"Ship Ahoy" from Sweethearts of Sport series 1945 Original Authentic Lithograph Mid-Century Vintage/MCM Pin-Up by Howard Connolly (1903–1990) **The print has a crease/bend on the back from storage, which does not break the ink or heavily impact the front visual appeal. See photos.** This authentic vintage mid-century lithograph was produced by the KLM Co. under the catalog registration number 6907, titled Ship Ahoy. A collectible commercial artifact from the golden age of American illustration. The artwork was originally published in 1945 as part of the "Sweethearts of Sport" series. KLM was a prominent mid-century American lithography firm specializing in producing pin-up calendars, salesman samples, and advertising displays. Howard Connolly (American, 1903 - 1990) was a prolific artist and illustrator for leading publications including Colliers, The Toronto Star, and Yankee Magazine in the 1940s-1960s, and is best known for his wonderful pinup-girl paintings. In 1946, he was commissioned to paint the portrait of the reigning Miss America. Perhaps his most famous work is of the British guardsman illustrated on Beefeater Gin's label which was once published as a full size billboard ad in Times Square, NY. He also illustrated the well-known children's series The Bobbsey Twins (author Laura Hope, publisher Grosset & Dunlop).