Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration
A Yachting Champion by F. Earl Christy This is a considerably sized oil on illustration board painting date to c. 1910–1915. Created by F. Earl Christy for American Art Works in Coshocton, OH, this was published as calendar art. An example of this painting as a published print is shown above and is included in […]
Artist: Earl Christy
A boldly colored and tightly rendered likely preliminary pastel pin-up illustration by Earl Moran, showing an art deco sailor girl living the life aquatic. This dates to the late 1930s, as the outbreak of war in Europe caused both a premonition of America’s eventual involvement into what would become World War II, and a boost in industrial production (particularly shipbuilding) […]
Artist: Earl Moran
This period 1930s signed oil on stretched canvas painting was created by the New York state fine artist and illustrator Robert T. Riley. With a social realist / WPA styled grittiness, Riley captures the hardscrapple life of deck hands hard at work, while eluding to the anxieties of the Great Depression. The stylized rigging suggests the mechanization of the Industrial revolution, and the sailors pulling up the sails find their muscles strained to the point of breaking in an homage to John Henry.
Artist: Robert Riley
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
From the estate of Mike Wooldridge, our friend sadly departed and deeply missed author, historian and advanced pin-up collector comes this new to the the market original pastel illustration by Rolf Armstrong. Pictured is Jewel Flowers, the artist’s favorite model and dear friend for decades. This beautiful pin up portrait dates to the war years of the 1940s and Jewel is depicted in a star spangled red, white and blue patriotic scarf as she readies herself to embark in an afternoon of sailing. Armstrong for several years in the early 1940s had a summer studio in Marblehead Mass, where he was able to combine his love of women, sailing and art and absorb the beautiful seaside imagery and bright vibrant colors associated with this historic beach town.
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 presumed cover painting for a 1915-1920 edition of a young peoples magazine most likely St. Nicholas for Boys and Girls (I have yet to locate the actual magazine this was used for). A confident Edwardian attired young lady enjoying the active life as was prescribed in such periodicals after the turn of the last century and post Victorian idealized, more petite, feminine beauty. Looks like the work of Charles Relyea or perhaps Norman Price another possible candidate would be Charles Chase Emerson all of whom did covers in numorous periodicals in this genre.
Artist: Unknown
A rare original piece of late 1930’s early 1940’s advertising art from Minneapolis, Minnesota, The City of Lakes and its summer Aquatennial celebration. Winsome sailor girl pin-up imagery. This is painted on tin was most likely signage of some type also has pencil notations on verso which would lead one to believe it was a cover for some Aquatennial-related publication . Artwork is unsigned.
Artist: Unknown
