"Dumbo" (1941) [Series] - Crow Pencils

More Dumbo items from the Cowan Collection...

OK. Let me get started again....  Continuing with some nice pencils of the Crows from Dumbo.  One of the more interesting items is a sketch of the Crows with their names and mark up directions. My guess is that the names were added at a later time, but it does provide some insight as to the process of getting everyone's name correct...

From Wikipedia:

The crow characters in the film are in fact African-American caricatures; the leader crow voiced by Caucasian Cliff Edwards is officially named "Jim Crow". The other crows are voiced by African-American actors, all members of the Hall Johnson Choir.

 The Crows

(Click to Enlarge)

----- DATABASE NOTES -----


From Dumbo (1941).  A pencil sketch of crows with red mark up directions, names of crows.  "2006.12.212.0"  "cel 1  1st set up  24B"  10”H X 12"W  Circa 1941  Acquired 2000. SeqID-0500

From Dumbo (1941).  A pencil sketch of Dandy (Jim) Crow.  "2006.19.18.0"  "8 of 19.1"  "36" "Reg to BG"  10h X 12"W

From Dumbo (1941).  A pencil sketch of the crows sitting on a telephone line.  Pencil in red.  "2006.19.229.0"  "C9"  10h X 12"W.  Circa 1941. Unframed Item: 12"W x 10"H  SeqID-0498  Acquired 2000.

"Dumbo" (1941) [Series] - Stat Model Sheets

More Dumbo material from the Cowan Collection...

Original model sheets are difficult to find. However, model sheets offer an amazing view into the creative mind of the artist responsible for the character. Stat (early versions of the photocopy process) model sheets offer a great deal of appeal. Here are a few from Dumbo:

Stat Model Sheets

(click to enlarge)

----- DATABASE NOTES -----

From Dumbo (1941).  A stat model sheet of Casey Jones, Jr.  "Revised Casey Jones Jr."  "-2006-"  "1-2-41"  Dimensions: 14w X 11h. Acquired 2000. SeqID-0496.

"Dumbo" (1941) [Series] - "Dumbo -- The Story of the Little Elephant With the Big Ears

Copyrighted in 1939, here is "Walt Disney's Dumbo -- The Story Of The Little Elephant With Big Ears."  The book notes:  "Suggested by the story, 'Dumbo, The Flying Elephant," by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl."  Sometimes it's nice to have a range of items related to a film to show that part of creating a part of an American Institution is cross-marketing...

Dumbo -- The Story of the Little Elephant with the Big Ears
(Click to Enlarge)

----- DATABASE NOTES -----

Walt Disney's "Dumbo -- The Story of the Little Elephant With the Big Ears."  An old book of Dumbo.  Distributed by Winkler & Ramen (NY), printed by Western Printing and Lithographing Company.  The book notes: "Suggested by the story, 'Dumbo, The Flying Elephant," by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl. Copyright, 1939, Roll-A-Book Publishing."  20 pages. [Item: 10"W x 9"H]  SeqID 0037
Found in an old children's bookstore in New Orleans.  Some minor discoloration on interior pages. 

"Donald's Dream Voice" (1948) [Series] - Pencil of Donald Singing

The types of images that people elect to purchase is highly variable. As I've mentioned previously, we tend to buy images that reflect key moments in a film or images that define a character. However, some collect for other reasons. One person I know collects only images of Snow White. Another person collects golf-related images. In my case, I also tend to collect aeronautical images and images of characters singing (since my wife and daughter are big into vocal music).  When we came across this image of Donald, it was another "must have."

For those that don't recall the film, this is from IMDB:

Donald is trying to sell brushes door-to-door, but since nobody can understand him, nobody will buy anything. He happens across a street vendor selling voice pills. They work great, but he's only got a limited number so of course, the last pill ends up in various inconvenient places.

