VINTAGE POSTER ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

ULES ERBIT 1889-1968
Born Budapest Hungary, painted at age 15 & throughout his life in America after WW1. Using Illustration board and combining oil and pastels, Jules produced flowing deeply colorful Glamor & Portrait Art depicting wholesome girl portraits and situations for calendar display advertising art from the 1930’s through the mid 1950’s. The Goes Company purchased “Titian Temptress” in 1947 and was a popular subject.

ARNOLD KOHN 1920-1984
Born Chicago IL, was a prolific pulp fiction illustrator for men’s action magazines. Subjects were gouache illustrations on 19 x 26 inch heavy vertical illustrator board to carry the thickened paints and heavy pastel washes for background highlighting. Images were 16x 22 and then reduced by the GOES Co. using the 6 color halftone process for magazine and calendar viewing.

EDW. D’ANCONA
Very little is known of this prolific artist‘s background who was active from 1930-1960+. Charcoal and oil illustrations of pinup and glamor art were sold through several gallery’s in NYC, Chicago and St. Paul MN. Some direct sales were made during the WW2 to calendar manufacturers such as the GOES Co. as cash sales on site.

BILLY DEVORRS 1908-1985
While living in Kansas City working as a bank teller he was discovered by a calendar salesman who referenced an illustration to his main office. From 1933 -1951 Billy produced rough samples from photographs for corporate selection, often from scenes of theatre and night club venues while living in NYC. Upon commission, Billy turned to life models in a studio setting for the final subject- often his beautiful wife. This technique was learned from Rolf Armstrong and Billy’s subjects always had a realistic lifestyle theme. He retired to the Midwest when color photography for magazines began serious replacement of such illustrations.

PETER DARRO 1917-1997, Born in Chicago IL he spent much time on the familys Michigan farm painting wildlife scenes for schooling expenses. Glamor Art was very profitable for calendars and action magazines as color photography was not able to show detail within the subject prior to 1949. This profitable venue was not a publicized skill because he did many portraits for Chicago’s’ elite through wedding and political sales by gallery commission. Mr. & Mrs. Everett Dirksen- longtime IL. Senator from Peoria is the most well-known couple he painted. Deer and fowl stop action scenes from his days of youth are probably the best known. Peter also visited the Goes Co. with illustrations and sold direct during the depression and continuing into the late 1960’s with commercial art.