"Fantasia 2000" (1999) [Series] - Limited Edition Signed By Joe Grant

This is a great little piece...  This Limited Edition ( number 244 out of 300) of Mickey and Yen Sid (Disney spelled backwards) is signed by Joe Grant (1908-2005), who helped lead the development of Fantasia and also helped in Fantasia 2000.  Mr. Grant left the studio in 1949 to run a ceramics business, but returned to Disney in 1989 to work on Beauty and the Beast.  He worked four days a week and died while working at his animation board 9 days short of his 97th birthday.

Mickey & Yen Sid Limited Edition Signed By Joe Grant

Here is more information on Mr. Grant from Wikipedia:

Joe Grant (May 15, 1908 – May 6, 2005) was a Disney artist and writer.

Born in New York City, New York, he worked for The Walt Disney Company as a character designer and story artist beginning in 1933 on the Mickey Mouse short, "Mickey's Gala Premiere". He was a Disney legend. He created the Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He co-wrote Dumbo. He also led development of Fantasia and Pinocchio.

During World War II, Grant worked on war cartoons including the Academy Award winning Der Fuehrer's Face. He left the Disney studio in 1949 and ran a ceramics business and a greeting card business but returned in 1989 to work on Beauty and the Beast. He also worked on Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Fantasia 2000, Monsters, Inc. and Mulan among others. The last film he worked on before his death Chicken Little, was dedicated to him.

Grant worked four days a week at Disney until he died, 9 days short of his 97th birthday. Grant's final project, "Lorenzo", for which he conceived the idea and helped storyboard, received an Academy Award nomination in 2005.

Joe Grant died of a heart attack while working at his drawing board in his studio. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

A large collection of his caricatures is owned by the Smithsonian Museum.

Lady from Lady and the Tramp was based on a pet Springer Spaniel named Lady owned by Joe Grant, it is said by his daughter on the DVD (Lady and the Tramp) that Walt Disney thought the dog's long fur looked like a dress and suggested creating a story board featuring his dog.

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

From “Fantasia” and “Fantasia 2000.”  Entitled: "A Lesson Learned" as Mickey hands back the magic hat to Yen Sid (“Disney” spelled backwards).  Limited edition (244/300) cel of Mickey and Yen Sid (Disney backwards). Signed by Joe Grant. From Sequence 7, Scenes 87 & 88. Certificate of Authenticity.  [Image:  13-1/2"W x 17-1/2"H. Frame:  23-1/4"W x 27-1/8"H]  SeqID-0449  8/3/2005

"Fantasia 2000" (1999) [Series] - Preview of Holdings

Items in the Cowan Collection from "Fantasia 2000"...

It seems like "Fantasia 2000" is often overlooked and is overshadowed by the focus on the innovative "Fantasia" piece.  We don't have many items from "Fantasia 2000," but they are nice, original pieces on the Master Backgrounds.

Items To Be Featured

Here is some great information on "Fantasia 2000" from Wiki:

Fantasia 2000, also known as Fantasia Continued in pre-production and concept, is a 1999 American animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. A sequel to 1940's Fantasia, the film is the thirty-eighth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics. It premiered in the United States on December 17, 1999. As with its predecessor, the film visualizes classical music compositions with various forms of animation and live-action introductions. Set pieces are introduced by a variety of celebrities including Steve Martin, Bette Midler, James Earl Jones, Penn and Teller, Itzhak Perlman, Quincy Jones and Angela Lansbury.

Most music is performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with James Levine conducting all numbers except The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Levine also arranged most scores, except two pieces arranged by Peter Schickele.

The plan for the original Fantasia movie was for it to be a kind of permanently running show, periodically adding new episodes while others would be rotated out. However, the film's failure to achieve success at the box office, combined with the loss of the European market due to World War II, meant that the plan went unused. Accordingly, Fantasia 2000 implemented this idea by retaining the sequence with Mickey Mouse as the sorcerer's apprentice, arguably the most popular segment from the original film.

Composer André Previn reports in his book No Minor Chords that he was approached by Disney to work on as a sequel to Fantasia. He declined the project when he learned that the soundtrack was, at that point, conceived of as an orchestration of Beatles songs.

Development for Fantasia 2000 began in 1990, and production began the following year. The music selections were made as a collective decision by Roy E. Disney, James Levine, and members of the production staff. Most were decisions driven by the musical preferences of the team; Roy personally chose the Pines of Rome. Other pieces were discovered long after the story ideas were set, such as the Steadfast Tin Soldier, where the visuals were based on artwork done for the original Fantasia, but the Shostakovich piece was presented to the team by an animator relatively late into the production schedule.

Fantasia 2000 was originally scheduled for a release in the mid 1990s with the name Fantasia Continued; it was later renamed Fantasia 1999 until the release date was moved into 2000. In order to tie Fantasia 2000 to the original idea of a rotating program, three sections from the original Fantasia were intended to remain in Fantasia 2000. However, only The Sorcerer's Apprentice made it into the final release. The late addition of Rhapsody in Blue replaced Dance of the Hours a year before release, and the Nutcracker Suite was a part of Fantasia 2000 until a few months before it reached theaters. After several test screenings and after much of the publicity material had already been produced, the Nutcracker Suite was removed to shorten the running time of the movie.

Rhapsody in Blue was a work already in progress by director Eric Goldberg (lead animator for the Genie in Aladdin, also inspired by Al Hirschfeld's art), when Disney approached him to complete the piece for the movie. This decision was ideal given the head start on the work and so that the film could include a work from an American composer. Taking on Rhapsody in Blue also allowed Disney to keep the animators assigned to their feature Kingdom of the Sun (later released as The Emperor's New Groove) busy while Kingdom went through an extensive rewrite. Some press articles written after the completion of Groove reversed the roles, saying that Goldberg first approached Disney for Rhapsody for Fantasia 2000 and was initially rejected, and later the producers came back to him as a result of the need find something to do with the animation staff while the Kingdom rewrite was going on.

One significant difference in the musical styles between the films is that in Fantasia 2000 the piano features prominently in more than half of the selections, while the original Fantasia did not have a piano in any segment.

Fantasia 2000 features many technical innovations that would later be utilized in the Disney studio's other animation works, particularly in the use of computers. Both Pines of Rome and The Steadfast Tin Soldier were primarily CGI pieces, completed before Pixar's landmark film Toy Story was released. The horns on the elk in The Firebird were CGI-rendered on top of hand-drawn animation (giving them a higher consistency, when compared to Bambi which was all drawn by hand), a technique that would be used in Treasure Planet for the character Silver.

