PARIS MAGAZINE: March 1935

Paris Magazine began in 1931 and unconsciously created a "style book" copied by numerous publications around the world. Close-up portraits on the cover; high quality, "coated" paper stock used throughout; modern page design and typography, and most importantly, a mix of content: illustrated fiction and non-fiction articles; photographs by the best photographers working in Paris at the time: Brassai, Roger Schall, Man Ray, Braig, Jean Moral, Studio Piaz, Dorvyne, Utujdian, Germaine Krull, Andre Steiner and numerous others. The photographs include nude studies; "assignment" photos created to illustrated stories/articles; views of Paris as well as additional "artistic" photographs, created by an expanded list of international contributors. 

(above) "Love is the Child of Paris"

Issue #43 colorized black & white cover photograph by Braig.

Brassai

Braig

Jean Moral

Man Ray

Alban

Bill Brandt

Jean Moral

 Braig

Jean Moral

Roger Schall

Photos from readers

Back cover ad. Jean Moral photograph.

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Link to Paris Magazine in my eBay store

Link to Latest from Paris items in my eBay store

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FUMETTI Italian Adult Comics 1970s

Largely unknown outside of Italy and the world of comic book collector's, the Italian adult, sexually explicit graphic novels, known as fumetti, are quite a surprise coming from a Catholic country where little erotic material was produced in the modern era. Until recently I have never had or seen any of these publications. The covers are uniformly wonderful displaying the range from simple seduction to total, all out sexual fantasy.

Common themes run through these comics: lesbianism, catwomen, sex machines, female domination, sci-fi sex, vampires, bondage and sado-masochism. During this period, the various series included Sesso Majjo, Maldrak, Gengis Kana, Pussycat, Giovani d'Oggi, Ilona, and Fathoman. The internal illustrations were done in a very simple, almost naive style, printed in black and white and resembling the sequential story telling of today's graphic novels. Contents are sexually explicit, while simultaneous lacking eroticism.

Click here for part two of fumetti.

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Click here for part two of fumetti.

FULLY FASHIONED STOCKINGS 1930s~1960s

One of the key elements for lovers of vintage pin-ups, glamour and risque photography are legs, especially when adored with fully fashioned nylon stockings. As one of the great Parisian photographers of the genre said to me many years ago "...the model MUST be wearing stockings AND a garter belt...without the two it is not possible to make a seductive photograph." His photographs, published in Paris~Hollywood magazine in the 1960s, attested to his passion for hosiery and garters and enhanced my appreciation for stockinged legs.

What follows are a sampling of scans from a collection of fully fashioned stockings I bought and sold about 15 years ago. Fully fashioned stockings hold a particular fetish for many men and women. They can be identified by these distinctive features: i) a reenforced band ("welt") at the top (often decorative) to support the garter belt clasps ii) a "keyhole" design at the back of the band iii) a line or "seam" at the back usually in a darker color to stand out and iv) a dark colored heel and sole, often referred to as a "cuban heel". Sometimes, in addition, an extravagant design element would be added at the heel/ankle area, no doubt a style to be worn on that special night out!

(above) Stocking box, circa early 1940s with pin-up illustration

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LES FEMMES AUX CIGARETTE Women Smoking

A miscellany of female smokers, primarily on French and German postcards, circa 1900 ~ 1930s; plus the covers of two issues of Paris Plaisirs magazine.

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