Alberto Vargas and Phil Stack. THE 1946 ESQUIRE VARGA CALENDAR. Chicago: Esquire, Inc., 1945. Spiral bound 12-month calendar with (2) red spiral binders and (1) hole punch at the top, card back page, in original envelope; each plate with small monthly calendar, verse by Stack, and full-page color illustration from paintings by Vargas.

11 7/8 x 8 1/2 in.

From the Estate of the late International Interior Designer Terry Parsons, Pittsboro, North Carolina

Joaquin Alberto Vargas y Chávez (Peruvian American, 1896-1982) was an artist known for his Hollywood movie posters and his work for Esquire and Playboy magazines. While his work for the former was controversial, he created hundreds of paintings for both magazines and painted celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Bernadette Peters. Vargas painted the "Varga girls" who appeared monthly in Esquire; they were also included as illustrations for the magazine's calendar series from 1941-46.

Calendar is complete, pages toned and with expected edgewear, minor offsetting; (3) pages partially detached from spiral binding; first page (January) with 1-in. tear at the top; back card with creasing and slight tear; envelope now split in (2) parts with small stains, losses, tears, and writing on front. Calendar good to very good for age with poor envelope.