Nudism HELIOS European Friends of the Sun 1950s

 

Amongst the most popular of the nudist publications of the 1950s were the European magazines including Helios, Sonnenstrahl and Sonnen Freunde. The three were associated with serious sun bathing, nudist organizations and were "official" publications filled with news, articles and high quality photographs. A selection from the archives. 

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Gene Bilbrew FETISH Illustration Peerless Sales 1950s

In the late 1950s in New York City Peerless Sales created an extensive series of four page publications illustrated by Gene Bilbrew and Eric Stanton. It was a single sheet of 11" x 17" paper, printed both sides and folded in half. Very scarce and including work by both artists not to be seen elsewhere. Posted here are a handful of issues illustrated by Bilbrew. As always with his illustrations, the main thrust of each story is the tough sadistic broad, dominate female out to settle a score, to prove that she and her sisters cannot be pushed around and abused. I love the comic books style of these four-page publications.

Characters featuring in the series: Big Milly, Kitti Kane, Blondetta, Enorma and Iron Woman. Here's a random selection, a handful of which are still in stock and available for purchase.

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FROU-FROU ~ Paris 1953 Marilyn Monroe Can-Can

One of my favorite French girlie magazines of the 1950s is Frou-Frou, a perfect word for those frilly petticoats that got flounced around by Can-Can dancers at the Folies Bergere. Beginning after WWII with particular interested in movie stars and starlettes, Frou-Frou featured for many years, almost exclusively, American film actresses on the cover.

Earlier this year, at the paper show in Paris, I found a hardbound volume of Frou-Frou, circa 1953, with four different issues bound together. Two featured Marilyn Monroe covers, one with her sitting on the lap of character actor Charles Coburn (posed with them is Jane Russell in a still photo from Gentleman Prefer Blondes); the two other covers featured Ava Gardner and French star, Martine Carol. 

The four issues are filled with pin-ups, bathing beauties and international models posed in lingerie, as well as music-hall and cabaret performers in scanty costumes plus a few photos of dancers in frou-frou skirts doing the Can-Can - bien sur! 

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