#310 - Exotique 10 Burmel Publishing Tana Louise Bilbrew
Exotique, Number 10
Burmel [Leonard BURtman/Ben HimMEL] Publishing Co.
New York, New York
c. 1957
digital replica
At the age of 36, Mr. Burtman candidly describes his sexual interests in his nationally-distributed Exotique. He provided the magazine's direction and created content as well, writing some of the prose and taking many of the photographs.
While Mr. Hefner produced images of his own female ideal (innocent beauty), Mr. Burtman's dream goddess knew more about his sexuality than he did. She understood how to tease a measurable response from a nearby male (i.e., a fetishist) — dress in long stockings, tight gloves, high heels and a figure-shaping corset.
Exotique, Number 10, teems with fashion accents that a certain kind of man would characterize as intensifying the femininity of the wearer. Two models and a Gene Bilbrew illustration display long stockings with seams. A woman in high-heeled boots stands beside a wall of high-heeled shoes. Other models pose in corsets, stockings and heels.
An article by Mr. Burtman's wife, Tana Louise, accounts the underwear of a few of her friends and its importance to them. She describes her own sexy accessories, including “66-gauge black nylons” and “black patent-leather open-toe pumps with 6-inch heels.”
In their apartment, he photographs his bride beside an array of waist-constricting leather belts, staring at eight Exotique magazines, and, in a waist-nipping satin corset, adjusting a sheer stocking with her feet perched in pumps with 6-inch heels. In other photographs, she holds diverse shoes against a white fur stole, and tries to decide which of six pairs of high-heeled shoes arranged on her bedroom dresser she will wear. Although these magazines show no nudity, Mr. Burtman discloses personal and intimate sexual preferences through the comments and pictures of his wife.
A short story tells of an ocean-going adventure involving jewels, a medal, spies and an exotic beauty whose “ . . . sleek legs were covered in a pair of ultra-sheer black nylon stockings that were pulled almost to their bursting point by the leather garter belt.” Eric Stanton delineates her in four excellent illustrations, one of which shows her immobilizing the hero with ropes.
Non-fiction compares old fashions and new with consistent appreciation for corsets and high heels. It ends with a limerick about corsets. Letters from readers praise pastel bloomers, boots and tight corsets. Several Bilbrew drawings.
As nearly all photographs and illustrations fill the original pages from top to bottom, the digital replica provides the visual value of an optimized ebook without a second volume. The ebook presents the pictures full-size or a bit larger. Although tonality adjustments enhance clarity, many photos show graininess when magnified.
In Exotique, 10, we find a fetishist's vision of femininity on 68 pages of prose and pictures. The digital iteration offers the best mechanism for enjoyment of all the sensuality the law allowed in the middle of the 20th century.
One e-book, delivered by download from your 30th Street Graphics account.