Sunday 4 March 2012

Harlequin Artists Part XII - Two Winnipeg Artists

It's easy to forget that Harlequin started life as a Winnipeg company. The editorial office was in Toronto (on Carlton Street just down the street from Maple Leaf Gardens) but everything else was in Winnipeg. Most artists were based in Toronto but two Winnipeg artists did one cover each in 1957.

There is a bit on the web about Bernie Michaleski (? - ?) but nothing very much about Manly Geller (? - 1987).

Harlequin 391

Harlequin 391 - April 1957

Harlequin 394

Harlequin 394 - July 1957

6 comments:

  1. Must say, taking in Lady Doctor I'm not at all surprised that we don't know much about Manly Geller. Were there other Harlequins so inflicted?

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  2. Looks like a poor man's Thomas Kinkade.

    This is his only signed Harlequin. At least he and Bernie signed clearly.

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  3. Yes, very clearly. In fact, I'm not sure that i've seen another cover artist sign so legibly (and LARGE).

    I will say this, as a man who witnessed the brief revival in the early 'eighties, I don't think the doctor is wearing petticoats.

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  4. It is the largest signature. The only other bit of information I can find out about Geller is a cookbook he wrote and illustrated in 1985. I see his wife died last November.

    "Physician in petticoats" - must have seemed as idiotic in 1957 as now.

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  5. I framed a Geller piece earlier this week, with paperwork identifying the piece being purchased from a gallery in Winnipeg. I wish there was more information available on his work.

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  6. Hi Sarah: Thanks for this. lack of info common for many of these mid century illustrators.

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