Norman Rockwell

To most illustrators, Norman Rockwell defines the essence of the Golden Age of Illustration. Not only did he do countless covers of The Saturday Evening Post, he also painted some of the most iconic imagery that we still recognize today!
"Freedom from Want" 1943

He also managed to define the American culture for people in a way that the population could really see and digest!

The reason I am prattling on about Mr.Rockwell is that today, in one of the world's forgotten and dinkiest mall's, I found a Saturday Evening Post from 1927. With a Norman Rockwell cover. I was SO excited when I saw it I could barely contain myself. I then proceeded to gently pull the cover out from its protective plastic, only to find out that it was in fact a print, like a Wal-Mart, Cost-co generic print. Can I tell you how deflated I was? All the wind and excitement had been blown right out of me. I had found a treasure (or at least what I consider to be a treasure) only to have it snatched away.

I begged the salesman if he happened to have any originals, he gave me a negative and I walked away. Not two minutes later, the salesman came over to show me a "print" that was, for some unknown reason, priced higher than the others. I pulled it out only to find the back had a Del Monte add from 1927.

Long story short, I am now the proud owner of a August 13th, 1927 Saturday Evening Post Cover!

"Dreams of Long Ago" 1927

Cheers :)