Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
A large and fresh (in all respects) original pastel illustration by Rolf Armstrong, the father of American pin up. Created in 1940 for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company and titled “Let’s Get Together” this features a streamlined modernist view of model Dorothy Conover in as close to a situational pin-up entanglement as Armstrong cared to venture. For many years this was in the collection of Armstrong model and confidante Jewel Flowers.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
This radiant, fabulously large original pastel by Rolf Armstrong was created in 1941 for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company. Titled “Figured To Win,” this original and previously undocumented beautiful illustration incorporates two of the artist’s great loves in life; sailing and Jewel Flowers. This pastel was owned for many years by Jewel herself, who was Armstrong’s favorite model and dearest friend for nearly two decades.
Artist: Rolf Armstrong
A dazzling original calendar published oil painting by Henry Clive titled “A Seaside Flirtation” created for the Joseph Hoover Calendar Company. Henry Clive joyously captures the essence of the jazz-age and the roaring 20s modernist flapper girl, this is a grand depiction. From the estate of Charles Martignette, the noted author, historian and collector. This rare surviving painting is lavishly framed, silk matted and ready to enjoy. A 1934 advertising calendar is included in the sale.
Artist: Henry Clive
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 prints and calendars of these images but his originals are scarce. He was very adept at these candlelit nudes and now seeing an original work by this artist we are struck by his unique technique and vision.
Artist: Frank D'Amario
A rare surviving gouache painting by Brooklyn, New York pin-up artist and Calendar Illustrator Frank D’amario. Grapefruitmoongallery has sold dozens of this artists published pin-up prints and calendars over the years and recently acquired a pair of his original paintings. This sadly has a faint water tide line and rippling to the paper in the bottom portion. It is certainly acceptable as-is but could perhaps benefit from some careful paper conservation, it is bargain priced accordingly and by all accounts a scarce surviving example of The Great American Pin-up.
Artist: Frank D'Amario
An inventive stylized colorful dated gouache advertising painting by Cardwell Higgins for “Aris Britland Doeskin” gloves. An inventive color palette and attention to fashion style details make this a compelling and inventive example. A tear sheet of the printed work from the artist’s scrapbook is included in the sale.
Artist: Cardwell Higgins
A rare surviving pastel cover illustration by Cardwell Higgins for the first issue of Screen Humor Magazine; January 1934, Volume #1 – Issue #1. A very sexy flapper girl in silk stockings and garter belts from the art deco era when America’s news stands were filled with these often times very short lived runs of titillating Spicy Pulp titles that featured brazenly erotic pin-up girl depictions of showgirls and jazz-age playthings.
Artist: Cardwell Higgins
This original oil painting is one of three estate finds by the artist “Eyre” which was possibly a pseudonym for the east coast 1920s – 30s Illustrator Edward Eggleston. Though this example is unsigned, it was undoubtedly created by the same hand as the two signed Eyre pieces, and all three strongly resemble the work of Eggleston, who created several similar flapper girl seaside bathing beauty imagery for Atlantic City travel posters. The “EYRE” signature (visible in the other examples offered by the gallery) is stylistically similar to Eggleston’s signature and the color palette is reminiscent as well. This is a beautiful painting and is framed in an ornate period art deco frame matted behind glass.
Artist: Eyre
A bold, defining and lurid pastel cover illustration for The July 1942 “Expose Detective True Crime Cases” illustrating the interior story “Sex Was My Racket”. In this case the tables are turned to lurid effect as the typically menaced pin-up queen cover girl is brandishing a large gleaming knife and a hard boiled outlook. A large and desirable rare surviving example of the detective genre of the Spicy Pulps. From the important estate of Charles Martignette, co-author of “The Great American Pin-up”.
Artist: Cardwell Higgins
A large and radiantly beautiful rare surviving signed F. Earl Christy pastel advertising illustration on canvas for “Parke, Davis & Co. Toilet Articles”. A jazz-age modernist interpretation of an art deco pin-up girl. F. Earl Christy was a prolific early 1900’s illustrator who’s career spanned four decades. We rarely come across his original works this is an estate fresh large and luminous example from his best period nicely framed and properly lined behind glass in a pristine state of original conservation.
Artist: Earl Christy
