Oil graph (chromolithograph with oil paint overlay) titled 'Cavalier' by Samuel Marshall Frantz for Lord Calvert Canadian Whisky

This original oil graph was created by Samuel Marshall Frantz in the mid-1940s as the signature image for Lord Calvert Canadian Whisky's legendary 'Men of Distinction' advertising campaign. The technique involves a chromolithographic print with hand-applied oil paint, then mounted on canvas and professionally framed in period-appropriate materials. Frantz, America's highest-paid illustrator of his era, was commissioned by Lord Calvert to create this iconic cavalier portrait that would appear on every bottle label from the mid-1940s until 1956, the year of his death. The romantic cavalier imagery became synonymous with the brand's identity during the golden age of American whisky marketing. This piece is exceptionally valuable to collectors of vintage spirits advertising, golden-age American illustration art, and Lord Calvert memorabilia. Original artwork and oil graphs by Frantz from the 'Men of Distinction' campaign are extraordinarily rare, as most surviving examples are mass-produced printed advertisements rather than the actual artist-enhanced pieces used to create the brand's visual identity. For enthusiasts of mid-century commercial art and whisky history, this represents a museum-quality artifact documenting both the artistry of premium illustration and the cultural sophistication of post-war American spirits marketing.