Penthouse covers

Style of Eye

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Penthouse covers

February 11th 2009 05:05

It might sound a little unusual, but I received my most formative sexual education from within the pages of Penthouse magazine, Bob Guccione’s International Magazine for Men, which was founded in England in 1965, but came to prominence once it was launched in America in 1969. It went on to become the preeminent hardened softcore American sex magazine of the 70s, riding the crest between the creamy, coy softcore of Hugh Hefner’s Playboy magazine and the sleazy, over-lit, hardcore of Larry Flynt’s Hustler magazine.

Penthouse first American issue Sept 1969

The inaugural U.S. edition September 1969

Whereas Hefner was a journalist, Guccione was a photographer (and Flynt was an opportunist filthmonger). Hefner’s Playmate’s were frequently blonde and the pictorials often looked the same. Guccione’s Pets were often brunettes (mmmmm) and the pictorials were far more erotically adventurous. Playboy might have enjoyed a wider social limelight, especially with Hefner’s Playboy Mansion, but Penthouse possessed a more complex sense of mischief (Caligula being one such venture) and was altogether more alluring.

However, despite the sensational pictorials, it was Penthouse Forum that provided me with so much insight into the adult world of seduction and sexual behaviour. As a budding adolescent I learned all the lingo from those dirty-minded and explicit letters to the Forum editor (years later I came to realise that most of them were fake, but hey, they read good).

Venus on the half-shell

I recently discovered a site that had pics of Penthouse covers, a reasonably comprehensive gallery from 1969 through to present day (though some faves were missing). Looking at the covers I was suddenly transported back to my father’s art studio (where he had his collection stashed). All these memories came spurting, er, gushing, er … flooding back. I realised from looking at the stylish images of erotic femininity on the covers of so many of these issues, and comparing them to the current covers of Penthouse from the last decade or so that I’d seen in shops or wherever, that they simply don’t shoot them like they used to.

Hot Summer, but no nude cigar

Never did find out if her cuffs matched her collar

There is definitely a period where Penthouse magazine was easily the sexiest magazine on the shelves. I’m talking about the allure of the cover here, not necessarily the pictorials inside, and often the woman portrayed on the cover wasn’t featured in a pictorial on the inside (but on numerous occasions reader’s – or should that be viewer’s – demand decided the woman on the cover would end up in a pictorial on a later issue.

Bowler hats never looked so cum hither

I perused the monthly covers of all the issues of Penthouse from 1969 into the 90s, and it became apparent that the aesthetics of the fashion (clothes, hair, makeup) and photographic techniques (composition, lighting, props) changed considerably. I lost interest in the late 80s. The very best covers were from the mid-70s to the mid-80s. The women were voluptuous, the colours were sexy, the poses were erotic … and there was bush. Call me old-fashioned, but I dig bush. Not necessarily big bush, but I think a pubic mound on a woman is a direct erotic statement. It says "I am woman", not "I am girl". But the pubic hair debate is another kettle of fish I guess …

So without further adieu, here is my selection of some of the very best covers that graced Penthouse magazine chronologically from 1969 to 1987; the Lush Years, as I like to fondly them.

I love 'em all, even though some of my other favourites I couldn't include because I couldn't find scanned images of them. Yes, I'm old school, but damn, these covers arer undeniably sexy, and frequently downright erotic. Playboy covers were never this good. Even Euro-styled mag Oui couldn't compete. Bob Guccione had an eye for the seriously alluring. Bless his cotton socks. Oh, and my very, very favourites amongst these? Scroll your cursor over pics: July 1971, July 1975, November 1977, August 1979, June 1982, April 1984, July 1985 ... sheesh, I can't stop myself, I even broke my Rule of 24, heh, heh.

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Posted By: Raoul Duke - Category: photography

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Comments

6 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Cheryl J

February 20th 2009 12:41

Rhythmatism
Budget Centsability

Hi Raoul, some of these covers are exceptionally lovely. Erotic but not sleazy (a couple are bordering on sleaze). I love the first image and the 1973 Special Edition cover is gorgeous.

I've seen a few porn mags in my time (I had two brothers!) and playboy girls always looked so plastic. Hustler was just gross but Penthouse had some great pictorials. My girlfriends and I from high school used to roll around with laughter at the Penthouse forums. I knew nothing of the world of sex other than what I read but we just knew they all had to be fake.

I think soft porn can be a real art if it is done well. I just hate how they airbrush female genitalia to 'neaten' it up. It gives boys an unrealistic expectation of what we really do look like and it makes young girls who see it think they are totally abnormal because they look different.

Great collection of covers.

Comment by Raoul Duke

February 20th 2009 17:55

Style of Eye

Hey Cheryl,
I'm glad you agree on Penthouse and its calibre of photography. And I totally agree with Playboy and how plastic and forced they always looked.
Yes, Penthouse Forum was open to both chortles of "yeah, right, as if that really happened!", to "wow, that was genuinely erotic writing!" (the latter rarely)
I've recenty discovered a new magazine (online) by Hugh Hefner's ex (from fifteen years ago), she's started up her own magazine for artistic portrayals of the female nude. They look great, I may have to spotlight!
I agree with the whole airbrushing ... but also i loathe the overlit unsexy "open heart surgery" of so much porn. There's explicit without being scientific, if you know what I mean ...

Comment by Raoul Duke

February 21st 2009 02:07

Style of Eye

I meant to ask, which covers did you find bordering on sleazy? And by "first image" do you mean the silhouetted woman smaller cover or the woman in the red tanktop between the tree trunks cover?

Comment by Agent Triple P

May 14th 2009 09:17

I couldn't agree more with the sentiments expressed in this post!

You might be interested in some of my posts on Penthouse v Playboy Pubic Wars in the sixties and seventies.

Really Long Link (see pubic wars under labels)

By the way you can get good copies of all of the Penthouse covers here:

Really Long Link

Comment by Anonymous

August 14th 2010 13:25

That brought back memories as I grew up with a lot of those covers. Your selection is truly outstanding.
I have to agree with Cheryl with her comment about Playboy being "plastic" The pictorials in Penthouse were much more erotic and dare I say personal (before it got cheap).
Haven't seen a mag of that quality in a few years - wonder if they ever reverted back to what made them great.

Comment by Raoul Duke

August 18th 2010 22:57

Style of Eye

Anon, thanks for the props.
I doubt Penthouse (or Playboy) will ever recover from the digital/online revolution. Shame really.

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