#200287 - Fantastique Photo Album No 5 Sheba Pub Co NYC

Fantastique Photo Album, No. 5
Sheba Pub. Co.
N. Y. C.
ca. 1962

digital replica

Dr. Bienvenu's dissertation does not mention Fantastique magazine or Sheba Publishing Company. My bet is that this was an impromptu venture involving the photographer and his associates, one of whom had access to a small offset press.

The cover describes the magazine as “A New Publication of Fancy-Fashion – Fantasy,” and many of the shoes and boots displayed inside exceed the most dramatic fetish indulgence. In other words, those who have an interest in mid-century photographs of shapely models in high heels will have little opportunity to complain that these heels aren't high enough. For heel fetishists, Fantastique, in its day, was as conscientiously focused as any magazine on the west side of the Atlantic.

Fantastique Photo Album issues are notable for what they don't contain.

• No text

• No advertising

• No illustrations

• No dates

A superb booklet containing monochrome photographs of models in fetish attire, Fantastique appeared at irregular intervals during its short life. Burlesque entertainers and other pretty posers showed off womanly curves in lacy lingerie, full-fashioned hosiery and high-heeled footwear. These lovelies seem to know that they're wearing ultra-sexy deshabille and get a kick out of it.

The fifth issue provides pictures of models wearing shoes and boots with platforms that necessitate exceptionally high heels. A few pictures show shoes without platforms. Professional photography, possibly by Sam Menning, captures the dark gleam of leather.

Models present lovely legs in full-fashioned nylons and fishnets, usually held in place by garter belts. Black lace with floral patterns ornaments strapless bras and corselettes.

The cover blond appears on more than 15 pages in two kinds of shoes and leather gloves. Reclining in frilly panties on a settee's brocade upholstery, she projects an air of aristocracy. In a world devoid of fantasy (that is, not fantastic), what would be the purpose of such a parlor costume if not seduction?

Brunettes in this issue wear shiny, black knee-high, platform boots with white laces. Some wear a beret, others have a slender cigarette holder between fingers. In two pictures, a white fur wraps around smooth shoulders.

The booklet has one photograph per page with bleeds on all sides. The ebook contains all content of the 68-page magazine in the original sequence. Some walls and floors were cropped out. Horizontally oriented pictures were rotated 90 degrees. One photograph appears twice in the booklet and the ebook.

Brightness, contrast and levels were adjusted, shadows reduced and many specks re-touched. The ebook iteration provides a viewing experience superior to that of the old paper.

All new scans.

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