the nimrod brother who never let the girl finish

Collecting Gibson Girl Pin-up Posters

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Few pin-up posters are as sought by collectors as the famous Gibson Girl pin-ups. Inspired by the pen-and-ink illustrations by Charles Dana Gibson, these pin-ups enjoyed a run of popularity that lasted more than two decades. Today, Gibson Girl pin-ups, paintings of tall and beautiful women who manage to look both innocent and risqué at the same time, fetch high prices at art auctions. They make a wonderful addition to any collection of pin-up posters.

Many credit the Gibson Girls with ushering in the first wave of the pin-up poster craze. Of course, the Gibson Girls didn't decorate only pin-up posters. Collectors can find these tall, thin women on tablecloths, ashtrays, cups, pillow covers and umbrella stands, among other items. Gibson Girl pin-up posters invariably featured a beautiful woman with hair piled high in then stylish pompadours. Their waists were almost impossibly narrow. They represented the feminine ideal of the time.

But above all else, the Gibson Girls had a sense of innocence about them. This combination of beauty, high style and innocence has long captured the imagination of the collectors of pin-up posters. One of the best known Gibson Girl pin-up artists was Harry G. Peter. Fans of vintage comic books will recognize Peter as an influential Wonder Woman artist. Howard Chandler Christy is another well-respected pin-up artist who specialized in the Gibson Girls look.

The Gibson Girls paved the way for generations of pin-up artists. These include Alberto Vargas, one of the genre's most popular artists. Vargas reached the height of his fame during World War II, when he created pin-ups, which are now valuable collectors' items, for Esquire Magazine. Many of Vargas' pin-up girls inspired the nose art of World War II aircraft.

The Gibson Girls also paved the way for George Petty and his Petty Girl art. Another influential pin-up artist, Petty worked from the 1930s through much of the 1950s. His Petty Girls ended up not just on pin-up posters, but on billboards, advertisements and calendars, too. Big names such as Pepsi Cola and Time Magazine commissioned pin-up art from Petty.

Before Petty or Vargas, though, came Gibson and his still famous Gibson Girls. Pin-up posters featuring the Gibson Girls are highly collectible. Collectors searching for them can find several online auction houses offering Gibson Girl pin-ups. Antique stores and art stores are also good places to search for these pieces of art. You may spend a lot to get a Gibson Girl pin-up poster. But for serious collectors, there is no replacement.