Donald Pencil

----- DATABASE NOTES -----

From “Donald’s Dream Voice” (1948).  A pencil sketch of Donald singing. On the sheet: "98"  hands outstretched.  [Unframed Item: 12"W x 10"H]  SeqID-0688  10/14/2005

"Donald Gets Drafted" (1942) [Series] - Donald Pencil w/ Timing Marks

Here's a nice World War II era sketch of Donald marching.  Good example of timing marks. The seller thought that Fred Koepitz may have been the animator on this piece directed by Jack King, but there is no specific information on the sketch to support his opinion.

For a great plot summary, Wikipedia has a great entry....

World War II Donald

----- DATABASE NOTES -----

From “Donald Gets Drafted” (1942).; Director's drawing of Donald marching.; Notes: "61"; timing marks "61 ... 64"; Fin 2 3; Unframed Item: 12"W x 10"H; SeqID-0729; 8/17/2005; From Sotheby's: This drawing features Donald Duck whistling and marching with gun over his shoulder on paper.; Marked on upper right corner and "61" on lower right hand corner.; Excellent condition.; Notes: Donald's movie have (sic) have appeared in 76 countries; his daily comics appeared and have been published in 47 countries and has appeared on television in 29 countries -- "Encyclopedia of Walt Disney's Animated Characters" Grant; p.61; 69-70.; 10x12; Circa 1943.; Seller: Directed by Jack King; which means that Fred Koepitz may have been the animator.; Lead animator’s sketch.

"Baggage Buster" (1941) [Series] - Pan Master Background

Now, a return to the 1940's!  I only have one item from The Baggage Buster (1941) and it is great!  This is a fantastic watercolor pan Master Background!  I like it because of its simplicity and focus on the center Depot Building...  It makes a great wall hanging because of its large size (the unframed image is almost 58-inches wide)!  The marks on the lower right are start/stop timing marks and cel position marks -- there are position marks on the bottom center as well.

FYI:  I was going to modify the light/dark elements in Photoshop until I looked at the color chart that I included in the larger original shot.  The light tone of the background is correct and to add some contrast would not have given the correct impression about the pieces role as a "background" element...

Pan Master Background (click to enlarge)

 

----- DATABASE NOTES -----

From “Baggage Buster” (1941).  Pan master background of depot in this Goofy cartoon.  [Image: 57.5"W x 12"H]  SeqID-0317

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Recap

Well, that's the end of the material in the collection from "Fantasia" (1940).  Here's a recap of the items posted...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Disney Autograph, Mickey Cel & Artifacts

More items in the Cowan Collection from "Fantasia"...

UPDATE: 6/3/2010...Through the wonder of communications, I just received an email from Irene Kanelstein with a few corrections. She noted that she did not receive a prize of $300, which way my mistake. The newspaper article stated that she received the cel which was valued at $300. In addition she notes that she sold the item because of the effects of Florida weather on the cel and not, as I had been told, to help raise funds for cancer treatment. It was a thrill to hear from her and the exchange further supports the great power of the internet!

This is my favorite group of items.  In 1941, Disney and the New York Federation of Music Clubs conducted a contest for the best essay entitled "What I Like Best In Fantasia."  The winner, 13 year-old Irene Kanelstein, was given a cel of Mickey as the Sorcerer's Apprentice and a dedication by Walt Disney.  The two items were put together by Courvoisier Galleries.  When I received the artwork, I was surprised to discover on the back of the frame the original essay that Ms. Kanelstein submitted and a newspaper clipping from the June 13, 1941 "New York Times."  We felt that the additional material should be displayed and since the original frame was in poor condition, we had the whole group re-framed and placed side-by-side. Of note, Ms. Kanelstein was also given a $300 prize -- which, using the Consumer Price Index, was worth a little over $4,000 in 2008 dollars.  The cel is great, Walt's note to Ms. Kanelstein is nice and the additional material provides a fantastic back-story to the whole grouping...  The material was the property of Ms. Kenelstein until a few years ago when she sold it at auction to pay for cancer treatments.

