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A vignette style interior illustration by Charles Chambers for an as of yet undetermined American slick magazine, featuring a damsel being rescued from rising waters in a precarious flood zone destination. This style of vignette painting likely had text overlaid in in the final printed version. The white painted expanses upper left and lower right would become part of the story developments and turns, to keep the 1920s magazine reader glued to the adventure and action in the story.

From the Flood

Artist: Charles Edward Chambers

A large, luminous pastel created as pin up calendar art for the Thomas D. Murphy Calendar Company of Red Oak Iowa. This colorful and bright mid-century bathing beauty scene by the artist Paul Kafka was marketed under the title “Sunny.” Nicely framed and properly lined under glass. A multi-image color separation proof series and finished calendar print is included in sale as well as a complete Calendar line Salesman Sample Brochure for the year 1952 titled “The Murphy Record Prize Edition; What Lines!”. Featuring this calendar girl as the cover by The Thos. D. Murphy Calendar Company.

Sunny

Artist: Paul Kafka

A 1961 painting by Al Brule created on commission for the Shaw-Barton Calendar Company; scene features a modern formally attired heartbreaker with her colorful parrot as was often the scene. Included in sale is a vintage calendar print of this work, titled “A Word With Polly”.

Brule was a Chicago area illustrator whose style closely resembled Haddon Sundblom and his circle of Chicago artists.

A Word With Polly

Artist: Al Brule

Titled at turns “Flower Girl” and “Message of Love,” this original oil on canvas by Edward D’Ancona was created for the John Frederick Calendar Company. Featuring an elegant and wholesome depiction of the good girl glamour art ideal, this marks a winsome departure by the prolific and infamous creator of the panties dropping, embarrassment style of cheesecake that signaled the wane of the era of “The Great American Pin-up.”

Message of Love

Artist: Edward D'Ancona

A rare original Brown and Bigelow-commisioned pin-up painting for their prestigious Sylvania Products account. Each year one of the calendar company’s star artists would create a wholesome yet alluring “Miss Sylvania” exclusively for Sylvania’s advertising campaign. This luminous original oilon canvas dates to the early 1950s and is featured on page 228 plate #545 in the collector’s book Gil Elvgren All His Glamorous American Pin-ups. Grapefruit Moon Gallery sold this work previously (in March of 2008) and are delighted to be able to offer it again on consignment for a collector who is making wall space for new acquisitions.

Miss Sylvania

Artist: Gil Elvgren

A fun sassy cowgirl is featured in this original oil on canvas by Gil Elvgren. This work was created for a 1953 Brown & Bigelow commissioned calendar titled Beat That. This rare surviving Western Americana/pin-up cross collectible image is fresh, bright, and a defining work by the well listed master illustrator. Verso retains original Brown & Bigelow label and this is in untouched original condition as seen. Grapefruit Moon Gallery sold this work previously (in June of 2007) and are delighted to be able to offer it again on consignment for a collector who is making wall space for new acquisitions.

Beat That

Artist: Gil Elvgren

A new to the market delightful gouache painting by the Chicago area artist and “Sundblom Shop” pin-up illustrator Harry Ekman. A stylish redheaded Burlesque performer with bright red lips in sexy opera gloves and an ostrich plumed fan. Work is nicely matted and framed and a fine example by this prolific yet hard to come by gifted pin-up artist and commercial illustrator.

The Ostrich Plume Girl

Artist: Harry Ekman

A delightful original pastel by Charles Sheldon of a lavishly-attired Gloria Swanson posed in the style of a Follies Showgirl, bathed in red light. Double matted and framed in a period art deco gesso wood painted frame.

Follies Girl in Red

Artist: Charles Sheldon

An exceptional pastel rendering of a Gloria Swanson in blue glamorous Follies showgirl manner by Charles Sheldon. Pastel is double matted and framed in a museum quality carved wood frame.

Costumed Ziegfeld Follies Girl With Mask

Artist: Charles Sheldon

An alarmingly beautiful art deco era original pastel pin-up illustration by Billy Devorss titled “Prize Winner”. A ravishing and radiant blond bathing beauty contestant winner in her slinky and current one piece suit and beach cape. One of the artist’s most successful and enduring creations. In original limed wood frame behind glass with a framing label from “M.Goldberg picture frames, 323 W. 45th St. N.Y. A rare surviving radiant work from Devorss’ most productive period, when his penthouse studio was in New York City’s prestigious Beaux Arts Building.

Prize Winner

Artist: Billy DeVorss

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