The producers felt that some break between the musical segments was necessary to "cleanse the palate", so a series of "interstitials" were directed by Disney animation producer Don Hahn. Instead of using a single narrator as in Fantasia, the individual pieces are introduced by people from different areas of the art world. After the film opens with Beethoven's Fifth, Steve Martin discusses the history of Fantasia being a continuing concept and is immediately followed by Itzhak Perlman, who introduces Pines of Rome. Quincy Jones leads into the Gershwin number, and Bette Midler gives an introduction to the Shostakovich concerto, both featuring on screen the piano players for the respective pieces. James Earl Jones introduces Carnival of the Animals with director Eric Goldberg, and, appropriately enough, magicians Penn and Teller make an appearance before The Sorcerer's Apprentice. When this piece concludes with Mickey Mouse's conversation with conductor Leopold Stokowski from the original Fantasia, Mickey then moves on to chat with Levine before the latter introduces Pomp and Circumstance. The final sequence of The Firebird is introduced by Angela Lansbury.

"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"...

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.

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Mickey Pencil

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

This is one of my favorite Mickey pencils.  Great character, large image, good expression and representative of one of the key moments as Mickey starts to exert his "power."

Mickey Pencil (click to enlarge)

 

Here is a similar image from the Disney web site.  Frankly, I like the pencil that we have -- a little more facial expression and I like the hand/finger positioning...

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

From Fantasia (1940), the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence.  Excellent pose of Mickey in full apprentice costume. Hands outstretched. Looking over his right shoulder with a grin. Hat slightly bent. Stu thinks this is one of the best images of Mickey he's seen.  [9.5”W x 7”H]  SeqID 0039
Reference: In the WD Fantasia book, there is a cel almost identical featured on page 89.  Also very similar image on the Disney web site.

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Mickey Pencil

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

This is one of several Mickey pencils that we have.  A nice piece that is low key, but is really a pretty good example of communicating a character's personality without seeing the eyes.

Notice the erasure marks around the hat...  I'm not sure who's initials are on the lower right...

Mickey as Sorcerer's Apprentice (click to enlarge)

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

From “Fantasia” (1940).  A pencil sketch from the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence.  Mickey as Sorcerer, seated with hat over his eyes.  Notes: "D53  BC"  Stamp: 2004 7.055.0  Good, large image.  Looks like Mickey just fell and is getting himself together.  Nothing on back.  [Unframed Image 12"W X 10"H]  SeqID-0349  8/3/2005

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Ava Maria Sequence Cel

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

This is one of the more peaceful and reflective cels in the collection -- the Nuns traveling in the Ava Maria sequence.

There are two cels: one of the Nuns and another of the ground and foreground trees. The background is airbrushed. 

Ava Maria Cel (click to enlarge)

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

From “Fantasia” (1940), the Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria sequence.   [ From Sotheby's: Walt Disney celluloid from "Fantasia," 1940.  The gouache on celluloid depicting nuns bearing candles from the Night on Bald Mountain/Ava Maria sequence, applied to an airbrushed background, matted and framed.  8.5x13. Sotheby's auction 7491, Lot 289.   BACK: The Bonfoey Co., Cleveland, OH 216-621-0178.  FRONT: WD (ink) stamp in lower left.   [Image: 13"W x 8-11/16"H]  Acquired 2000.  SeqID-0722  Updated: 7/16/2005

NOTE: Image used in Mindy Aloff’s book “Hippo In A Tutu” (SeqID-1953), pg. 155. “A production cel on a non-production background of the Pilgrims’ Procession in Fantasia’s ‘Ave Maria.’”  Aloff, Mindy. "Hippo In A Tutu: Dance in Disney Animation." Los Angeles, CA: Disney Editions, 2008.

Question About Disney Artist Richard Case

I received the following email and wondered if anyone could supply some additional information...

Hello Robert:

My father in law Richard Case recently passed away at 94.  We have been trying to find any information on Richard Case's early years with Disney Studios back in 1939-1940.  He worked on the backgrounds for cartoon title illustrations, the Ugly Duckling and Fantasia among others.  Is there any data base of early Disney employee's where we could search for information on Richard Case that you may know about?  So far after extensive web searching I am still coming up short.  

We have found an Ugly Duckling Book he had and a group of slides from his cartoon title illustrations among his things.  The bulk of his Disney work was stolen or misplaced in a house move.  We did recently get an email from someone in Colorado who purchased a porky pig drawing signed by Richard Case from an antique shop.  

Any help you can give us would be appreciated. 

Thanks Robert.

John King

If anyone has additional information, please post a comment here and I'll pass it along to Mr. King.

If you have an interest in seeing some of Richard Case's later abstract work, here is the link.

Bob   ;-D

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Concept Oil Painting

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

This is a fantastic piece. What attracted me to the piece was its dark and sinister mood -- very different from the water color pieces that are in our collection.  In fact, this piece has to be displayed in a very bright location so the viewer can see the tremendous shadow detail.  I'm afraid photographs don't do a very good job of capturing the extraordinary artistic work...

One individual mentioned that it may have been done by Tom Codrick (I'm not sure about the spelling), but I don't have any verification of that fact...

Fantasia Oil Painting (click to enlarge)

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

From “Fantasia” (1940).  The Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence.  An oil painting of the stairs leading to the Sorcerer's lair.  Dark, mysterious.  Note: Perhaps drawn by Tom Codrick. [ From Sotheby's: Walt Disney color study from "Fantasia," 1940.  The oil on paper is a conceptual study of the Sorcerer's lair from The Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence, inscribed "Prod 2004 Seq. 004", matted.  9.5x11.5 ]  Sotheby's auction 7491.  [Item: 17-3/4"W x 16"H]  SeqID-0714

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Autumn Fairy Cel

More items in the Cowan Collection from "Fantasia"

A very nice Courvoisier featuring cels of the Autumn Fairy and flowers...

Autumn Fairy Cel (click to enlarge)

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

From “Fantasia” (1940), the Nutcracker Suite sequence.  The Autumn Fairy dancing above a blue flower on the pond -- surrounded by orange flowers.  [ From Sotheby's: Walt Disney Celluloid from "Fantasia," 1940.  The gouache on celluloid depicts an Autumn Fairy from Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker Suite sequence, applied to a Courvoisier airbrushed background, stamped WDP lower right, Courvoisier Galleries ® label on the reverse, matted and framed.  8.75x14 ]  Sotheby's auction 7491, Lot 237.    BACK: Courvoisier sticker; The Bonfoey Co., Cleveland, OH 216-621-0178.   FRONT: WD ink stamp lower right.  [Image: 14"W x 8-3/4"H.  Frame: 19-1/2"W x 15-13/16"H]  Acquired 2000.  SeqID-0713

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Pegasus Family Cel

More "Fantasia" items in the Cowan Collection

I've always thought that this was a great set-up...  Great feeling for the characters and a nice pose for all. The reds are still vivid in this piece (it seems the reds tend to lose brilliance over time).

