Ken Rush - Print Collection

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Print Collection

Over the past month, I’ve been gradually organising the Ken Rush glamour collection, and as some of you may have noticed, I’ve begun listing some of it for sale. As I’ve gone through the thousands of prints and slides, I’ve gained a sense of the photographer’s style and likes.

Most of the collection falls under the category of erotic glamour, with minimal full nudity and only a moderate amount of topless work. While they’re not comparable to Toco or the popular Spick and Span 2000 series of books, I believe many of them would fit comfortably here and add more variety to the thousands of Toco and other posts that already sit in this archive.

To start, I’ve decided to focus on prints, with the majority taken in the 1980s and early 1990s. Most of the models featured were paid through agencies, which gives the pictures a different feel from Toco magazines, where the models were often the girl next door or friends of the girl next door. This is what made Toco magazines so charming and delightful, with no one ever coming close to making that magic again. Agencies became more involved with models, and the focus shifted from having fun with friends to making money. 

So, let's take a trip back to the 1980s for a while, with big frizzy hair, Ford Capris, and 4-star petrol. Global warming wasn’t even a thought back then.

During the 1980s, girls generally didn’t wear stockings and suspenders on a daily basis, as tights were more practical. Stockings were reserved for the home and bedroom or that sexy day or evening out, sadly for most of us.

Ken’s pictures feature a mix of bare legs and stockings, but I’ll only be featuring models wearing stockings and will try to keep the settings domestic. What’s particularly delightful about these pictures is that most of them haven’t been seen in 35 plus years (for Ken’s eyes only). Some of the faces may be familiar to a few of you as they might have worked elsewhere during that time.

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Ken Rush Glamour Collection

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Sassy Minx

Short black skirt, white fishnet stockings, and white boots. Where is the party?

Ken Rush Glamour Collection

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Thick Black Stockings

Thick black stockings and fancy suspenders on show from a rather glum-looking mystery model.

Ken Rush Glamour Collection

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Do You Like What You See?

The first of a few posts from the Ken Rush glamour collection. Most shown here will be from the 1970s and home-processed. I am only going to show pictures here that I think fit well into this site. You may spot the odd familiar face as there is a tentative link to pictures already shown from the Private Collection of Negatives. 

To kick things off, how about this lovely lady flashing her stocking tops, and knickers at us? She does look vaguely familiar to me, but from where or if at all, I don't know.

Ken Rush - Glamour Photographer

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The More Exotic Side Of Ken Rush

Ken Rush, an aviation enthusiast, achieved remarkable feats at a young age. At just 16, he became one of the youngest individuals to obtain a glider pilot’s license. Additionally, he showcased his artistic talents, gaining recognition as an artist. After joining the RAF, Ken’s passion for aviation led him to pursue a career as a pilot, unfortunately, he was unable to pass the eyesight test. However, his artistic training proved instrumental, as it secured him a job at the Air Ministry in London, where he designed recruitment stands for exhibitions. Upon demobilisation, Ken embarked on a new journey with Astral Arts in Bond Street, London, where he crafted out a career producing aircraft paintings in diverse settings.

Ken’s early work included illustrations for popular construction kits like Airfix, Frog, and Revell. Beyond his aviation-themed paintings, he also illustrated several books on cars for Automobile Quarterly in New York. His Book of Fantastic Machines, published by Octopus Books, earned him the prestigious title of European Illustrator of the Year in 1976. A more comprehensive overview of Ken’s career and artistic skills can be easily found through a simple internet search.

Beyond his artistic pursuits, Ken was also an avid photographer, capturing images of aircraft. However, it’s worth noting that his hobby extended beyond aviation photography, encompassing a more private aspect as a glamour photographer. This passion was a hobby rather than a part of his professional or public profile. Over the years, Ken amassed a substantial collection of photographs for his personal enjoyment, often privately commissioning models from agencies and other sources.

While Ken’s glamour photography delved into the allure and eroticism of the subject matter, it avoided explicit pornography. However, it did exhibit certain themes and focal points. Notably though, most of his pictures never go beyond topless. I believe most of these images have never been seen before because they were created solely for personal enjoyment and interest. In my opinion, this makes them even more special. 

Sadly, Ken passed away last year at the age of 93, and it has taken time for his estate to be processed. Only recently were some of his personal belongings sold at auction. Ken’s hobby photography was included in this sale, and I was fortunate enough to purchase his entire glamour collection, which is substantial. 

It includes tens of thousands of transparencies and negatives, thousands of prints, both colour and black and white many self-processed, reels and reels of cine film and camcorder footage, and all the photographs he acquired over decades of collecting. It’s quite a rare collection. 

Most of it will eventually be sold through the BrazenBooks website, so for collectors seeking something truly original, there will be some great finds. As I begin sorting through everything and making it available for sale, I will be posting selected pictures here and on the Brazen site, similar to what has been done with pictures from the private collection of negatives. 

So, let’s look forward to an interesting and diverse collection of pictures appearing here over the coming months and years, as it will take time to process everything when combined with more mundane tasks.