The Wonderful World Of Bill Ward - King Of Glamour Girls

Bill Ward's long, prolific pin-up career began during World War II when he created a curvy distraction named Torchy for his fellow soldiers. His taste for impossibly buxom blondes—teetering on stiletto heels, legs encased in black nylon, torsos packed into satin gowns—precisely suited America`s collective postwar sex fantasy, and the late 50s men`s magazine boom made him the most popular girlie artist in the country. Through the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, Ward broadened his range to embrace a variety of fetish subjects, but he never varied from his template of the Ultimate Woman—except to make her breasts a little bigger, her heels a little higher, or the satin and leather encasing her a little glossier.

For a previous Little-Pumpkins post on Bill Ward click here.

Available at Taschen for US$29.99

The New Bond Girls

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ian Fleming’s birth, Penguin UK has revealed these new sizzling James Bond hardcover designs sketched by San Francisco (via Wales) based artist Michael Gillette. Love it!

Via The Publics

Jeff Koons @ Taschen

Wow! This book is 606 pages long!

I am very drawn to Jeff Koons' work and visual inspirations and have a few of his books and even a signed print, but at US$1,500.00 I will have to wait for a very generous Little-Pumpkins reader to fulfill my wish list. This large format book (13x17.3) comes boxed and is available at Taschen's site. I want it!!!

Sometimes Overwhelming

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Before gentrification, New York City was a gritty and inspiring place. And in its midst was Arlene Gottfried, whose eye for the sublime caught it all. SOMETIMES OVERWHELMING, her second powerHouse book, is a manic yet romantic ode to the people of New York City in the 1970s and 80s. From Coney Island’s eccentric denizens to a Hasid at Riis Beach’s nude bay to the disco nights of sexual abandon and the children in the original Village Halloween parade, SOMETIMES OVERWHELMING is a delightfully lighthearted look at the most outrageous people, in the most original milieu, you might ever see.

"Arlene Gottfried is a photographer with an eye and a mind on the city streets—an ‘insider’ with an ability to capture images of life that are raw, real, hard-edged, and caustic, and at the same time affectionate, funny, and loving." (Photo Review)

Available at Amazon.com

The Octonauts Computer Wallpapers

THE OCTONAUTS are a crew of adorable animals who roam the ocean in search of adventure and fun! From their undersea "Octopod" base, the eight talented critters (including a valiant polar bear, daredevil kitten, and big-hearted penguin) are always ready to embark on new exciting missions.

These kawaii-licious characters are the creation of illustration artist Meomi and have published in two books so far, "The Octonauts & The Only Lonely Monster" and "The Octonauts & The Sea Of Shade".

I Love it!!

Click to enlarge & save on your computer.

KlawBerry @ Magic Skull

KlawBerry is a sweet little monster girl, who has had her eye stolen. On her journey through the Bad World to get it back, she discovers some of her own magic powers... grrrl powers.
It took 7 months to design and produce this exclusive KlawBerry plush doll, which is based on the book of the same name. Fuzzy soft, with 6 color silk-screened features and lots of attitude, she's perfect for kids (and adults) with spunk. Measuring about 7 inches tall and 7 inches wide, she's an adorably soft little doll. She comes with a limited edition Certificate, in the form of a Passport from the monster world.
This toy has an edition of 999 so order yours before they are gone!

Be sure to check out the KlawBerry book , and her official website, KlawBerry.com .

Available at Magic Skull

Daniel M.Davis Wall Stickers @ Pop Cling

Daniel M. Davis is a well known indy illustrator & graphic designer and currently residing in perpetually shiny Phoenix, Arizona. He is also the author-illustrator of "Caught Creatures", a monster-haiku book, published by his own Steam Crow Press. Daniel brings a love of pop culture and foreign advertising mascots to his friendly characters, along with a subtle sense of color design. Giant robots, furry beasties, and scholarly fish can all be found in his work, depicted in earthy colors.

These wall stickers, based on his characters, were done in editions of 100 each and range from US$75.00 to US$95.00, depending on size and design. I think they are great!!

Available at Pop Cling

The Book on VEGAS

In celebration of Las Vegas's centennial, Greybull Press has put together the ultimate visual tribute to sin city. An exceptional collection of images of the city as seen through the eyes of many of the most important photographers, artists and filmmakers of the past 50 years, it also includes classic archival images that capture the true essence of what makes Vegas the high/low pleasure capital of the world: its entertainers and celebrities, its winners and losers, the dealers, divas, players and dreamers. The Book on Vegas features landmark images of the desert city's architecture, street life, weddings, casinos and surrounding landscape. The phone-book-size tome, edited by Lisa Eisner and Roman Alonso, is done in sparkling gold lamé-like fabric covering and it's a joy just to look at, not to mention what's inside. With over 300 pages, and 226 exquisitely produced color images, The Book on Vegas is luminous, loud and spectacular--like the city itself. Some of the highlights include William Claxton's intimate backstage portraits of Marlene Dietrich and Sammy Davis Jr.; Helmut Newton's photograph of the secret money room at Caesar's Palace; Bruce Weber's portfolio of Siegfried & Roy at home with their tigers; Lauren Greenfield and Philip-Lorca diCorcia's intimate portraits of pole dancers; stunning film stills from Casino, Koyaanasquatsi, Godfather II and other classic films--and much more. It also includes works by Guy Bourdin, Sophie Calle, Robert Crumb, Eliott Erwitt, Lee Friedlander, Ron Galella, Mary Ellen Mark, Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha, etc.

Available through Amazon and Tower .

Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds

With the first Centerfold, who just happened to be the radiant Marilyn Monroe, Hugh Hefner masterminded a cultural icon: Playboy's Playmate of the Month. Now, for the first time ever, Playboy has gathered together every Centerfold from every issue into one luxurious collector's edition. That's over 600 beauties. They've reproduced these Centerfolds exactly as they appeared in the magazine to create a full-size, deluxe volume. Paging through this colossal, chronological collection provides a breathtaking view of our evolving appreciation of the female form: from the fifties fantasy of voluptuous blondes to the tawny beach girls of the seventies to the groomed and toned women of today. Housed in a handsome leather briefcase lined with velvet, this impressive tome is the ultimate indulgence for every passionate collector. (US$315.00) Love it!

Via Uncrate

Animal House By Catherine Ledner

Welcome to Animal House, where occupancy is strictly limited to the furry, the feathered, the hoofed, and the clawed. In this tongue-in-cheek peek at critters great and small, photographer Catherine Ledner has brought the animals indoors to create a collection of magical and clever portraits unlike any you’ve ever seen before. Discover a series of brightly-colored rooms, lined with plush carpets and bold decorative wallpapers, each inhabited by a different creature. Ledner’s whimsical images are perfectly paired with a selection of sophisticated light verse, witticisms, and humorous poetry from the likes of Oliver Herford and Ogden Nash: "The Cow is of the bovine ilk, One end is moo, the other milk." What emerges is a marvelous fantasy world where the animals rule the roost and the turn of every page offers unexpected delights.

Available at Amazon.com