Pegasus Home (click to enlarge)

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

From “Fantasia” (1940), the Pastoral Symphony sequence.  From “Fantasia” (1940), the Pastoral Symphony sequence. The gouache on celluloid depicts the mother Pegasus in her nest with three of her babies from The Pastoral Symphony sequence, applied to a Courvoisier airbrushed background, with the Courvoisier Galleries ® label on the reverse, matted and framed.  [Image: 9-3/8"W x 8"H; Frame: 16-5/8"W x 15-1/4"H]  SeqID-0719  7/16/2005

Computer Is Back !!!

Finally!  After "losing" my computer somewhere in the repair facility, my laptop finally found its way home...

More posts as soon as I check out the computer....

Bob  ;D

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Pencil Concept of Pegasus

More postings from the Cowan Collection's "Fantasia" holdings...

I've always thought this was a great concept for one of the younger Pegasus characters.  Good character development.  And a somewhat unexpected movement -- although I've seen horses scratch behind their ears in exactly the same way.  Nice inclusion of the stream and willows...


My notes indicated that he was called "Peter," but I wasn't sure.  I did a quick search and found this interesting link:

Peter was retroactively named after his popularity grew from the release of "Fantasia." As such, several Peter Pegasus shorts were planned and went into pre-production in the early 1940s, including one titled "Peter Pegasus" as a segment to "Invitation to Dance" which would have also brought back the dancing mushrooms from the "Nutcracker" segment of "Fantasia." The basic plot involved a series of misadventures after sneaking out of his nest, including following a family of ducks a la "The Ugly Duckling," and accidentally disturbing an angry bee. It never progressed beyond the storyboard. As they say, "If wishes were horses..." (sigh). Recently, another "Baby Pegasus" was introduced in the film "Hercules" (June 27, 1997) as the Hero's childhood playmate who grows up to become his faithful companion. This one was formed from the clouds by Zeus, and is not known for his intelligence, but loyalty certainly counts. The only occasions I can think of where Disney used a winged horse was in "Donald Duck" #27 (Jan. 1953) in a tale called "The Flying Horse," where Donald, $crooge and the Nephews encounter a mechanical one. An inventor trades Donald the metal horse for Uncle $crooge's helicopter and later reneges. Another time was in the time travel tale in "Uncle Scrooge" #75 (June 1968), where Gyro, Uncle $crooge, and Huey, Dewey & Louie tavel to ancient Greece during "The Battle of Marathon" (hence the title of the story) and an ancient inventor has likewise created a mechanical winged horse which carries them all from the battlefied to safety, before they return to the present. And finally the "real" Pegasus appeared in "Super Goof #34 (June 1975) in "The Golden Apple-Picker" when the evil Emil Eagle tests his Fantasy-Fact Fixer gizmo which transports him, Clarabelle, Super Goof and Pegasus (who had followed him from a previous attempt), through a portal to the Garden of Hesperides of ancient Greek myth.

Pencil Concept (click to enlarge)

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

Graphite concept sketch of Peter Pegasus during the Pastoral Symphony sequence from “Fantasia” (1940).  [12Wx9.5H]

New Business Blog

For those of you interested in business development or starting a new business, you might want to check out the new blog  "Rich Niche Group" started by Ken Balog.

When Ken started to work for my company, I was impressed with his creativity and knowledge of the "consultative sale" process.  While Ken and I have not worked together for over 10 years, I was honored that he would kick off his new blog by interviewing me.

"Good luck, Ken"....!

"Fantasia" (1940; 1987) - Disney's First Limited Edition Set

Items in the Cowan Collection from "Fantasia".....

After seeing the animation market heat up and offering a few original pieces in auction, Disney decided to create Limited Editions to capitalize on the demand for artwork. 

Disney started with six hand-inked reproduction cels from "Fantasia."  The cels were of different characters and, generally, were thought by the Studio to be the best rendition of each character.  Since this was Disney's first major entry into the market, the cels came in a very nice folder and offered plenty of descriptive material.  Because the market was unknown, there were only 250 copies of each cel. 

One of the more unusual aspects was that the cel was laminated on the normally exposed painted side to avoid the traditional problems of the paint lifting off the cel material.  I don't believe this technique was used in subsequent Limited Editions. I thought this was an advantage here in our low humidity climate in Colorado.  For the first time, I could place cels in a non-humidified area of the house and not be overly concerned about paint problems.

Don't forget to click on the picture to see an enlargement...

Limited Edition Satin Covered Folder

Opening Introduction to the Limited Edition Series

Adhesive Backing for each cel

 Sorcerer's Apprentice Sequence

 

Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence.  Limited edition #87/275. Mickey as the Sorcerer's Apprentice.  [15”W x 11”H]    SeqID-0042

Pastoral Symphony Sequence: Brudus and Melinda

 

Pastoral Symphony sequence.  Limited edition #87/275.  Brudus walks with Melinda (Centaur & Centaurette) while the cupids watch from above.   [15"W x 13"H]  SeqID 0045

Pastoral Symphony Sequence: Faun, Bacchus and Jacchus

 

Pastoral Symphony sequence.  From Fantasia Limited Edition #87/275. Faun and Bacchus riding Jacchus.   [Image: 14-15/16"W x 11-3/16"H.  Frame: 23-5/8"W x 19-7/8"H]  SeqID-0153  8/3/2005

Dance of the Hours Sequence: Ben Ali Gator and Hyacinth Hippo

 

Dance of the Hours sequence. Limited edition #87/275.  Ben Ali Gator is dancing with Hyacinth Hippo.   [Image: 14-15/16"W x 11-3/16"H; Frame: 23-5/8"W x 19-7/8"H]  SeqID-0154  8/3/2005

Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria Sequence: Chernabog

 

 Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria sequence. Limited edition #87/275.  Chernabog with evil pose.    [Image: 14-15/16"W x 11-3/16"H.  Frame:  23-5/8"W x 19-7/8"H]  SeqID-0155  8/3/2005

Pastoral Symphony Sequence: Pegasus (white and black)

 

Pastoral Symphony sequence.  Limited edition #87/275.  Pegasus (black) and his wife (white) flying.   [Image: 14-15/16"W x 11-3/16"H; Frame: 23-5/8"W x 19-7/8"H]  SeqID-0156  8/3/2005



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

From "Fantasia" (1940; 1987).  A blue book cover that held the cels from Fantasia that made up the first Disney Limited Edition release.  The book contained 6 cels: #0042, 0045, 0153, 0154, 0155, 0156.  [Item: 16-3/8"W x 12-3/4"H]  SeqID 0041

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Nubian Centaurette Pencil & Pin

More postings of "Fantasia" items in the Cowan Collection...

