From Pinup Art to Pulp Painting, American Illustrators Fare Well in Dallas

DALLAS, TEXAS

:Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers (HGA) conducted its latest illustrative arts auction on March 4. A total of 192 bidders competed for 291 lots, 62 of them successfully. The sale realized more than $110, 000 for 180 lots sold. Eleven lots were purchased after the auction by six bidders for a total of $10,473.

"From paperback covers to magazine art, this is an area that has seen a great deal of interest over the last few years," said Ed Jaster, director of acquisitions for HGA. "We're pleased that so many collectors have responded so strongly to this unique material."

Highlights of the sale included: Frank Earle Schoonover (1877-1972) original magazine story illustration, 1935, American Boy, July, 1935, for "Beaver Woman's Vision" by James Willard Schultz.

Captioned "There! She was coming! Stepping lightly, swinging her water bucket, and singing happily. 'Dawn Woman,' I cried. 'I want speech with you,'" the oil on canvas measuring approximately 36 by 38 inches realized $14,340.

Gillette Elvgren (1914-1980) original pinup art, 1937-1942, "Net Results," published by the Louis F. Dow Calendar Company, St Paul, Minn., oil on canvas on Masonite, framed, 271/2 by 241/2 inches, brought $7,768. Harvey Dunn (1884-1952) original advertising art, 1927, for the General Electric Company, published in The Saturday Evening Post and National Geographic in 1927, oil on board, framed, 33 by 39 inches, sold for $6,573.

Richard Lillis (1899-1995) original pulp painting, 1946, 44 Western Magazine, August 1946, oil on canvas, approximately 30 by 21 inches, went out at $3,227.

Earl Steffa Moran (1893-1984) original pinup art, circa 1956, published by the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company, St Paul, captioned "Now's the time For dreams of you; A pleasure fine, And wondrous too," the pastel on board, framed, 28 1/2 by 221/2 inches, sold for $3,107.

James Montgomery Flagg (1877-1960) original magazine story illustration, Good Housekeeping 1935, for "The Woolen Tree" by Rebecca Hooper Eastman with the caption, "Ma was not rude; she was simply dignified as she said to the red faced man 'Excuse me, but we are expecting our rich Uncle Rob, and we are busy.' Pa was so proud of her that he swaggered," pen and ink, framed, 31 by 35 inches, realized $2,629.

Prices reported include buyer's premium.