Elmer Batters

Tip Top, Volume 1, Number 4
American Art Agency, Inc.
North Hollywood, California
1961

digital replica with four missing pages

In the 1950s, Elmer Batters first presented his photographs in magazines he published, such as Black Silk Stockings and Leg-O-Rama. Possibly due to tax issues, those publications were discontinued, and he began working with American Art Agency on a number of magazines that focused on legs and stockings.

Among the best known of his 1960s ventures was Tip Top. The fourth issue lists Elmer A. Batters as Advisory Editor. His contributions include photographs, letters to Elmer Batters with his replies and SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL LEG PHOTOGRAPHY: Part Two. By the curves and architecture they present, it appears that all photographs in this issue showing models in FF nylons were taken by the famous lensman.

In his editorial, Editor Charles Simpson announces —

"Hello out there! With this fourth issue of Tip Top we feel we're coming closer to our ideal of making the magazine what you, the readers, want . . . that is, more girls, more photographs, more eye-appealing features. Above all, Tip Top is devoted to that single-minded purpose - legs, legs, legs, legs, and more legs. We believe in them, you
believe in them, and Elmer Batters, whose loving photographic labors are well-represented within, believes in them more than almost anybody. Tip Top holds a unique position on the nation's newsstands as the leading publication exclusively dedicated to glorifying the female leg, and we will make sure it never loses that purpose. Furthermore, we will do everything in our power to extoll the virtues of our chosen subject to even greater
degrees in future issues. So far, the response has been gratifying. We will continue doing our level best to justify your approval, and hope that should we fail to do so you won't be shy in letting us know. Just keep in touch. But now, let's get down to the major area of concentration — from the tip of the toes to the top of the hose . . . "

In his Secrets of Leg Photography, Part Two, the prolific photographer instructs about posing and manually positioning models' legs and feet. He explains that flattery often assists in management of the model's comfort. And recruiting her family members to guard studio doors helps ensure peace and relaxation. He advises that poses should be contrived to place very little pressure on bottoms, as it can distort them. Standing on tip toes adds fullness to calves and lengthens legs. Illustrated by a selection of his photographs.

Eleven of the Best from Elmer's Figure File presents models who appeared in his magazines. Accompanying text distinguishes their assets and attitudes. This collection includes Bambi Hamilton, Cindy Sands, and Jezebel.

Pictorials show us Dallice Mantano, Cindy, Donna, Patty, Sonia Bravo, Neva Shaw (in a machine shop), Terri, Lana Martin, and Karla Olson in full-fashioned nylons and garter belts. Jane Morgan and Carol Lewis use pleated garters to keep their hosiery in place. These womanly models often appear in pumps or mules with three-inch heels.

As was typical of the product of this publisher, many photos show air-brush high-lights on stockings and curved volumes of bodies. No sneakers.

Although the original photography was superb, its transition to printed pages obscures some scenes. Specks of dust or ash result in white spots in many photos. Most specks on models were removed. Tonality was adjusted to present smoothness and clarity on models, but some backgrounds are rough and speckled.

The magazine that served as source material for the ebook has defects:
• The covers are scratched.
• Due to age and use, some pages show ripples or wrinkles.
• Four pages (the centerfold) are missing.

The four missing pages held one page of a pictorial, the two-page centerfold and one page of letters to Elmer Batters.

Except for four missing pages, all content of the 80-page magazine are included in the ebook, including letters and a short story. The sequence of pages was revised to obtain continuity of two prose pieces. No page layouts were revised, but some gratuitous borders and empty margins were excised.

All new scans.

Possibly the first photographer to use the expression leg art, Elmer Batters' long career as photographer and publisher of pinup, cheesecake and fetish imagery earned him international appreciation. Like most creative people, he developed craft and focus throughout his life. In the century after his death, ebooks present his female ideal and unwavering point of view.

One ebook, delivered by download from your 30th Street Graphics account.