Royale Studios 17 - Two Mysteries Solved - Part 3

As an aside, the Catalogue labelling system used by Royale Studios was sometimes based on the model's names (for example EAM = Earl Maynard) and sometimes based on the title of the 'storyette' (e.g. NAGA = Navy Gash). I suspect this one, 'EX2 FJSS', is a combination of the two.

The sailor who took my fancy in this set appears in another Royale Studio catalogue as 'JOS', he is shown in the same uniform and posed with the drum, see below.

Royale Studio - JOS - John Skilling?

This is another great 'shorts' picture, showing off the model's trim physique very well. I only wish I could lay hands on a decent copy of it! Cross-referencing the catalogue ID to other pictures in my collection I believe the model's name is John Skilling.The other model in this series is a Royale stalwart, Fred Collins 'FRC' in the picture below

Fred seems to be one of those models who get bigger as they undress, no wonder Royal wanted him to shoehorn his backside into their shorts and other gear! These two must have been great together. So it looks as if the FJ in FJSS comes from the model names. I'll talk about the 'SS' bit in my next post, it leads my little investigation off in another direction altogether! 

For earlier articles in this series click on the GIU/Royale label below

Royale Studios 17 - Two Mysteries Solved - Part 2

Royale Studios - Catalogue Page 'EX2 FJSS'

The Catalogue Page mentioned in my previous post is shown above. I don't know if it has an official name but I call it 'The Drum'. You can see the 'belting over the drum' picture is No 19.

The picture shown at No 15 is one I used previously in my first group of posts about Royale/GIU, namely in the Guys in Uniform post No 10 where I wrongly attributed it to that related studio. The picture came to me with no identifying information and after much thought I guessed at GIU based on the picture quality and the 'through the legs' imagery which I knew GIU used. I was wrong and I'm glad to set the record straight now.

Sailor Confronted - Royale Studio

I really love this picture, so you can imagine my delight when I found a companion piece in the FJSS catalogue with the soldier and sailor reversed - No 14.

In Part 3 I'll talk about the strange catalogue ID and the models before going through the set in more detail with some better images.

Royale Studios 17 - Two Mysteries Solved - Part 1

Royale Studios - Military CP

This picture by Royale Studios will be quite familiar to enthusiasts and frequently crops up in spanking collections. It's a striking image with a couple of strapping men (nice thighs!) and all the usual Royale paraphenalia. The use of the military drum adds a touch of originality and authenticity.

It makes you wonder what's actually going on here? But I have never been able to link this photo with other Royale stuff - until recently when a member of the M_M Spanking Group shared an old Royale catalogue giving the whole set of 21 pictures. This discovery also provided the solution to another conundrum which I had mentioned in one of my earlier Royale articles. 

I will reveal all in Part 2 !

For earlier articles in this series click on the GIU/Royale label below

Mitchells A-Z of Fetish Artists - My Favourite 'O'

It is my custom to select a favourite for each letter based on the criteria of Sensuality of style, Fetish Content and Artistic Technique. There are really only four contenders here with a relavant 'body of work', namely Okawa, Olaf, Osamu and Osze. It's one of the less difficult choices for me.

Olaf and Okawa are tops for technique, but I prefer Okawa's less photographic style. For fetish content you can take your pick from Okawa, Osamu and Osze. Osze's dark story lines get a special mention here. But for sensuality of style, Okawa for me is a clear winner with a very 'restrained' and attractive style.

Overall my choice has to be Okawa.

Okawa - Tethered Young Captive

This final example speaks for itself, a glorious evocation of a young male, well muscled with silky skin. I love the fuzzy treatment of his hair contrasting to the firm solidity of the flesh. His arms are tightly bound to his body in an intricate but asthetically pleasing harness and the coarse hairyness of the rope is superbly captured. Tethered to a tree and exposed to the elements, he wearily awaits his captor's wishes.

Okawa is one of the 'Greats' of gay fetish art.

For more articles in this series click on the A-Z label below.

Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Otokono

Otokono (also known as Bo) is the last of my 'O's. Fetish is a bit of a sideline for him but I thought these pictures of robotic assailants are interesting. They form part of a group in which some of the images are fanciful 'toys' entirely under the control of their lustful users but they are wearing wristbands which hint at the possibility of restraint. In other pictures that restraint is explicit, the robots are in control.

Otokono - Chained for Pleasuring

It's no surprise to see 'big' men from a Japanese artist and there's a slight family resemblance to Tagame's men but without the body hair. The man struggles with his chains, sweat pouring from his body and forming pools at his feet. It's not clear if he is succumbing to his sensuality or trying to escape from the probing of his body, but he clearly doesn't have access to the 'off' switch. Bo's command of anatomy shows through despite the cartoony style and it's nice to see the robot attachments detailed so carefully.

