"Happy Holidays From The International Space Station" (2005) - Disney In Outer Space

Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings!

Since I will be away for part of December, I thought this would be a good opportunity to post some Christmas/Holiday related art. To see other holiday related items, select "Category-Holiday" from the "Content by Category" list on the right.


As I mentioned, I also collect a variety of aerospace items, including artifacts from the early space program. This has afforded me an opportunity to meet new folks. In 2005, I received this image from Russian cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov (here's the bio) aboard the International Space Station.

Notice all the Disney material in the background! Even in outer space...

Disney Aboard the International Space Station

I grew up in Colorado Springs during the height of the cold war. Certainly the launch of Sputnik in 1957 helped fuel the belief that the central part of the U.S. could be the target of a ballistic missle (ICBM). A number of homes around ours built fall-out shelters because Colorado Springs was the center of military command and was considered a high probability target. Ent Air Force Base was the headquarters (where the U.S. Olympic Training Center is now located) and was just a few miles from our house and many of our neighbors were in the military. By the way, a decade later the operation was moved into a facility hollowed out inside Cheyenne Mountain.

Here are Google photos of Colorado Springs, the Olympic Training Center (old ENT Air Force Base) and a shot of the Cheyenne Mtn. Facility

Satellite Shots of Colorado Springs

If someone had told me that 40+ years later I would be receiving (1) an electronic, non-paper photo (2) from an outpost in outerspace (3) from a Russian -- I would have thought they were crazy! How things have changed!


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

Christmas 2005 photo sent to me by Salizhan Sharipov from the International Space Station. Sent as JPG file [11x14] Acquired 2005. SeqID-1462

"Love Is In The Air" - Sericel Signed by Russi Taylor & Wayne Allwine

I'm sure you are all tired of the airplane stuff, so this will be the last item for a while...

I really liked this item when I saw it in a Disney store. It's not a one-of-a-kind, but rather a "Limited Edition" sericel (edition size: 2,500). One of the "plus" marks for this piece is that it is signed by Russi Taylor (the voice of Minnie) and Wayne Allwine (the voice of Mickey). That makes it a little more special and provides another "talking point" when showing the artwork.

One of the other reasons I liked the piece is how it worked with my other plane-related art on display (e.g., the "Mail Pilot"). When you have a large grouping of pencils on a wall putting some color in the middle of the collection adds a little variation and visual interest -- at least to me!

"Love Is In The Air" - Signed by Russi Taylor & Wayne Allwine

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"Love is in the Air" sericel. Mickey sky writes a symbol of his affection as the adoring Minnie marvels at his sentiment -- and aerial skill!" Edition Size: 2500. Signed by the voice of Minnie (Russi Taylor) and Mickey (Wayne Allwine). Autographed certificate on back. [Image: 11-7/8"W x 9-3/16"H] Acquired 1999. SeqID-0388

Linden Pewter Mickey & Minnie Airplane Clock

OK. While we're on the subject of airplanes and Mickey/Minnie, let's add a couple of others.

Here's a great looking pewter clock of Mickey and Minnie that looks great on the desk in the office.

Linden Pewter Mickey & Minnie Plane Clock

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

Mickey & Minnie Clock. A pewter clock of Mickey and Minnie in an airplane made by Linden. [Item: 4”H] Acquired 2000. SeqID-0216

"Mail Pilot" (1933; c1977) - Aladdin Industries Thermos Bottle

Well, I thought I was through with the "Mail Pilot" stuff, but...

If you are adding to your collection, don't forget to get the Mail Pilot thermos bottle! You can find these on eBay for about $9 now... Aladdin Industries produced a number of Disney lunchbox sets in the late 1970's featuring the Mickey Mouse Club, Mickey Mouse, etc. All of them make nice additions to a collection to scatter in play rooms or on the top of the kitchen cabinets.

Aladdin Industries "Mail Pilot" Thermos

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

“Mickey Mouse in The Mail Pilot,” thermos bottle made by Aladdin Industries, Nashville, TN (circa 1977). 8 oz. [Item: 3.5”D x 6.5”H] SeqID-1553

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Early Book Effort (20 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

While not a sketch, this "Mail Pilot" book represents one of the earlier cross-marketing efforts of Disney. The book I have is not in very good shape, but it makes a great addition to the collection.

Disney's "Mail Pilot" Book

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

Disney, Walt. Mickey Mouse The Mail Pilot. Racine, WI: Whitman Publishing, 1933. The Big Little Book. Some of the pages at the end of the book are missing. Children’s names written in the front and back of the book. “Vitale Cashis, 47 Montgomery St., Middletown, NY.” [Item: 4.5”W x 4.5”H x 1.25”D] SeqID-0203

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Pencil Of Mickey And Plane (19 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

This is one of my favorite Mickey "Mail Pilot" images. A large, detailed image of Mickey looking over his shoulder. Great expression on Mickey. Super detail. The rope on the back is linked to an anchor for slowing down...

