GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY: Learning from LIFE

LIFE Magazine, established in 1936, became the face of the "photo story" magazine in America, inspired by the French "picture" magazines of the late 1920s and 1930s: VU, VOILA, and REGARD. VU magazine laid the groundwork in 1928 and eventually became the vanguard for experiments in modern photography featuring photo-montaged, photo-collaged and cutting edge imagery, all under the direction of Alexander Lieberman from 1932~1937. 


From day one LIFE was recognizable by its signature cover design: upper left corner typography/logo type; band of red at the bottom and additional cover elements in red against a black and white photograph. While preparing this post of glamour and art photography magazines I realized that they (and many other publications of the time) were influenced by LIFE's cover design and colors. After digging around in the digital archives I have come up with a selection of late 1940s to the late 1950s red, black and white, girlie magazine covers for sale at American newsstands.

(above) SEE. September,1948. Oversized publication. 

Corky Crowley on the cover

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The "glamour" and "figure" photography magazines of the early 1950s are the focus of this post. Available to the general public on newsstands, these magazines are at a transitional position in the history of American "girlies". The post World War Two publications, pushing the edge of acceptability while avoided nudity, presented photographs that were much more seductive than the pre-war pin-ups. They captured an exciting ten year period prior to national and community standards that would quickly change with the debut of the 1960s.

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The pivotal "men's" magazine in America's consciousness is 

Hugh Hefner's PLAYBOY, Issue Number One, published in December, 

1953. Marilyn Monroe on the cover.  

Arguably as important culturally as LIFE magazine, PLAYBOY  

became the standard bearer (no pun intended), 

leading the way for the men's magazines that followed.

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Cavalcade of Burlesque. Premier Issue,1952

Kitty Lynn on cover. Introduction by Robert Alda

Glamour Photography. Premiere Issue Fall,1954

Available in my eBay store, click here.

 Figure #1. Greenwich Village, New York City, 1951
Available in my eBay store.  SOLD

 The Girl Watcher. Premiere Issue March,1959

(above) June Wilkinson in Hollywood

Modern Man. March,1955. Marilyn Monroe cover

Art Photography. May,1956

Feminine Form. Issue #5, circa 1957

 It Pays to Advertise. A Titillating Collection.

Circa 1957

Glamour Photography. Issue #3 Summer,1956

 Glamour Photography. Issue #4 Fall,1956
Jane Mansfield above and below

Art Photography. July,1955

Feminine Form Issue #4, circa 1957

Modern Man. June,1955

Art Photography. August,1956

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Click to see more glamour in my eBay store

Next Exhibition: Paris Paper Show February 2011

I'm on my way to the twice a year Paris Paper Show (Salon Du Livre et Papiers Anciens) where I will have a stand for the first four days of this ten day show. For approximately the previous 15 years, the Vieux Papier has taken place at the Espace Champerret, at Porte Champerret near the western edge of the Parisian city limits. Now, for the February installation of the show, the promoters have chosen Halle Freyssinet, 180 degrees opposite from Champerret near the National Library (BNF) towers at the eastern edge of the city in the 13th arrondissement.


The show dates are from February 3rd to February 13th. All the detailed information can be found at this link for the Joel Garcia Organization, the promoters of the show. Once again note that I will be there for the first four days of the show only: February 3,4,5 and 6th. My stand will be in the photo ancienne section of the paper show. You can save the 8 euro entry fee by going to the bottom of the JGO page and following the link to download a free ticket. This is traditionally one of the best paper shows in Europe.


If you plan to attend the show take a look at my eBay store listings. Please contact me at vasta@earthlink.net if there are items of interest to you. If possible I will bring them with me to the show. Similarly, if you have a want list, send it to me; I may have something available that I can show you in Paris.

(above) Tattooed Postman

Photograph by Kusakabe Kimbei. Japan, circa 1880s
Large format, hand-tinted albumin emulsion.
SOLD

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Cars + Women + Paris = Auto-Erotica 1920s

Car culture as defined today owes everything to what was originally created at the turn of the century and then after WWII with the birth of the American hot rodding spirit. However when it came to straight out seductive poses of women and cars, the Parisian photographers of the 1920s created the genre.


Here from the archives are a selection of what has been referred to by one publisher as "Wheels & Curves" (horrible title). It is no less than "beauty & the machine" and most certainly "auto-erotica" in the finest sense of the double-entendre!


All the photographs in this post are standard size (3.5" x 5.5") real photo post cards (rppc). The sepia toned photographs are unattributed and may possibly be the work of the Albert Wyndham Studio or one of the larger Paris studios: PC Paris or A.Noyer. All the black & white toned photographs are either marked with the mysterious "question mark in a triangle logo" (established as another mark used by the Ostra/Biederer Studio) or unmarked. Either way they are all the work of the two brothers operating the Ostra/Biederer Studios.

The requirements needed to qualify for the genre: a lovely lady posed on, near or under an automobile with her skirt raised, giving the viewer a glimpse of her lingerie: panties, garter belt, stockings and high heels required!  The "automobile breakdown" gambit is a natural as we get a variety of views of the roadside mechanic at work, skirts conveniently raised.

I have been a car crazy, hot rod enthusiast since I was a kid and I have owned thousands of car culture magazines over the years, actually one of my first collections. In all the years of viewing models posed with hot rods and automobiles, nothing has came close to the marvelous, subtle eroticism presented in these 85 year old photographs.

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There were also posers with no need to to get there hands dirty who nonetheless found the hoods and bumpers of their Citroens and Vivastellas irresistible...

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...reading on the running board and relaxing behind the wheel and in the back seat...

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Lunch time, coffee, tea? ...and dressing or undressing?

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