100% guaranteed to be an original pastel by Earl Moran; it is signed in the lower left corner and there is a verso note in the artist’s hand as seen on the back of the frame. Beautifully matted and framed behind glass and ready to enjoy.
Artist: Earl Moran
A rare surviving art deco gouache painting by one of our favorite American illustrators Edward Eggleston. This was created as the cover for a Valentines Day themed crafting magazine, Dennison’s Party Magazine,Jan/Feb 1928. Eggleston was a New York based calendar artist and illustrator who is best remembered today for his Jazz Age, racy and stylized 1920s Atlantic City travel posters that brought to light the allure of the flapper girl with risque bathing beauty imagery.
Artist: Edward Eggleston
An early offering by legendary American pin-up artist and cover illustrator Peter Driben likely created in the late 1920s when the artist was a resident of Paris France and contributed popular illustrations in various French showgirl magazines chronicling the exciting Parisian nightlife and its lovely erotic burlesque Follies Dancers. Nicely matted and framed behind glass; from the famed collection of Charles Martignette.
Artist: Peter Driben