Note: Stephen made a comment that this version of the Centaurette is in the film.  And it's in my DVD as well.  Frankly, I don't know what I was thinking about when I typed of the info in my database that this character was deleted from the film.  You can see the strike-through corrections below.  Now, I'm assuming that there is no difference between the DVD version of Fantasia and what appeared on the screen -- I'm just don't have that expertise....  Thanks, again, Stephen!

In the last posting, I put up a Centaurette pencil that didn't make it into the film. According to my notes, this more elegant version was also deleted from the final film -- although the sequence & scene stamp would indicate that it had made it pretty far in the process.  Here is another Centaurette that did make it into the film -- a rather elegant version.

There are some initials in the lower right -- if anyone has an idea as to the meaning, please let me know...

 Then it seems that the character was brought back in "Aida" (at least that was my reaction when I saw the musical on Broadway).  A few years ago, I was at Disney World and stopped by a shop to pick up a few trading pins.  I was surprised to see the Nubian pin AND I was surprised to see that the pin was so similar to the pencil in the collection. I thought it was odd that there would be a trading pin of a character that was deleted and was so similar to the pencil.

Nubian Centaurette Pencil (click to enlarge)

Nubian Centaurette Trading Pin

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

From “Fantasia” (1940), the Pastoral Symphony sequence.   The graphite and colored pencil on paper drawing depicts a Nubian Centaurette holding a fan from The Pastoral Symphony sequence, a scene that was later deleted from the final version of the film, annotated "A15"  "PROD 2004 SEQ 4.3 SCENE 25"  "?THE?"  Green in shadows. [Unframed 16-field]  Acquired 2000.  SeqID-0717 8/6/2005

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Black Centaurette Pencil

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

This character was pulled from the film, which was an interesting statement about the times.  It also represents a shift from similar characters in previous Disney films.

There are the initials "WK" on the piece and the seller thought the image might have been drawn by Ward Kimball or Walt Kelly (of "Pogo" fame), but there is no specific indication of that fact.  I don't have any additional information that would provide any clues.  If you have any thoughts, please leave a comment....

Black Centaurette Pencil (click to enlarge)

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

From Fantasia (1940), the Pastoral Symphony sequence.  A pencil sketch of a black Centaurette (#45)  with flower in her mouth.  Notes: "#45"; the image has "WK" written on it.  [Image: 11-1/4"W x 9"H]  SeqID 0040
Seller thinks this stands for Ward Kimball or Walt Kelly. He thinks the nature of the image would lead him to think it's Walt Kelly -- who did Pogo.

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - 1940 Disney Studio Christmas Card

Additional postings of "Fantasia" items from the Cowan Collection...

I had posted this some time ago, but I'm regrouping it with the current focus on Fantasia items.  I didn't have much information about the card at the time of the first posting, but there were a number of great comments that helped add some additional detail to my files.

The person on the left is Leopold Stokowski and on the far right is Robert Benchly.  One comment (DisneyDave) suggested that the card may have been created by Hank Porter (an animator that was moved to the Publicity and Merchandise Art Department). [Note: I received a comment from David saying that the card was definitely done by Porter.]

Disney Studio Christmas Card (click to enlarge)

 

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

1940 Disney Studio Christmas Card, which celebrated “Fantasia.”  The card folds out four times it’s length.  Near Mint condition. The figure on the left is Leopold Stokowski and on the far right is Robert Benchly. The card may have been created by Hank Porter. Porter was an animator that was transferred to the Publicity and Merchandise Art Department.  [27.5W x 6H]   Acquired 2004.  SeqID-1149  5/12/2008

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Dance of the Hours Cel

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

This cel is a little different because of the large number of characters on the cel -- 13 in all.  While you might think that the alligator in the front is on another cel, it isn't ...The cel is on an airbrushed background.  

Alligators Cel (click to enlarge)

 

 ----- DATABASE NOTES -----

From “Fantasia” (1940) -- Dance of the Hours sequence.   ‘Dance of the Hours’ Sequence celluloid on airbrushed background -- 13 alligators in all.  Unusual to have such a large number is a single cel.  [ From Sotheby's: Walt Disney Dance of the Hours sequence celluloid from "Fantasia," 1940.  The gouache on celluloid depicts the alligators dancing from the Dance of the Hours sequence, applied to a non-production purple airbrushed background.  11x15. ]  Sotheby's auction 7491, Lot 273.   FRONT: "13"  Watercolor background.  BACK: nothing.  [Item: 15"W X 11"H]  SeqID-0721

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Lee Blair Ben Ali Gator and Hyacinth Hippo Pencil Concept

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

This is a great piece!  Super expressions!  As I've mentioned before, I try to collect images that represent key moments in the film and/or images that capture the essence of a character.  This is a good example.

Note: Thanks for the corrections. I first wrote "Les" Blair and have corrected it to "Lee" Blair.  I appreciate it...

This image was featured in Mindy Aloff's book "Hippo In A Tutu" (pg. 113) and had this to say about the image: “A Lee Blair story sketch of Hyacinth Hippo being partnered enthusiastically in arabesque on pointe by Ben Ali Gator in 'Dance of the Hours.' Lee Blair was married to Disney inspirational artist Mary Blair.”  The Blair Connection was a result of Aloff's research and wasn't based on any information I had about the piece.

Lee Blair Pencil Concept

 

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

From “Fantasia” (1940), the Dance of the Hours sequence.  Pencil concept sketch of Ben Ali Gator is dancing with Hyacinth Hippo.  Notes: "WDP" stamp on lower right.  [Image: 10-5/8"W x 8"H; Frame: 16-7/8"W x 14-3/8"H]  SeqID-0168  8/3/2005

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Maquettes

More posts of "Fantasia" items in the Cowan Collection...

I have always been impressed with the Maquettes.  While they were used to help the animators visualize the character from different angles, I have been amazed with how well the small figures also captured the essence of the character.

It took me 15 years to find a set and I feel lucky to have found these from "Fantasia."  Recently, photos of them appeared in Mandy Aloff's book "Hippo In A Tutu: Dance in Disney Animation.  I've put in several different types of images so you can get a better feel for the figures...

