This portion of my site is dedicated to American Artist George Petty. Here, I will attempt to provide information about a series of LP Album and Extended Play records issued by Decca Records. I may also add a section for related licensed merchandise such as glassware, etc.
To view additional pages under this page, place cursor on "Home: Petty Girls" above. Additional page titles will drop down. Move your cursor over one and to the right or left and the titles of additional sub-pages will appear. Click to select and view any of these.
In the case of this portion of my website, I decided to include for interested parties all of the “sales” information I’ve gathered on the large number of eBay auctions that I’ve monitored over the years. When it comes to Auction results, the information I have gathered and have provided for you is taken from the Internet after the auction is complete. I, of course, would have no knowledge of whether the parties completed the sale or not. I wouldn’t know if either party complained or requested or received any consideration if they were unhappy with the transaction in any way.
If the pricing information is of interest to you, please consult the sub-page under “Home” for the key to my abbreviations and, if necessary, for some general guidance to Record Grading.
Biography Of George Petty - Creator Of The Petty Girls
George Brown Petty IV (April 27, 1894 – July 21, 1975) was an American pin-up artist.
Petty was not a particularly good student in high school, spending a great deal of time on extracurricular activities instead of schoolwork. His artistic bent first became obvious in high school, where he was the staff artist for the school newspaper.
During his high school years, he enrolled in evening classes at Chicago Academy of Fine Arts under the tutoring of Ruth VanSickle Ford, where he taught his own art course, charging classmates $5.00 per session. He also worked in his father's photo shop where he learned how to use an airbrush. Petty studied art in France at the Acadamie Julian with Jean-Paul Laurens and others until 1916, when World War I caused Joseph P. Herrick, ambassador at that time, to order all Americans to return home.
Petty returned to Chicago, and worked as an airbrush retoucher for a local printing company. He was able to establish himself as a freelance artist, painting calendar girls and magazine covers for The Household. By 1926, he was able to open his own studio.
His pin-up art appeared primarily in Esquire and Fawcett Publication's True, but was also in calendars marketed by Esquire, True and Ridgid Tool Company.
Petty's Esquire gate folds originated and popularized the magazine device of centerfold spreads. Reproductions of his work, known as “Petty Girls”, were widely rendered by military artists as nose art decorating warplanes, including the Memphis Belle during the Second World War.
From the very beginning of Esquire Magazine, George Petty was there. First as a cartoonist (back in 1933), quickly moving up to providing some of the most alluring, and enduring artwork associated with the magazine. His command of the airbrush, a strong foundation in drawing, plenty of practice drawing lissome women, and a willing model, Petty had assembled the components of a meteoric career. Although he wasn't doing nudes, his renderings of the female body looked like, if you'll pardon the expression, their clothes were airbrushed on.
The exposure brought Petty to the attention of national ad agencies and within 2 years George was doing monthly magazine ads. Quickly dubbed “The Petty Girl”, the public clamored for more of her and Esquire was more than happy to oblige. By the time the '40s rolled around Esquire's pay wasn't suiting Petty's fame, and he left the magazine. They brought in a suitable replacement, the near look-alike Alberto Vargas in 1942.
Beyond the magazines, he retained the rights to his art and licensed their use on playing cards, on drinking glasses, and elsewhere, such as this set of 8 Long Play record albums and 24 Extended Play 45 RPM albums issued by Decca in 1956.
To view additional pages under this page, place cursor on "Home: Petty Girls" above. Additional page titles will drop down. Move your cursor over one and to the right or left and the titles of additional sub-pages will appear. Click to select and view any of these.
In the case of this portion of my website, I decided to include for interested parties all of the “sales” information I’ve gathered on the large number of eBay auctions that I’ve monitored over the years. When it comes to Auction results, the information I have gathered and have provided for you is taken from the Internet after the auction is complete. I, of course, would have no knowledge of whether the parties completed the sale or not. I wouldn’t know if either party complained or requested or received any consideration if they were unhappy with the transaction in any way.
If the pricing information is of interest to you, please consult the sub-page under “Home” for the key to my abbreviations and, if necessary, for some general guidance to Record Grading.
Biography Of George Petty - Creator Of The Petty Girls
George Brown Petty IV (April 27, 1894 – July 21, 1975) was an American pin-up artist.
Petty was not a particularly good student in high school, spending a great deal of time on extracurricular activities instead of schoolwork. His artistic bent first became obvious in high school, where he was the staff artist for the school newspaper.
During his high school years, he enrolled in evening classes at Chicago Academy of Fine Arts under the tutoring of Ruth VanSickle Ford, where he taught his own art course, charging classmates $5.00 per session. He also worked in his father's photo shop where he learned how to use an airbrush. Petty studied art in France at the Acadamie Julian with Jean-Paul Laurens and others until 1916, when World War I caused Joseph P. Herrick, ambassador at that time, to order all Americans to return home.
Petty returned to Chicago, and worked as an airbrush retoucher for a local printing company. He was able to establish himself as a freelance artist, painting calendar girls and magazine covers for The Household. By 1926, he was able to open his own studio.
His pin-up art appeared primarily in Esquire and Fawcett Publication's True, but was also in calendars marketed by Esquire, True and Ridgid Tool Company.
Petty's Esquire gate folds originated and popularized the magazine device of centerfold spreads. Reproductions of his work, known as “Petty Girls”, were widely rendered by military artists as nose art decorating warplanes, including the Memphis Belle during the Second World War.
From the very beginning of Esquire Magazine, George Petty was there. First as a cartoonist (back in 1933), quickly moving up to providing some of the most alluring, and enduring artwork associated with the magazine. His command of the airbrush, a strong foundation in drawing, plenty of practice drawing lissome women, and a willing model, Petty had assembled the components of a meteoric career. Although he wasn't doing nudes, his renderings of the female body looked like, if you'll pardon the expression, their clothes were airbrushed on.
The exposure brought Petty to the attention of national ad agencies and within 2 years George was doing monthly magazine ads. Quickly dubbed “The Petty Girl”, the public clamored for more of her and Esquire was more than happy to oblige. By the time the '40s rolled around Esquire's pay wasn't suiting Petty's fame, and he left the magazine. They brought in a suitable replacement, the near look-alike Alberto Vargas in 1942.
Beyond the magazines, he retained the rights to his art and licensed their use on playing cards, on drinking glasses, and elsewhere, such as this set of 8 Long Play record albums and 24 Extended Play 45 RPM albums issued by Decca in 1956.