1920s Silent Film Star Norma Talmadge Charles Sheldon Photograph W/ Steiff Dog
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:2932192 | Size: 5" x 7" |
| Sitter: Norma Talmadge | Country/Region of Manufacture: United States |
| Photographer: Charles Sheldon | Original/Reproduction: Original |
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ITEM: This is a late 1920s vintage and original gelatin silver photograph taken by American illustrator and amateur photographer, Charles Sheldon, of silent film star and producer, Norma Talmadge. She was one of the most elegant and glamorous movie stars of the Roaring '20s, as evidenced here in an exuberant pose, wearing a cloche hat, clutching a stuffed Steiff dog. This unseen still was part of a photo shoot taken as an aid for the creation of a published pastel, "The Girl in Black, " its exact usage is unknown to us. Likely for one of the many movie magazines of the era, the images of the finished artwork and published example are for reference only, not part of this auction.
Charles Gates Sheldon created advertising pastels and paintings for lingerie companies, Fox Shoes, Breck Shampoo (he originated the “Breck Girl” campaign), and movie magazine cover portraits. Sheldon maintained his Carnegie Hall studio in New York City during the 1920s and 1930s and photographed the glamorous Hollywood film stars of the era for his cover portrait work. Stars who sat for Sheldon include: Jean Harlow, Clara Bow, Marion Davies, Gloria Swanson, Pola Negri, Olive Borden, Mary Pickford, and dozens of others.
What makes this collection so interesting is these stills were never meant for public consumption, they reference for his pastel portraiture work. Many are unscripted — Sheldon was an amateur photographer and it is unique to see such glamorous stars posed so informally. Part of Sheldon’s talent was a knack for convincing his models and leading ladies to pose for him partially undressed or fully nude — emulating the spirit of NYC’s Ziegfeld Follies and other burlesque revues which had taken Manhattan by storm during the Roaring 20s.
Measures 5" x 7" with warm tones on single-weight glossy paper stock.
The following images are for reference only and not included in the auction.
CONDITION: Very good condition with scattered corner and edge wear. Note the small tears and slight loss to the right margin. Please use the included images as a conditional guide.
Guaranteed to be 100% vintage and original from Grapefruit Moon Gallery.
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Charles Sheldon was a prolific and gifted early 1900's American Illustrator who specialized in "pretty woman" themed cover portraiture and advertising in the Art Nouveau and Edwardian styles. After studying at the Art Students League, he went to Paris to study under the legendary Alphonse Mucha. He returned to America and set up a studio at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
In 1918 Sheldon received his first pin-up commission, a series of ads for La Vogue lingerie. He went on to do a series of work for the Fox Shoe Company as well as front covers for Collier's Magazine, The Saturday Evening Post and Photoplay.
By 1921 he was contributing high fashion portraits to Woman's Home Companion and Theater magazine. Famous women all over the world arranged to sit for portraits in his studio in Carnegie Hall in New York. The pastels he created for Photoplay 1925- 1930 launched his career as a portrait cover artist. During this time period most of the stars sat three or four times for each of these portraits, later came cover art commissions for Screenland, Movie Classic and Radio Digest magazines.
His glamorous interpretations of Clara Bow, Mae West, Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo, Gilda Gray, Mary Pickford, Shirley Temple and hundreds of other early tinsel town enchantresses were in high demand for these attention grabbing newsstand viewed publications.
Charles Sheldon like many of his contemporary illustrators was also a competent photographer, Grapefruit Moon Gallery recently acquired a large archive of his Carnegie Hall studio portraits that we will be offering for sale on our ebay site in the coming months.
In 1936, Breck Shampoo asked this famous portrait artist to develop a national ad campaign and the ever-successful "Breck Girl" advertisements were born, Sheldon is known to have created 109 portraits for them until his retirement in the late 1950’s.
Charles Sheldon was one the highest paid illustrators of his time and his cover illustrations were ingrained in the minds and eyes of the American people. He died in 1961 at his home in Springfield with his beloved summer gardens.
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