The Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies of 1949: 13th Annual Edition Official Publication
Ephemera, souvenir program/magazine, printed on paper • Cover illustration likely by a commercial staff artist for Shipstads & Johnson or an uncredited pin-up/mid-century illustrator; notable Ice Follies artists of the era often included George Petty or similar pin-up style illustrators
Style & Movement
Mid-Century Americana / Commercial Illustration / Pin-up Art
Medium & Technique
Lithographic offset printing on paper, likely featuring a reproduction of a tempera or gouache commercial illustration for the cover art
Creation Period
1948-1949
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 12 x 9 inches (standard US souvenir program format); vertical portrait orientation
Subject Description
The cover features a dynamic female figure skater in an orange costume and bonnet performing on ice, flanked by spectators (a woman, a child, and a dog) leaning over the rink wall. It serves as a promotional cover for the traveling ice show founded by Eddie Shipstad, Roy Shipstad, and Oscar Johnson.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good to Fair; visible creasing on the left side and top edge, minor scuffing, and corner wear consistent with age
Estimated Market Value
$15 - $35 USD
Auction Estimate
$10 - $25 USD
Provenance History
Likely purchased as a souvenir at a performance of the 1949 Ice Follies tour; subsequently held in private collections as memorabilia
Art Historical Significance
Represents the Golden Age of traveling American ice shows. Shipstads & Johnson were pioneers in ice entertainment, and their high-quality souvenir programs are significant for their documentation of 1940s costuming and commercial graphic design trends.
Notable Features
Includes the original '25 cents' price point and the '13th Annual Edition' branding; typical mid-century typographic choices combining serif display fonts with sans-serif modernist subtext
Condition Issues
Lateral creasing across the spine area, minor 'edge wear', slight discoloration of the paper consistent with 75-year-old wood-pulp based stock, and potential stapled binding rust (internal)
Conservation Recommendations
Store horizontally in an acid-free, archival-quality sleeve with a backing board; keep out of direct sunlight and high-humidity environments to prevent further paper degradation