Archie Dickens Art for Sale at Auction

b. 1907 - d. 2004

Archie Dickens (1907-2004) should have studied at the Slade School of Art, but due to family circumstances, he started his career at 14 as a junior lettering artist. Gaining experience he moved firms and in 1930 he was working as a freelance commercial artist. After emigrating to New Zealand at the advent of the Second World War, he began to paint his first 'pin-up' paintings, which proved a great success. Eventually returning to Britain after the war, he continued to paint his 'pin-ups' as well as being a successful greetings card designer. 'Hot Line' was licensed to the designer Paul Smith who used it on his menswear line, causing a stir in 2000, when one of the 'pin-ups' appeared on the cuff of a shirt worn by Tony Blair. His work is also collected in the US.