sleaze

This original gouache painting by Harry Bennett was used as cover art for the Pyramid paperback publication of “Cry Shame” written by Gore Vidal under the pseudonym Katherine Everard. During his early career, Vidal published under several pseudonyms in order to evade the accusation that the rate of his publishing made it impossible for him to be a “serious” literary author. This is a singular opportunity to own an original piece of both illustration art and literary history, from the estate of Charles Martignette.

Cry Shame

Artist: Harry Bennett

Harry Barton painted this steamy gouache illustration for use as the cover of 1952’s Tender Hearted Harlot by Val Munroe. Published as a pulp digest, novella length story that takes place on the San Francisco waterfront and follows the proclivities of the young, bold and beautiful Ginny Parrish who… “is a gambler to the core – but the one thing she won’t bet on is love…” Sounds like a real page turner! The painting is in pristine condition and has been nicely matted and framed under glass, a copy of the published digest is included in the sale.

Tender Hearted Harlot

Artist: Harry Barton

Unquestionably, Carney’s Burlesque was one of the weirder cover offerings from the lurid sleaze paperback publishers Uni-books; a reissue of a British pulp story that changed both the name of the protagonist and author to Steve Harragan. Uni-books created the private eye Harragan character out of thin air, the only thing connecting him from one adventure […]

Carney’s Burlesque

Artist: Walter Popp

This uninhibited and seedy painting by Raymond Johnson appeared as the cover of the 1953 Avon Books Paperback edition of The Untamed Wife Of Louis Scott. Originally published in 1950 under the title The Gift Of Glory, this W. Carrol Monroe novel told the story of Susan Scott, a dope fiend hedonist living a wanton life in post war America. Though […]

The Untamed Wife Of Louis Scott

Artist: Raymond Johnson

This oil on board painting by Samson Pollen was created as cover art for the 1955 paperback Mambo To Murder, one half of the double sided Ace Double Novel D-109. Private eye Joe Moran, who had his license revoked for extracting “two fisted justice” is shown in a bleak urban hotel room lit by an outside […]

Mambo To Murder

Artist: Samson Pollen

In this large, dramatic and darkly twisted oil on canvas, Fred Pfeiffer perfectly captures the menace and seduction associated with the post-hippie /post Manson family druggie scene, as depicted in counter-culture books and films which proliferated in the 1970s. The work appeared as the cover for the 1975 Bantam paperback The Fear Dealers, written by Jack W. Thomas, who specialized in these […]

The Fear Dealers

Artist: Fred Pfeiffer

An action packed, rough and tumble, large format illustration by Bruce Minney for the Michael Brett Book Bonus story The High Rollers, which graced the pages of Stag Magazine in August of 1967. A Las Vegas-based tale that promises to deliver “… motel shackups… Las Vegas goon-killers… girls with a top price on their bodies!…” […]

The High Rollers

Artist: Bruce Minney

On offer is a lurid and provocative paperback book cover painting by Paul Rader for The Path Between. Dating to 1961, this Midwood Books title was a defining example of the highly popular, lesbian pulp genre. The 1st edition played up the taboo subject with the slug line “The Bizarre World Of The Outcast Sex – Women Who Seek […]

The Path Between

Artist: Paul Rader

A blazing and risqué paperback cover painting by Mort Engel for the Avon paperback, Death Of A Hooker by Henry Kane. Featured is the alluring albeit misguided Kiki Kalmer, adorned only in ostrich plums in man-eater mode, prior to her joining the ranks of the infamous dead blonde club. Title slug reads… Here’s Peter Chambers, hip-deep […]

Death Of A Hooker

Artist: Mort Engel

This underworld, barroom image shows a head-turning femme fatale with the sort of bad-girl good looks that spell bad luck, this pulp fiction paperback cover painting was deftly painted by Harry Barton in 1955 for the cover of the Ace Double Novel The Squeeze. As the tag line announces this unlucky redhead…”Played With Death To Get The Man She […]

The Squeeze

Artist: Harry Barton

« Previous Page