Pot Luck! Artist: Gil Elvgren Date: 1961 Medium: Oil on Stretched Canvas Dimensions: Sight Size 29" x 22 1/2" Condition: Excellent Original Use: Calendar Art for Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company Price: S O L D !! Above: Full view of painting Above: The artist's signature This fresh and dazzling Gil Elvgren oil on canvas painting titled "Pot Luck" is a rare surviving commissioned work for the Brown & Bigelow Calendar Company, St Paul MN. This image graced calendars in 1961 and also served as the 6 of clubs in the "52 American Beauties" playing card series. The entire deck featured Elvgren pin-up beauties, a fact that demonstrates the incredible popularity of this iconic artist. With its sin city scenario, and Kim Novak/Marilyn Monroe inspired seductress at the one armed bandit, this is exciting, risque and unquestionably one of the most desirable Elvgren artworks to come to market. Above: Detail Recent auction records on the artist top out at $262,900 and on July 15th 2009, 3 Brown & Bigelow original calendar pin-ups closed at $215,100.00, $191,200.00 and $143,400.00 after spirited bidding. Elvgren is without a doubt the most important pin-up artist in American history and this is by all accounts a masterwork and an Elvgren painting for the ages. Above: A 1960 Sepia Portrait of the Artist Gilette Elvgren Elvgren worked with live models and was a very competent commercial photographer, as witnessed by this view of model Janet Rae posing for "Pot Luck". Above: The model as posed by Elvgren A Brown & Bigelow notepad, advertising blotter and playing card featuring this published image are included with the purchase of this major work. Above: Brown & Bigelow Advertising Ink Blotter with image included in sale Above: 52 American Beauties showing the Six of Clubs playing card with "Pot Luck" image Above: Advertising notepad with "Pot Luck" image The work has been professionally strip lined to preserve the upper portion of the painted surface which had been obscured previously by the stretcher bar. This important, rare and luminous painting is in a fine state of preservation and displays wonderfully. Above: Verso view of canvas Above: Brown & Bigelow inventory number on verso Here are some recent Gil Elvgren comparable auction records and images. Title: FASCINATION 30" x 24" Created: 1952 Oil/Canvas Signed Lot: 66097 Low Est.: $30,000 High Est.: $35,000 Sales Price**: $262,900 06/05/2008 Above: Fascination by Gil Elvgren Title: SKIRTING THE ISSUE 30" x 24" Oil/Canvas Signed Lower Right Lot: 66099 Low Est.: $30,000 High Est.: $40,000 Sales Price**: $203,150 06/05/2008 Above: Skirting The Issue by Gil Elvgren Title: COVER UP 1955 Oil on canvas 30 x 24 in. Signed lower left Estimate: $30,000 - $40,000. Sales Price**: $191,200 07/15/2009 Above: Cover Up by Gil Elvgren Title: IT'S A SNAP (Pretty Snappy; Snap Judgment), 1958 Oil on canvas 30 x 24 in. Signed lower left Estimate: $30,000 - $40,000. Sales Price**: $215,100 07/15/2009 Above: It's a Snap by Gil Elvgren Search for more art by Gil Elvgren Top of Page | Return to Sorry, It's Sold! index | Home Look in All Categories About Us Pulp & Men's Magazines Original Advertising Art Illustration & Cover Art Pin-up & Glamour Art The Screening Room Photographs & Print Decorative Arts Fine Art Artists Sorry, It's Sold! for This search facility can find single words or continuous phrases that appear in the text of this website. Use the Advanced Search facility to locate pieces added to the site between a specific date range.