Mickey Fly-by

A similar image appeared in Lambert's "Mickey Mouse" book.

Here's how the image is framed...


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

From “Mail Pilot” (1933). A pencil sketch of Mickey in the plane looking over his shoulder. [Unframed 12”W x 9.5”H] Acquired 2004. SeqID 1187 8/3/2005
Reference: Similar image in “Mickey Mouse” pg. 90.

The Mail Pilot (1933). By Jack King. Page 90. 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

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Pencil Background Of Mountains (18 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

This is a great background of the mountains -- Rough, jagged, imposing! Good detail on the trees. Nice "donut" cloud formation around the highest mountain. Notice the 2-hole punch on the reverse side.

Mountain Background

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From “Mail Pilot” (1933). Stu -- "Early Disney version of the Rockies." Background of Rockies. "Snow stops here" Pencil background with 2-hole punch on right -- left may have been cut off. [Item: 12-7/8"W x 9"H] Acquired 1998. SeqID-0383

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Pencil Background Of Landing Area (17 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

Not a tremendous image, but it was free! The concept shows the landing area for Mickey's plane.

Mickey's Landing Area

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From “Mail Pilot” (1933). Overhead view - background concept. Windmill on left and silo on the right. Unusual 2-hole punch on left side. [Unframed Item: 12"W x 8-5/8"H] Acquired 1995. SeqID-0257 8/14/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Mountain Pencil Background (16 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

A nice sketch of a mountain top for the film. I thought it had a "Matterhorn" look.

Mountain Sketch

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

From “Mail Pilot” (1933). Background layout of mountain -- strong peak with shading on right. Unusual 2-hole punch on right side. [Unframed Item: 12"W x 8-5/8"H. Inner: 9-3/16"W x 6-7/8"H] Acquired 1995. SeqID-0256 8/14/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Pete Waits For Mickey (15 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

Another great image of Pete! Waiting for Mickey with his plane running and parked on the side of the mountain -- like an awaiting motorcycle... Good detail of Pete, the plane and the mountains in the background. I especially like the pencils with strong, dark pencil lines -- they add a certain "!" to the drawing that is often lost in the translation to a cel.

Pete Waits For Mickey

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From “Mail Pilot” (1933). Pete (also known as “Black Pete” & “Peg Leg Pete”) is on top of a mountain, looking over the top -- looking for Mickey. His plane is "parked" to the side of the mountain. 2-hole punch on the left side. [Unframed Item: 12"W x 8.5"H] SeqID-0730 8/3/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Pete Giving Chase (14 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

If you like villains shown "doing their thing," then this is a great image! Pete is going after Mickey with a super "if looks could kill" mug shot and an equally evil paint job on the plane.

Pete In Pursuit

Generally speaking, propellers tend to be quite large. Early fighter planes had large props and the kind of arrangement on Pete's plane would not have been possible. Front mounted guns actually shot through the spinning propeller. The gun's firing mechanism was linked to the plane's engine and the gun only fired when the prop was out of the way.

By the way, the engine exhaust was out the side of the front engine cowling or below -- not in the rear like a car! I think every depiction of an airplane in the "Mail Pilot" had the exhaust in the rear. Frankly, it looked better when the artist was drawing the puffs of smoke coming from the plane -- difficult to do when the exhaust was on the side of the engine cowling...

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From “Mail Pilot” (1933). Pencil sketch of Pete (also known as “Black Pete” & “Peg Leg Pete”) in his plane shooting the plane's machine gun at Mickey while flying. [Unframed Item: 12"W x 8.5"H. Inner: 9.25"W x 6-7/8"H] SeqID-0254 8/14/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Pencil of Mickey "Ringing The Bell" (13 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

Another one of those gags. This time, Mickey flies through a church steeple and rings the bell. Nice framing and movement fields.

Mickey Rings The Bell

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

From “Mail Pilot” (1933). Mickey flying by with bell tower in background. Several bells and the clock showing 11 o'clock. Plane is leaving frame. Multiple frame drawings. [Unframed Item: 12"W x 8-5/8"H] SeqID-0252 8/14/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Mickey Gets A New Prop (12 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

This is a really great image and a great gag... Mickey looses his propeller and the airplane heads for the ground. Just before the crash, Mickey runs into a windmill and the windmill blades become his new prop! I seem to recall several other cartoons (other than Disney) that have used this gag in one form or another. In looking at the image again, I'm not sure what Mickey did to replace the missing wings!

Nice doodles on the page!

Mickey And Windmill Gag

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

From “Mail Pilot” (1933). Mickey in plane flying out of control. Swooping down with his hands up in the air. Wings are off the plane. Flying buy a wind mill where he uses the windmill to replace his propeller. Unusual 2-hole punch on the left side of the page. 2-hole. [Unframed Item: 12"W x 8-5/8"W] Acquired 1995. SeqID-0255 8/14/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - 32-Inch Pencil Pan Background (11 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

This is another interesting 32-inch pencil background. Sorry about the color -- this was taken with an early digital camera and it is more blue than the typical pencil yellow.