Otokono - Held Tight

The second image is less ambiguous. The victim's struggle in the firm grip of the machine is even more convincing here but you can see he has the remote control in his hand. Or perhaps that is for the television, this robot has a camera recording the penetration in close up. I have no idea what the object in his mouth is or why it is so complex and organic-looking.

Otokono has a big site with lots of examples of his work at Bo's Gallery

For more articles in this series click on the A-Z label below.

Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Osze

Osze has an easily recognised style and has been widely published in the commercial press - for example in the 'Meatmen' series of comic anthologies. He always draws big, muscular men like the engineer depicted in 'The Basement' title page below.

Osze - The Basement

This is a raunchy picture which captures young masculinity very well and I like it, not least for the cock-hugging dungarees. The subject's facial features (e.g. nose and mouth) are strangely undersized whereas the arm and body muscles (and other equipment of course!) are highly exaggerated. These are perfectly legitimate artistic techniques, but there's a hardness about the muscle shadowing that to me seems to somehow obscure the sensuality and shape of the body. The artist Cavelo also does this and I struggle with his work too.

Osze - Chandelier 1

In this Chandelier torture above Osze captures the drama of the situation, the victim's indignity and his pain amazingly well. The eye is drawn immediately to the 'attached' end of the slanting rope which forms one corner of a classic triangle shape and this composition creates a visual 'upwards' signal too. I find it fascinating how the detail of the chandelier is lovingly, precisely crafted in this picture - in contrast to the rather casual treatment of the figure in the background. The mechanics of directing the dripping candle wax onto it's target appear to defy gravity but Osze neatly introduces a separate slanting background wall to deceive the eye.

Osze - Chandelier 2

The second example is equally Gothic in concept. The threat from the vicious-looking 'Pit and the Pendulum' axe is probably less severe than it first appears (as long as that rope holds out!) The blindfolded victim can't actually see it of course, but it forms part of an interesting use of slanting lines, including also a jet of recycled beer, all angled towards the captive at the focus of the composition, emphasising his helpless isolation.

These two pictures give a sense of the intensity in his comic stories, the muscle men end up having sex which is raunchy and sometimes brutal. They are totally engrossing once you get into them. It's a bit like watching humanoid beasts rutting and he captures an earthy lustfulness you won't find in most porn films.

There is an entry for Osze at Tom of Finland Foundation but the link doesn't seem to work. Googling 'Osze gay artist' turns up examples posted on other blogs although some I looked at were corrupted as well. Information from readers welcome

For more articles in this series click on the A-Z label below.

Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Osamu

Osamu's work is an uncompromising mixture of sex and domination embellished with magnificent cocks and agonised expressions of captive victims. Despite his Japanese name the faces of his protagonists, particularly the captives, are western in character as in the first example which is possibly his best known image.

Osamu - Bondage Fantasy

I have called this 'bondage fantasy' because it seems to explore ideas of captivity and domination in a fairly abstract way without an identifiable setting or narrative. The captive's youthful swirl of blond hair seems curiously at odds with his chunky, mature build but Osamu's pictures always show adult males.

Osamu - POW abuse

The scenarios are often military in nature, with uniforms suggesting the torture of POW's from WW2 and further back in history. The activities depicted don't go beyond sexual abuse, but the staves and whips wielded by the attackers offer ample explanation for the unmistakeable pain in the victim's face.

Pulp Fiction Image - POW atrocity
In the aftermath of the second world war, memories of the atrocities committed and humiliations heaped on enemies were perpetuated for many years by popular fiction and films in highly stereotypical form, as in the pulp fiction image shown above (not by Osamu). My readers will not miss the erotic element in this picture and Osamu's images from the same period seem to reclaim the stereotype and defiantly celebrate it. I think fetish enthusiasts will intuitively recognise the psychology at work here, even if we couldn't explain it!

Osamu - POW abused 2

It's the bondage element that is the central appeal of these pictures and Osamu has a knack for making the captivity look convincing, loaded with danger and humiliation for the struggling victim. The water colour based technique speaks for itself, it is accomplished (despite some anatomical oddities!) and typical of it's time.

I don't have a link for Osamu but would welcome information from readers, the archives of GMBA (current link in sidebar) are always worth a look. Good sources for Gay Fetish Asian Art in particular are Jeunes and Tagame. For those interested in comic depictions of POW scenes I recommend a visit to Aquadude's fascinating archives.

For more articles in this series click on the A-Z label below.