Maquettes (click to enlarge)

Ben Ali Gator

 

  

Elephancine Elephant

 

  

Hyacinth Hippo

 

  

Mille. Upanova

 

 

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

From “Fantasia” (1940).  A complete set of Maquettes (French for "scale model") from the film and painted by Mary Blair.  Included are: (1) Ben Ali Gator, (2) Elephancine elephant, (3) Hyacinth Hippo and (4) Mlle. Upanova.  Mint condition.  Acquired 2004.  SeqID-1156 1 thru 4   Updated: 7/30/2005

6/2/2008: Image selected for use by Ms. Mandy Aloff for her book - Aloff, Mindy. Hippo In A Tutu: Dance in Disney Animation. Los Angeles, CA: Disney Editions, 2008.

New French Collector and His Blog

I just received a nice email from Mathias in France concerning his new blog of animation artwork he has been collecting.


http://collectiondessindanimation.blogspot.com/

I was amazed to see that a number of his pieces are very similar to my own!

While the blog is in French, it is well worth checking out....

Thanks, Mathias!

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Orchid Girl Pastel

Items in the Cowan Collection from "Fantasia"...

This is one of the nicest pieces.  A large pastel on black paper image of the "Orchid Girl" from the Nictcracker Suite sequence.  I love the color -- which seems to really "pop" on the black paper.  And the white around the edges could not be displayed on any other background...

One of my notes says that this may have been drawn by Jules Engle (source: Mindy Aloff in ther book "Hippo In A Tutu").

Pastel of the Orchid Girl (click to enlarge)

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

From “Fantasia” (1940), the Nutcracker Suite sequence.  A pastel on black paper of the “Orchid Girl” dancing flower from The Nutcracker Suite sequence. Possibly drawn by Jules Engle (source: Mindy Aloff).  BACK: The Bonfoey Co., Cleveland, OH 216-621-0178.  [Image: 11-11/16"W x 9-5/8"H; Frame: 16-1/2"W x 17"H]  Acquired 2000.  SeqID-0712   Updated: 8/3/2005

NOTE: Image used in Mindy Aloff’s book “Hippo In A Tutu” (SeqID-1953), pg. 176. “A pastel sketch (possibly by Jules Engel) of the little Orchid Dancer for Fantasia’s ‘Nutcracker Suite’.”

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Unicorn Model Sheet

More images of Fantasia items in the Cowan Collection...

This was an interesting piece.  A very large image of a Unicorn.  The image was trimmed and glued to one half of a file folder.  In addition, the approval stamp from the Character Model Department was glued to the file folder as well.  Probably the "JG" is Joe Grant.  I'm not sure about the "M.D." or "M.P." on the stamp.

Unicorn Model Sheet (click to enlarge)

 

 

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

From "Fantasia" (1940), the Pastoral Symphony sequence.  Original Conte' unicorn model sheet. Model cut out and glued to a file folder with notice from the Character Model Dept. Notes:  Original ink "OK by JG 11-1-39";  "M258-D"  "JG" stands for Joe Grant.  [Unframed Item: 11-3/4"W x 9"H]  Acquired 2000.  SeqID-0453  8/14/2005

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Rite of Spring Watercolor Concept

More postings of Fantasia items in the Cowan Collection...




This is a GREAT concept piece! My son's favorite piece...!

Good action.  Good depth.  Stunning color -- much different than some of the typical subtle coloring seen in concept pieces.

"Rite of Spring" Watercolor Concept (click to enlarge)

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

From “Fantasia” (1940).  Spectacular watercolor concept painting from the "Rite of Spring" sequence showing a T-Rex and other Dinosaurs in a prehistoric jungle swamp.  SeqID-1231  8/1/2005

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Charcoal Concepts (not used)

More postings of Fantasia related items in the Cowan Collection...


I have always enjoyed collecting pieces that never made it to the final movie. Here are two examples.

This was from an "underworld" sequence in the Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Marie portion of the film. Strong images and, I think, very dynamic! The use of shadow underscores the darkness of spirit. Some aspects reminded me of the statues on Easter Island.

Charcoal Concepts (click to enlarge)

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

From “Fantasia” (1940). From the Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria sequence. A set of two framed images. (1) Excellent charcoal concept piece of skeleton's dancing below the earth. Shadow of Chernabog on the wall. Dark feeling. Small, but superior in its detail and design. (2) The images resemble those found on Easter Island. The subterranean sequence was not used in the final film. [2 framed images @ Image: 5-1/4"W x 3-3/4"H. Frame: 12-1/8"W x 11-5/8"H] SeqID-0043 for both. 7/15/2005

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Watercolor Concept

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


This is a great graphite and watercolor concept of what was called the "Bug Orchestra."

When I last posted this, I mentioned that the story (as it was told to me) was that there was a point when it was not clear that Stikowski would continue with the project and that some rough ideas were generated for an "alternative" to the orchestra. Several readers wrote that the story I heard may have been incorrect. Regardless, this is a nice piece and gives the viewer some additional insight into the creative process.

Watercolor Concept (click to enlarge)

Stamp on the back (significantly enlarged)

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

Graphite and watercolor concept drawing of “Bug Orchestra,” which was deleted when arrangements with Liopold Stikowski were finalized, from “Fantasia” (1940). [12Wx10H]

"Fantasia" (1940;1991) [Series] - Video Tape Litho

More postings of Fantasia items in the Cowan Collection...


This litho came with the release of the Fantasia video tape set. A nice piece. An unknown number of lithos in the series...

Mickey Fantasia Litho

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

From "Fantasia" (1940/1991), the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence. A Litho that came with the release of the Fantasia video tape set. Dark image of Mickey stalking the sorcerer in the hall. He's getting ready to get the hat. Stamped "1991" on the certificate of authenticity. [14”W x 11”H] Acquired 1991. SeqID-0162
Reference: Featured in the Fantasia book on page 85. and in “Mickey Mouse” pg. 187.

"Fantasia" (1940;1990) [Series] - 50th Anniv. Limited Edition

A series of postings of Fantasia items in the Cowan Collection...

There are always some nice pieces that you run across that are just fun to have. Case in point, this graphite and colored pencil Limited Edition celebrating the 50th anniversary of Fantasia.

While the bulk of the items we pick up are pencils and cels, we tend to pick up other pieces as well. The nice thing about some of these items is that they hold up well to placement anywhere in our low-humidity house in Colorado. Good color. Good action. Just a great little piece. There are a few comments in the "NOTES" below that you might find interesting...