Disney Autograph, Mickey Cel and Historical Papers (click to enlarge)

 

 

 

 

 

----- DATABASE NOTES -----

From “Fantasia” (1940).  A gouache on celluloid depicts Mickey Mouse instructing a broom to fill up the buckets from THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE section of the film, applied to a production watercolor background, inscribed lower right “My Best Wishes to Irene Kenelstein - Winner Fantasia Essay Contest  Walt Disney.”  On the back is a .  The consignor won this as a prize for the best essay  on "What I Like Best in Fantasia," a competition put on by the New York Federation of Music Clubs.  Another frame includes the Courvoisier Galleries label stating "This original 'background' and 'cel' painting from the Walt Disney Studios was used in the filming of Fantasia, "the essay that she submitted when she was thirteen years old and a newspaper article from The New York Times, June 13, 1941 entitled "Wins Music Clubs' Prize, Irene Kanelstein, Recipient of the Fantasia Award".  SeqID 1146  8/1/2005

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Sorcerer's Apprentice Multi-Cel Setup On Production Watercolor Background

More items in the Cowan Collection from "Fantasia"...

This is one of the more amazing cel groups we have in the collection.  In all, I think there are more than 4 cels in the grouping (mostly bubble effects) over the watercolor production background.  Since I like to leave a little air space between the cels, I end up getting some uneven surfaces.  This isn't a problem when looking at the artwork, but really becomes a problem when trying to shoot the artwork with a flash!

Mickey Mult-Cel Setup on Production Background (click to enlarge)

A few years ago, I was flipping through Lambert's "Mickey Mouse" that we purchased in 1998 and saw an image very similar to the one we bought in 2000.  Here's a scan of the image from page 222 in his book.  Frankly, it sure looks like the same exact piece....

Mickey Setup on Lambert's Book

----- DATABASE NOTES -----

From "Fantasia" (1940), the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence.  Mickey, in Sorcerer's hat, trying to bail out water with bucket. [ From Sotheby's: Walt Disney celluloid of Mickey Mouse from "Fantasia," 1940.  The multi-cel setup depicts Mickey Mouse desperately trying to bail out the water from The Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence, applied to an original key watercolor production background, matted and framed.  8.5x10.5 ]   Sotheby's auction 7491, Lot 248.  [Image: 11”W x 9"H;  Frame: 21"W x 18.75"H]   Acquired 2000.  SeqID-0715   Updated: 7/28/2005

Reference: Very close match page 222.  Lambert, Pierre.  Mickey Mouse.  NY: Hyperion, 1998.  ISBN: 0-7868-6453.2.  $150.  Limited edition: 000421.  [13"W x 13"H]  Limited Edition: 000421. Signed: Pierre Lambert.  SeqID 1471

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Leica Reel of Mickey Chopping A Broom

More items in the Cowan Collection from "Fantasia"...

This is really a fantastic little piece...  A small (8"W x 7"H") watercolor storyboard of Mickey chopping a broom in half with an axe.  The color, while subdued, is rich.  The action is well depicted.  And it represents Mickey's reaction to Magic that he can not figure out how to control.  It also represents the start of the entire multiplication sequence that overwhelms Mickey...

Leica Watercolor Storyboard (click to enlarge)

For a fantastic explanation of the Leica Reel, I would refer you to a great posting by Hans Perk and his A Film L.A. blog on the topic.  Here is one page from Hans' posting...  Please follow the link to read the rest of Hans' interesting post.

Page 1 of Hans Perk's Posting on Leica Reel

----- DATABASE NOTES -----

From “Fantasia” (1940).  A watercolor story board for a Leica Reel of Mickey chopping a broom in half with a hatchet.  Back: Nothing.  [Image: 5-1/4"W x 4-1/8"H.  Frame: 8-3/8"W x 7-1/4"H]  SeqID-0716  7/29/2005

NOTE: Image used in Mindy Aloff’s book “Hippo In A Tutu” (SeqID-1953), pg. 98.