32-Inch Pencil Pan Background

Here are a couple of enlargements of some of the more detailed segments.


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From “Mail Pilot” (1933). A landscape pencil pan (32") for the background of a flight that Mickey takes. Small town on the right. River in center. Multiple pages pasted together. Unusual 2-hole punch on right side. [Unframed Item: 33.25"W x 9"H. Inner: 32-1/8"W x 6-6/8"H] Acquired 1995. SeqID-0253 8/14/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Outside the Hanger (10 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

A good collection of characters and background filler. Goofoids, pigs, Horace Horsecollar-type figures. I don't remember if this is from his take-off or landing... And I'm not sure if the object in the lower left is a light or a telephone handset...

Crowd Waiving At Mickey

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From “Mail Pilot” (1933). Pencil sketch of pig-like, goat and Goofoid crowd outside hangar waiving after Mickey takes takeoff. Unusual 2-hole punch on right side. [Unframed Item: 12"W x 8-9/16"H. Inner: 9.25"W x 6-7/8"H] Acquired 1995. SeqID-0251 8/14/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Air Mail Truck (9 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

A nice item showing the stretch to simulate speed. The sight gag of the old style cannon on the top of the truck is a great addition. Given that the rest of the truck is heavily drawn, my guess is that the cannon is a later add-on

Heavily Armed Mail Truck!

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

From “Mail Pilot” (1933). Black and red pencil sketch of armored truck with "Air Mail" on the side and numerous guns pointing out. Notes: "5" [Unframed Item: 12"W x 8-9/16"H. Inner: 9-3/16"W x 6-7/8"H] Acquired 1995. SeqID-0250 8/14/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1934) - Goofoid Guards (8 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

I've always liked this pencil. The pencil is heavy and there is a little color. The extra doodles and erasure marks add to the overall draft quality of the item. It's just a great piece!

Goofoid Guards

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From “Mail Pilot” (1933). Colored pencil sketch of three “Goofoid” armed guards with safe. Notes: "SC 7"; "4-3/4F"; "Make this one same as this one"; Numbers around the safe. [Unframed Item: 12”W x 8-9/16”H. Inner: 9-7/8”W x 7-3/8”H] Acquired 1994. SeqID-0249 8/15/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Airport Sign Pencil Background (7 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

This is a close-up of the sign at the entrance to the airport (also shown in the large pan background). Not one of the more interesting pieces, but since it went with the pan background I thought it would make a nice addition...

"Mail Pilot" (1933) Airport Entrance

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From “Mail Pilot” (1933). A view of the front gate to the airport with a sign saying “Airport.” The same gate seen in the large pan pencil sketch (SeqID-0075), but the title on the sign in the pan says “Air Mail Hanger.” [Image: 12"W x 8-9/16"H; Frame: 21.25"W x 17.75"H; 2-hole] Acquired 1991. SeqID-0159 8/3/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - 48-Inch Pencil Pan Background (6 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

When I first saw this HUGE 48-inch pencil pan background I couldn't put it down. It seemed that every place I looked there was another interesting sketch element. AND there were control towers and other features that showed signs of being erased!

48-Inch Pencil Pan Background

On the right side, a fantastic image of Goofoid characters carrying money bags from the armored car into the hanger.

ENJOY LOOKING THEM OVER!

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

From “Mail Pilot” (1933). A very unusual wide pan pencil background of the airfield in Mail Pilot. Note: Shows “Air Mail Hangar” sign and hangar where the armored car drives up and the money is unloaded. Also features "Goofoid" characters that existed before Goofy was developed. [Image: 47-3/8"W x 9"H. Frame: 56.5"W x 18.25"H; several sheets taped to each other with a 2-hole registration page on the right] Acquired 1987. SeqID-0075 7/15/2005

"Mail Pilot" (1933) - Mickey & Pete Pencils (5 of 20)

As a pilot, I tended to pick up items with an aerospace theme. The 1933 film "Mail Pilot" caught my attention and I ended picking up a number of items from the film. I thought I share the group with you.

Mickey Climbs The Mountain While Pete Waits In The Clouds

These were some of the first "Mail Pilot" sheets I picked up. When I looked at them, I thought it might be interesting to frame them together -- with Pete lying in wait for Mickey to emerge over the mountain. I liked the result and had the piece on my office wall for years.

Probably one of the best bits I've seen is in the Pete's sheet where he uses an anchor to keep his plane from flying away while Pete hides in the cloud waiting for Mickey.


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

From “Mail Pilot” (1933). Two early pencil sketches. Left: Mickey flying his plane with two frames marking the start and end of a zoom. Right: Pete (also known as “Black Pete” & “Peg Leg Pete”) is hiding in a cloud. [Image: Left: 12"W x 8.5"H, Right: 12"W x 8.5"H: Frame: 33.5"W x 20.5"H; both 2-hole] Acquired 1989. SeqID-0074 8/3/2005