Pegasus and Unicorn Limited Edition (click to enlarge)

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

From "Fantasia" (1940; 1990), the Pastoral Symphony sequence. Came as a gift from Animation USA. A graphite and colored pencil "308/500" "Pegasus and Unicorn from Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral), Ludwig van Beethoven" Appears to be a pastel concept of the figures. The characters were initially to dance/move to a different piece of music -- Cydalise. The unicorn stayed much the same in the final rendition. However, Pegasus was changed to be more stately and graceful. Print embossed with "Fantasia 50 Years Limited Edition" in lower right (1990 release). Similar images can be seen in the Fantasia book, pg. 144. [Item: 20"W x 16"H] Acquired 1998. SeqID-0397

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Bacchus Model Sheet

The on-going posts of Fantasia items in the Cowan Collection

Here is a nice stat model sheet of Bacchus. The "OK by JG" is probably Joe Grant...

Bacchus Model Sheet (click to enlarge)

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

From "Fantasia" (1940), the Pastoral Symphony sequence. A stat cleanup model sheet of Bacchus. Notes: "OK by JG"; "Date 3-29-40"; "Number M339A" "2004"; "SEQ 04.0 - 04.4 -04.5" "JG" is Joe Grant. Exact copy is in the Fantasia book, page 146. Animated by Ward Kimball and Walt Kelly (who did Pogo). [Item: 14"W X 11"H] Acquired 2000. SeqID-0503

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Recording

Still sounds great!

These are Bozo The Clown recordings of Fantasia. A nice example of cross-marketing...




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

A Capitol Records' phonograph set 78-rpm "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice" (circa 1940). Two records in the set. Part of the Bozo The Clown series. Cover is in good condition. Antiques Downtown Mall, 515 E. Houston St., 78205 512-224-8845. [Item: 10-1/8"W x 10-1/8"H] Acquired 1998. Update: 3/29/1998

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - "A Nazi Abuse": A 1940 New York Tribune Movie Review

As series of postings of "Fantasia" items in the Cowan Collection...

On November 25, 1940 Dorothy Thompson wrote a movie review for the New York Tribune after watching "Fantasia." The article posted here was a reprint of that review, probably in a West Coast paper.

"A 'Nazi' Abuse"
Click to Enlarge

I'm certainly no film critic, but I thought "Fantasia" broke new ground on a number of fronts: introduction of multi-channel audio, a segmented film concept that could be re-released with new and updated segments, and a significant effort to use classical themes rather than relying on typical cartoon "slapstick." What was interesting was that the film received recognition with two Special Awards -- innovation with Fantasound and the unique visualization of music in the film.

From a financial perspective, the film was not very successful. The full stereo version was only shown in 12 theaters and only 16 complete copies of the film were ever made. People that were expecting a traditional cartoon literally walked out of the 125-minute film and RKO's editing to 81-minutes didn't seem to help much. I was surprised to learn that the film didn't achieve profitability until 1969. However, today the film is viewed very differently. In 1998, it ranked 58 on the AFI's list of the Top 100 films.


Wikipedia has a good summary on "Fantasia":

Fantasia is a 1940 American animated feature produced by Walt Disney and the third film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. Fantasia features animation set to classical music and no dialogue—only spoken introductions by host Deems Taylor before segments. The music was recorded under the direction of Leopold Stokowski and seven of the eight pieces were performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Animated artwork of varying degrees of abstraction or literalism was used to illustrate or accompany the concert in various ways. The film also includes live-action segments featuring Leopold Stokowski, the orchestra and American composer and music critic Deems Taylor. Fantasia was notable for what were then considered its avant-garde qualities and for being the first major film released in stereophonic sound—using a process dubbed "Fantasound".

Fantasia was originally released by Walt Disney Productions itself rather than RKO Pictures, which normally distributed the Disney films, and exhibited as a two-hour and twenty minute roadshow film (counting the intermission) with reserved-seat engagements. The film opened to mixed critical reaction and failed to generate a large commercial audience, which left Disney in financial straits.

Fantasia was eventually picked up by RKO for release in 1941 and edited drastically to a running time of 81 minutes in 1942. Five subsequent re-releases of Fantasia between 1946 and 1977 restored various amounts of the deleted footage, with the most common version being the 1946 rerelease edit, which ran nine minutes shorter than the original 124 minute roadshow version. A 1982 reissue featured a newly recorded digital soundtrack conducted by composer Irwin Kostal, but was taken out of circulation in 1990 after a restored version of the original Stokowski-conducted soundtrack was prepared. The original version of Fantasia was never released again after 1941, and although some of the original audio elements no longer exist, a 2000 DVD release version attempted to restore as much of the original version of the film as possible.

Disney had wanted Fantasia to be an ongoing project, ideally with a new release each year. The plan was to repeat some of the scenes while replacing others with different music and animation, so that each version of the film would include both familiar material and new segments. However, the film's disappointing box-office performance prevented such plans from being realized.

After the successful release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Disney decided to produce more features. The film was produced on a budget of $2,280,000 [roughly $33.7 million in 2007 dollars], to which $400,000, nearly a fifth of the budget, went to the musical recording techniques.

By the late 1930s, Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse was losing his popularity with movie audiences. The Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts series had spawned the spin-off Donald Duck series, which was proving to be more popular and profitable than the former, but Walt Disney wasn't ready to give up on his favorite character and devised a special short that would be produced as a "comeback" film for Mickey Mouse. The Sorcerer's Apprentice, based on Goethe's balladic poem Der Zauberlehrling (1797), was planned as a special Mickey Mouse short and would be completely silent save for the program music by Paul Dukas, L'apprenti sorcier (1897). The story artists who developed The Sorcerer's Apprentice originally suggested Dopey from Snow White for the title role, but Disney insisted upon using Mickey.

As work began on The Sorcerer's Apprentice in 1938, Disney happened to meet famed conductor Leopold Stokowski at Chasen's, a noted Hollywood restaurant. Stokowski offered to serve as conductor for The Sorcerer's Apprentice at no charge, and assembled over one-hundred professional musicians in Los Angeles to record the score for the nine-minute cartoon.

The animation department worked to make The Sorcerer's Apprentice one of their most ambitious works. Animator Fred Moore redesigned Mickey to give his figure more weight and volume in keeping with the modern efforts at the studio, and to give him eyes with pupils for greater expression. The film's color styling, pacing and layout, character animation, and effects animation were done with an increased attention to detail. The unnamed sorcerer in The Sorcerer's Apprentice was nicknamed "Yen Sid" in the department ("Disney" spelled backwards).

