The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 40

8EDES MOINES SUNDAY REGISTER April 16, 1989 EC Gannett Nffws Srvic 1920s-'30s illustrator draws collector clamor If 1 a-aa-Niaa- ROBERT LA BROWN BROWN JUDY MILLER-SAMUELS MICHAEL SAMUELS BROWN HOWELL SAMUELS MILLER Judy Ann Miller and Michael Sandor Samuels, both of Ames, were married March 11. The bride is the daughter of Eugene C. Miller of 3501 Amherst and Barbara Nicholas of 2810 E. Madison Ave. The groom is th son of Mr, and Mrs.

Allan Samuels of Mount Vernon, N.Y. The bride and groom are students in Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. They will live in Ames. By ANN McCUTCHAN lMtGaltMtl Newl Service Success of a recent Christie's East sale of Erte' graphics and bronzes underlines a growing interest in the Russian artist's suave, detailed work. Perhaps most famous for his striking Parisian stage set and costume designs of the 1920s and '30s, Erte' (a pseudonym from the initials of his given name, Romain di Tirtoff) became known to the general U.S.

public through fashion illustrations in Harper's Bazaar. Between January 1915 and December 1936, Erte' contributed to 264 issues; 240 featured Erte' covers. Collectors who don't recognize the name certainly recognize the style. Women are rendered long, languorous and dazzling, as if they've been squeezed slowly from tubes of multicolored oils. Eyes are often shut, or peering up and off to the side.

"Real-life" fashions are inspired by fantasy, like the costume designs. A drawing of a bathing suit resembles the slinky outfit of a theatre nymph. Dresses are hung with tassles and fringe, or draped with trains. Such Arabian Nights variety could Lisa Kay Howell and Robert Gregory Brown, both of Des Moines, were married March 18. Tlie bride is the daughter of Mr.

and Mrs. John R. Howell of 629 19th West Des Moines. The groom is the son and stepson of Mr. and Mrs.

Bill BroWn II of 1383 N.W. 93rd Court. Clive, and the stepson and son of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Axtell of Williamson, Ga.

The bride is employed by Preferred Risk Instance Companies in West Des Moines. The groorn is an apprentice painter for Harkm Gentlemen Inc. The couple will reside in Des Moines. i only have sprung from eclectic Paris and prospered in the Jazz Age of the '20s. Although Erie's career continued for decades, his work wasn't recognized in a book until 1970, when Charles Spencer's generously illustrated biography was published.

Since then, interest has grown because of the nostalgia factor and because the work is unique and beautiful. Peggy Gilges of Christie's says the most dramatic change she has seen in the market for Erte' is the price for an original gouache. "These have rapidly escalated," she says, "which is expected and reasonable, since they're one of a kind, individual, done by his hand." But the mass-produced graphics enjoy a healthy market, too. "There are certain images, like the letter 'L' the lady with the leopard that can sell for five or six times what the other letters in a stylized alphabet series sell for," Gilges notes. "These are images that somehow strike more of a chord with people." At this point, Erie' graphics are bought mostly by private collectors who appreciate their bold, distinctive decorative value and also expect them to maintain a certain level of value.

But 1 lit BROOKS GARY This 1938 Erte' Balinese costume design typifies the Russian's suave strokes. THOMAS LESLIE MODRICK MODRICK MODRICK BLOOMFIELD 5 Leslie Bloomfield and Thomas A. Modnck, both of Mesa, exchanged marriage vows March 18. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Debbie Gary of Johnston and Scott Brooks of West Des Moines exchanged marriage vows Feb.

18. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Gary of 71 16 Maryland Drive. The groom is the son and stepson of Mr.

and Mrs. Loy Brooks of 7813 Maple Drive, and the son of Nan Sey Brooks of 4019 41st St. The bride is employed by Midwest Gas the groom by Companies. The couple will reside in Urbandale. FELDMANN f'LYNN Cari Michele Flynn of Denver, and Dennis Robert Feldmann of Jefferson were married March 18.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. arid Mrs. William Flynn of Denver. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs.

Thomas Feldmann of Jefferson. The bride is employed by First Property Management, Wakonda Village. The groom works fpr Construction in Jefferson. The couple will reside in Des Moines. Announcement guide To get your wedding announcement published, a Des Moines Register form must be filled in completely and received no later than one month artpr trie wedding.

For a form, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Wedding Announcements, Newsroom, The Des Moines Register, P.O Box 957. Des Moines, la. 50304. If you include pictures of the bride and groom, they should be giossy prints of good quality. No nictures can be returned This service is tree.

No announcements can be accepted over the phone. Mrs. Merrill Bloomfield of Mesa. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs.

