pulp

An early published and signed oil on canvas by John A. Coughlin for an as of yet unidentified Street & Smith pulp title. The hand of a New York City police officer is seen menacing a formally attired crowd in a surreal, chaotic action packed moment. A rare surviving original cover painting from The Golden Age of Illustration and a recent Pennsylvania estate find. Verso is titled “You Can’t Win” with a partial Street & Smith publishing label as seen. Relined and restretched and ready to frame and enjoy.

The House of Horror

Artist: John Coughlin

A rare surviving oil on canvas depicting the rogue pulp detective magazine villain Maxwell Sanderson in one of his serialized escapades. This was created as a commissioned cover for the July 16, 1929 issue of Street and Smith’s “Detective Story Magazine.” Painted by John A. Coughlin, this work finds Sanderson with his hand caught in the safe–verso is notated with a publishing date and the title “Sanderson Trapped.” Relined and ready to frame and enjoy.

Maxwell Sanderson Trapped

Artist: John Coughlin

A rare original Norman Saunders cover painting created for a 1950s era pulp publication. Saunders created a similarly composed Black Mask pulp cover in 1950 with essentially the same scene. This is a defining example of the suspense and danger that are the trademarks of Saunders masterful noir cover paintings. The painting has been estate stamped by the artist’s daughter and work is nicely and professionally framed.

A Masquarading Jewel Thief

Artist: Norman Saunders

A typically action packed interior illustration gouache painting by Mort Kunstler for the April 1957 edition of Sports Afield Magazine. A large menacing polar bear in pre-global warming, shrinking ice cap terrain with a Cessna water landing small aircraft as the backdrop. Nicely matted and framed and in pristine condition. Issue of magazine included in sale, caption reads “Not now!” I screamed at him. Too Late. There was no sound of slug hitting flesh. Instead, it chopped through the fuselage and smashed into the motor…

Top of the World

Artist: Mort Künstler

A dazzling and otherworldly cover painting by Virgil Finlay for the August 1947 edition of “Famous Fantastic Mysteries” illustrating the interior story by Andrew Marvell titled “Minimum Man”,”A Novel of Terror Unseen”. A scarce commissioned science fiction themed pulp cover from this long running title for Popular Publications and a rare surviving luminous example and one of Finlay’s finest celebrated cerebral creations.

Minimum Man

Artist: Virgil Finlay

A tense and clever, menace-themed, rare surviving cover painting for the January 1939 issue of Double Action Detective.. A Science Fiction/Spicy Pulp epic entanglement illustrating George Alden Edson’s story, The Midnight Murderer. This original oil-on-canvas painting is unsigned, we are of the strong belief that it was done Rudolph Zirm. A xeroxed color print of the pulp magazine cover proof is included in the sale.

Double Action Detective Menace Pulp

Artist: Rudolph Zirm (attributed)

A rare surviving spicy pulp cover painting by Rudolph Zirm. This menace themed oil on canvas was published April 1939 as the cover for Undercover Detective, illustrating the interior story “The Devil’s Pigeons”. A facsimile reissue edition of the pulp magazine featuring Zirm’s cover is included with sale.

The Devil’s Pigeons

Artist: Rudolph Zirm

A well executed and precise interior illustration by noted American Pulp artist Jerome Rozen, for the June 1936 edition of Redbook Magazine. Work retains verso label from the magazine and painting is initialed lower right and identified on the back label as Mr. Jerome Rozen.

One Stayed Young

Artist: Jerome Rozen

A tense and action packed gunfight scene featuring a flapper era cowgirl is presented in this large and rare surviving Domingo F. Periconi oil painting. This artwork was commissioned by Dell publications as cover art for the June 1938 edition of Ace High Magazine, a western pulp. Work has printer’s verso notations and is initialed lower left and really is a defining example of 1930s pulp fiction.

Cowgirl Shootout in The Old West

Artist: Domingo Periconi

A rare surviving cover painting by Harold H.W. McCauley for the September 1938 edition of Fantastic Adventures; Volume #1 issue #5. This is likely the earliest commissioned pulp cover illustration by the artist. A classic art deco depiction of the perils of the near future space age, as envisioned in the campy, naive era of the 1930s. The mild bondage, damsel in distress content provided an additional titillating shock at the newsstands which carried this early pulp/science fiction title.

Futurist Raygun Firefight

Artist: Harold McCauley

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