All of this excess came at a high price: $125,000, a price Walt Disney, and especially his brother and business partner Roy, knew they could never make back from the release of one short film. In comparison, most Disney shorts at the time averaged a cost of $40,000, which was $10,000 above the average budget for an animated cartoon made outside the Disney Studio. Disney's most successful short cartoon, The Three Little Pigs (1933), had made $60,000 in revenue. Following a suggestion by Stokowski, Walt Disney decided to expand The Sorcerer's Apprentice, originally intended as simply a regular Silly Symphonies cartoon, into a concert feature with several animated sequences set to music of which The Sorcerer's Apprentice would be one. To provide continuity and explanation, the composer and music critic Deems Taylor was recruited to provide live-action narrative introductions at the beginning of each segment. Stokowski suggested the title Fantasia, which literally means "A medley of familiar themes, with variations and interludes", which became the film's final title. A working title for the film was The Concert Feature.

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

A review of “Fantasia” by Dorothy Thompson, copyright New York Tribune, November 25, 1940. Based on the copyright notice, this was probably an article that was reprinted in a California publication. “A ‘Nazi’ Abuse” The negative review notes that “Altogether Mr. Disney’s later films, and above all the films in Fantasia, are a caricature of the Decline of the West. They are cruel, and in the latest work brutal and brutalizing.”

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - 50th Anniversary Program

As series of postings of "Fantasia" items in the Cowan Collection...

In 1990, Disney released a 50th Anniversary VHS tape set. With the boxed set came a Fantasia program that was similar to the original 1940 program posted earlier.

Here is the 50th program for your enjoyment.... Please Click to enlarge...

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

From “Fantasia” (1940) -- 50th Commemorative Program. Came with Disney 50th release of Fantasia video tape. (2 copies: 0805 & 0806) [Item: 13-1/2"W x 11-1/4"H] SeqID 0805

-------------------------------

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - 1940 Program

As series of postings of "Fantasia" items in the Cowan Collection...

Here is the original program that was distributed for those watching "Fantasia."

Remember to Click each page to view an enlargement so you can more easily read the text...


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

From “Fantasia” (1940). A special program guide to Fantasia printed by Disney. Many pictures and descriptions of the film events and development. Purchased from little book store in New Orleans. . [Item: 9-5/8"W x 12-11/16"H] SeqID-0044
--------------------------------

"Fantasia" (1940) [Series] - Preview Contact Sheet

Postings of "Fantasia" (1940) related items from the Cowan Collection.

OK....


Here's a contact sheet of the Fantasia items in the collection that I will start posting...

"Fantasia" -- Upcoming Posts

OK...

The next group of postings will be from Fantasia and Fantasia 2000.

We have a number of items and it will take me a couple of days to convert the images for web use.

"Keep watching this space..."

Bob ;D

Back to Work....

Well, we're back from Disney World....

A great time, as usual...

Spent most of the time in Animal Kingdom taking photos of all the animals and taking the Backlot Tours...

I'll bet back to posting more art shortly...

And thanks for your notes!

Bob

Gone Again...

Well, back from a great National Geographic photo workshop in Santa Fe...

Now, we're off for a week down at Disney World... Should be a great time (as always).

If you are down there, look us up at the Grand Floridian...

Later

Bob ;D

*** A "PAUSE" IN BLOGGING ***

Starting this Sunday (July 12th), I will be off-line for a week...

I'm taking our daughter down to Santa Fe for a week-long photography workshop hosted by National Geographic. Should be fun to learn more about National Geographic's philosophy toward photo-journalistic shooting...

See you when we get back!

Bob... ;D

"Cinderella" (1950) [Series] - Contact Sheet

Here are some contact sheets of Cinderella items in the collection that are posted below...

Hope you enjoy them...!

Cinderella Contact Sheet

"Cinderella" (1950) [Series] - Cinderella "Glass Slipper" Cel

A series of "Cinderella" items in the Cowan Collection.


I think this in a nice piece -- Cinderella holding the glass slipper. The background is a pre-production watercolor of the house interior. They work very nicely together.

Sorry about the reflections! Don't forget to Click to Enlarge...

Cinderella Cel on Pre-Production Watercolor Background

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

From “Cinderella” (1950). Production cel of Cinderella on a preliminary background. A full 16-field production cel of Cinderella, dressed in rags, holding the remaining glass slipper. The cel has all original paint. The background is a full 16-field watercolor pre-production background of the interior of the house. [20”W x 18”H] Acquired 2004. SeqID-1162 Updated: 7/16/2005

Seller: “Cinderella with the Glass Slipper -- A full 16-field production cel of Cinderella, dressed in rags, holding the remaining glass slipper. The cel has all original paint. The background is a full 16-field watercolor pre-production background of the interior of the house.”

"Cinderella" was the first Disney animated feature to be completely shot and then edited in a live-action reference version before being committed to cel and ink.
Ilene Woods was the voice of Cinderella. Actress Helene Stanley performed the live-action reference not only for Cinderella, but also for Princess Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty" and Anita Radcliff in "101 Dalmatians."
Cinderella was created by Marc Davis (1913-2000) was one of the most talented artists at and a main animator for Disney Studios. Some of the animated characters he designed were Thumper from “Bambi” (1942), Cinderella from “Cinderella” (1951), Tinker Bell in “Peter Pan” (1953), Maleficent and Briar Rose in “Sleeping Beauty” (1959) and Cruella De Vil in “101 Dalmatians” (1961).

"Cinderella" (1950) [Series] - Cinderella and Birds Cel

A series of "Cinderella" items in the Cowan Collection.


We collected this one pretty early -- before we were able to buy art with production backgrounds.

This is a very nice cel grouping: a great Cinderella cel of her in bed just waking up and a cel with two birds on it. The background is a from a Cinderella book... Well, you do with what 'ya got...

Cinderella and Birds Cels

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

From “Cinderella” (1950). Cels of Cinderella and two birds mounted on a page from a Cinderella book. [Image: 10.75"W x 7.5"H] SeqID-0031 8/1/2005

"Cinderella" was the first Disney animated feature to be completely shot and then edited in a live-action reference version before being committed to cel and ink.

Cinderella was created by Marc Davis (1913-2000) was one of the most talented artists at and a main animator for Disney Studios. Some of the animated characters he designed were Thumper from “Bambi” (1942), Cinderella from “Cinderella” (1951), Tinker Bell in “Peter Pan” (1953), Maleficent and Briar Rose in “Sleeping Beauty” (1959) and Cruella De Vil in “101 Dalmatians” (1961).

Ilene Woods was the voice of Cinderella. Actress Helene Stanley performed the live-action reference not only for Cinderella, but also for Princess Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty" and Anita Radcliff in "101 Dalmatians."

"Cinderella" (1950) [Series] - Prince and Cinderella Cel

A series of "Cinderella" items in the Cowan Collection.


This was a nice little piece. The cels of the Prince and Cinderella are quite nice. The background is a litho (instead of a production background), but it works with the piece and made it worthwhile to pick up.