Stephen E. Modrick of 2617 Ashby Ave. The groom is in the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Williams Air Force Base near Mesa. I-" 'i SCRANTON Mr.

and Mrs. Jim Hunter, 50 years, April 20. Reception, 5:30 p.m. April 22, Bayard Community Hall, with a program at 7 p.m. and a dance 8 p.m.-midnight.

SLATER Mr. and Mrs. Marion J. Thompson, 402 Third 57 years, today. STANHOPE Mr.

and Mrs. Beryl Cot-tington, 60 years, April 17. STANHOPE Mr. and Mrs. Norman Lass, 50 years, April 15.

STUART Mr. and Mrs. Leslie E. Se-crest, 623 N. Main, Box 104, 56 years, April 22.

WEST DES MOINES Mr. and Mrs. Arnold A. May, 916 11th 58 years, April 18. a few galleries buy for clients.

Some trend-watchers expect the art to jump in worth when the artist, who will be 97 this year, passes away. In any case, current prices are still within the range of the serious, but not ridiculously wealthy, collector. Most items in Christie's Erte' sale (its fifth annual) sold in their estimated price groups. Several costume-design gouaches from the '30s and early '40s brought $2,000 to $4,000. A few lots were especially hot, such as a Harper's cover from 1922, estimated at that sold for Lower-priced signed and numbered serigraphs, mostly from the early 1980s, brought anywhere from a few hundred dollars to around $2,000 each.

A small group of bronzes did well, too. The top seller was "La femme et la panthere," a 15-inch high figure of a woman clad in an exotic animal skin, with her pet panther chained to her wrist, lying at her feet. The piece brought just over $10,000. Most other bronzes remained in the category. L.

Kell, 821 N. Fourth St. East, 68 years, today. ELKADER Mr. and Mrs.

Milton M. Kramer, 401 Oak Ave. N.W., 53 years, April 15. FOREST CITY Mr. and Mrs.

Harry Nyhus, Rural Route 1, 57 years, April 22. HARTFORD Mr. and Mrs. Russell is-ley, 210 S. Vine, 50 years.

April 15. Reception, 2-5 p.m. today, Community United Presbyterian Church. J0LLEY Mr. and Mrs.

Gus Hameis-ter, Rural Route, 50 years, today. LAC0NA Mr. and Mrs. John Bab-cock, Box 4, 60 years, April 15. MELROSE Mr.

and Mrs. Charles Gile, Rural Route 2. 50 years, April 19. NEW LONDON Mr. and Mrs.

Lester Matheny, Rural Route 1, 56 years, today. NEWTON Mr. and Mrs. Don W. Langmaid, Rural Route 1, Box 242, 55 years, April 18.

0LIN Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Allen, 50 years, April 8. Wed 70 years Mr. and Mrs.

J.E. Frame, of Rural Route 1, Box 178, Piano, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary April 20. ADEL Mr. and Mrs. Chester Thrailkill, 408 N.

12th 58 years, April 18. AMES Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Waga-man, 1940 Bel Air, 50 years, today. BRIGHTON Mr.

and Mrs. Dale Craff, 56 years, April 20. DES MOINES Mr. and Mrs. Ralph E.

McKinley, 1634 E. Grand 56 years, April 20. DES MOINES Mr. and Mrs. John H.

Hanes, 1424 46th 60 years, April 2 1 Card shower. DEXTER Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Cool-ey, 704 Dallas, P.O. Box 235, 55 years, April 23.

EAGLE GROVE Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Cole, 220 S. Lincoln, 64 years, today. EAGLE GROVE Mr.

and Mrs. Ernest STEVEN MICHELSEN TAMARA MICHELSEN MICHELSEN VAN WYK Living longer UK Knighl-RldderTribune News Service Cutting calories by as much as, 40 percent, while maintaining ade-: quate nutrition, may help to' lengthen our lives. That's accord-! ing to findings of a Food and Drug: Administration and National Insti-'. tute on Aging study. Tamara K.

Van Wyk and Steven A. Michelsen, both of Des Moines, were wed March 18. The bride is the daughter of Mr, and Mrs. Melvin L. Van Wyk of 1245 E.

27th St. The groom is the son of Ruby A. Michelsen of 1925 E. 29th St. and the late Howard L.

Michelsen. The bride is employed by Mercy-Hilltop Medical Clinic. The groom is employed by Mid-Continent Bottlers Inc. The couple will reside in Des Moines. Announcement guide The Des Moines Register will publish wedding anniversaries of 50 years or more.

All information, including name, address, number of years married and anniversary date, should be submitted in writing. Send to: The Des Moines Register, Anniversaries-Newsroom, P.O. Sox 957, Des Moines, la. 50304. Deadline is Tuesday noon before the Sunday you want the item published.

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