Prince and Cinderella Cel on Litho Background

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

From “Cinderella” (1950). Cinderella and Prince cel on a pumpkin litho background of “Cinderella in Ball Gown.” Acquired 2004. SeqID-1450 7/16/2005

Seller: The Cinderella and Prince with the Pumpkin Litho background. "Cinderella" was the first Disney animated feature to be completely shot and then edited in a live-action reference version before being committed to cel and ink. Ilene Woods was the voice of Cinderella. Actress Helene Stanley performed the live-action reference not only for Cinderella, but also for Princess Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty" and Anita Radcliff in "101 Dalmatians." William Phipps was the voice of the Prince Charming and Mike Douglas is the uncredited singing voice.

"Cinderella" (1950) [Series] - Color Model Sheet and Cels

A series of "Cinderella" items in the Cowan Collection.


Here is a nice combination item: a cel of Gus, a cel of two other mice and a Gus color model sheet. Notice that the two mice are identical.

The framing is a little different. So that you can better see the pencil sheet, the cels were mounted about 1-inch in front of the paper. Gives a great sense of depth...

Gus Color Model and Cels

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

From “Cinderella” (1950). Two Cels and a pencil background. 1 Cel of Gus. 1 Cel of two other mice. Mounted over pencil sketch of Gus waiving in front of a candle. "Gus Standard" on pencil sketch, sequence 5 scene 32. In the movie, the two mice are holding a candle. [Image: 14-3/8"W x 10-13/16"H. Frame: 23.5"W x 20-3/16"H] Acquired 1989. SeqID-0029 8/3/2005

"Cinderella" (1950) [Series] - Grand Duke Model Sheet

A series of "Cinderella" items in the Cowan Collection.


I have not seen much on the Grand Duke. For that reason, I picked up this blue pencil model sheet. Good poses and nice characterizations...

Grand Duke Model Sheet

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

From “Cinderella” (1950). A very good blue pencil model sheet of the Grand Duke. [Image: 15 7/16"W x 12 7/16"H. Framed: 21-7/8"W x 18-7/8"H] SeqID-0030 8/3/2005

"Cinderella" (1950; 1995) [Series] - Scene Signed by William Phipps and Ilene Woods

A series of "Cinderella" items in the Cowan Collection.


This is a nice item to have -- a scene from Cinderella signed by William Phipps (Prince) and Ilene Woods (Cinderella).

"Cinderella" was the first Disney animated feature to be completely shot and then edited in a live-action reference version before being committed to cel and ink. Cinderella was created by Marc Davis (1913-2000) was one of the most talented artists at and a main animator for Disney Studios. Some of the animated characters he designed were Thumper from “Bambi” (1942), Cinderella from “Cinderella” (1951), Tinker Bell in “Peter Pan” (1953), Maleficent and Briar Rose in “Sleeping Beauty” (1959) and Cruella De Vil in “101 Dalmatians” (1961). Ilene Woods was the voice of Cinderella. Actress Helene Stanley performed the live-action reference not only for Cinderella, but also for Princess Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty" and Anita Radcliff in "101 Dalmatians." William Phipps was the voice of the Prince Charming and Mike Douglas is the uncredited singing voice.

Scene Signed By William Phipps and Ilene Woods


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

From “Cinderella” (1950; 1995). A reproduction of a scene from Cinderella, signed by William Phipps (Prince) and Ilene Woods (Cinderella). WD certificate #129817. Acquired 1995. SeqID-0762 8/18/2005

"Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder" - I think I have it!

My sister sent me this quote. I'm not sure who authored it, but it certainly has the "ring of truth." Frankly, after reading it I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry....

--------------------

A.A.A.D.D.
KNOW THE SYMPTOMS – PLEASE READ!

Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D.: Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests itself:

I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide it needs washing. As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full. So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first. But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first. I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Pepsi I'd been drinking. I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Pepsi aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.

The Pepsi is getting warm, and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold. As I head toward the kitchen with the Pepsi, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye - they need water. I put the Pepsi on the counter and discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers. I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table. I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers. I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do…

At the end of the day:

• the car isn't washed,
• the bills aren't paid,
• there is a warm can of Pepsi sitting on the counter,
• the flowers don't have enough water,
• there is still only one check in my check book,
• I can't find the remote,
• I can't find my glasses, and
  
• I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I'm really, really tired. I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it…


But first I'll check my e-mail....

"Cinderella" (1950) [Series] - Promotional Stills

A series of "Cinderella" items in the Cowan Collection.


The following publicity stills were from another scrapbook we acquired in 2003. Generally speaking, I've thought these stills were odd choices. I'm not sure they represented some of the best moments or best examples of the characters. Some were quite good, but others.... But, hey, I've never said that I was a PR guy.

Sorry about the hue on these. I posted them "as is" rather than convert them to gray scale. In these images there is a pink hue to them that is not present in the originals, but there are other yellowish hues due to fading (I would guess too little time in the "fix" and not enough washing of the prints).

"Cinderella" was the first Disney animated feature to be completely shot and then edited in a live-action reference version before being committed to cel and ink. Ilene Woods was the voice of Cinderella. Actress Helene Stanley performed the live-action reference not only for Cinderella, but also for Princess Aurora in "Sleeping Beauty" and Anita Radcliff in "101 Dalmatians."

Publicity Stills (click to enlarge)
[Item number details can be found at the end of the post]

Item 1384

Item 1385

Item 1387

Item 1388

Item 1386

Item 1398

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

From “Cinderella” (1950). Promotional photo of Cinderella & Prince Charming (reverse “569-71”). Scrapbook photo. (Image: 10”W x 8”H) Acquired 2003. SeqID-1384

From “Cinderella” (1950) - Promotional photo of Cinderella & Prince Charming - (reverse “649-72”). Scrapbook photo. (Image: 10”W x 8”H) Acquired 2003. SeqID-1385

From “Cinderella” (1950). Promotional photo of Cinderella - (reverse “649-73”) Scrapbook photo. (Image: 10”W x 8”H) Acquired 2003. SeqID-1387

From “Cinderella” (1950). Promotional photo of Drizella (L) and Anastasia (R) - (reverse “649-74”) Scrapbook photo. (Image: 10”W x 8”H) Acquired 2003. SeqID-1388

From “Cinderella” (1950). Promotional photo of Lucifer & Gus - (reverse “649-75”) Scrapbook photo. (Image: 10”W x 8”H) Acquired 2003. SeqID-1386

From “Cinderella” (1950). Promotional photo of the Royal Lackey - (reverse 649-76) Scrapbook photo. (Image: 10”W x 8”H) Acquired 2003. SeqID-1389