The Reluctant Dragon (1941)

WALT DISNEY STUDIO
The Reluctant Dragon (1941)
original production animation model sheet
photostat on paper, dimensions: 11" x 14"

Since the early 1930s the Disney Studio has produced model sheets of its animated characters and/or atmosphere and concept art for circulation among artists and animators working in production of an animated film. Before the 1970s they were reproduced by a photostatic or printing process. They were made when a character or setting was in development and to help animators maintain a consistent look to the character throughout the film.

This photostat model sheet titled "Dragon & Knight Suggestions / 'The Reluctant Dragon'" was made at the Disney Studio during production of The Reluctant Dragon, and it was issued to animators "5-16-40" for their use in development of the main character of the animated title sequence based on the story by Kenneth Grahame. The drawings shown are the work of Martin Provensen, an artist in Joe Grant's Character Model Department who received screen credit on Pinocchio (1940),Fantasia (1940), and Dumbo (1941). His initials appear as part of the Model Department stamp reproduced in the model sheet below the title. 

Photograph of Donald Duck Animators

WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS
Photograph of Donald Duck Animators (1930s)
photograph, 8" x 10"

This is an original black-and-white glossy photograph produced by Disney of four animators at work on a Donald Duckcartoon of the 1930s at the Studio on Hyperion Avenue in Hollywood. Jack Hannah is seated at far left, and two of the other three men are Nicholas George and Ted Bonnicksen. Mr. Hannah began his career at Disney as an animator, teamed with Carl Barks in the story department in the 1930s, and directed more than fifty (50) Donald Duck cartoons from the 1940s through the 1960s. This is an original photograph produced by Disney; it is not a reprint or computer-generated print. There is a good discussion of this photograph and others at http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Home%20Page/WhatsNewArchivesJuly11.htm.

Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

WALT DISNEY STUDIO Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)  original production animation story drawing yellow and black pencil on 5.5" x 8" animation story sheet, image size: 5.5" x 8" This original animation story drawing of Jack Skellington was created by a Disney artist in development of a scene in the stop-motion animated feature. This scene appears in the film's "This Is Halloween" opening musical sequence. Jack Skellington rides in on a wooden horse, takes a burning torch, swallows it, and bursts into flame as the chorus sings "Our man Jack is the King of the Pumpkin Patch / Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King now!" A label bearing the handwritten designation "4B" was applied to the sheet during production of the film to indicate the drawing's place in the sequence.

Peter Pan (1953)

WALT DISNEY STUDIO Peter Pan (1953)  original production animation drawing red and black pencil on untrimmed animation sheet, image size: 8.25" x 5.25" This original rough animation drawing of Captain Hook was created by a Disney animator in development of a scene in Walt Disney's animated feature of J.M. Barrie's classic story. Wolfgang Reitherman, one of Walt Disney's master animators known as his Nine Old Men, supervised the animation of Captain Hook in this scene set in Skull Rock, and the red pencil underdrawing is certainly his work. After Peter Pan has impersonated the Captain and ordered Mr. Smee "to release the Princess and take her back to her people," Hook spies his first mate rowing away and asks: "And just what do you think you are doing, Mr. Smee?" Much of Captain Hook's personality is expressed in this single drawing. The animator wrote the designation "201" at lower right to indicate this original's place in the scene; anticipating Hook's next scene the animator boxed in the upper body and wrote "Finish" at the right.

Alice in Wonderland

WALT DISNEY STUDIO
Alice in Wonderland (1951) 
original production animation drawing
red and black pencil on untrimmed animation sheet, image size: 3" x 3"

This polished rough animation drawing of Alice was created by a Disney animator in development of a scene in Walt Disney's animated feature based on the stories by Lewis Carroll. During her trial before the King and Queen of Hearts, Alice eats part of a mushroom, grows to a great height, then shrinks back to normal proportions. The Cheshire Cat quotes Alice's description of the Queen as "a fat, pompous, bad-tempered, old tyrant," so the Queen once again yells: "Off with her head!" Animator Harvey Toombs supervised the animation of Alice standing in the prisoner's dock as the cards swarm overhead, and this is undoubtedly one of his drawings. Mr. Toombs' first animated for Disney on Pinocchio (1940) (uncredited) and for the next 20 years served as character animator on shorts and features through 1959's Sleeping Beautyand How to Have an Accident in the Home with Donald Duck. The animator wrote the designation "11" at lower right to indicate this original's place in the scene.

Christmas Card (1948)

OLLIE JOHNSTON
Christmas Card (1948)
original drawing
pencil on 11" x 13" paper mounted to board, image size: 10" x 10", two (2) 11" x 8.5" prints, 5.5" x 8.5" invoice

This original self-portrait drawing of Ollie Johnston and wife Marie happily riding their home railroad was created by Disney animator Ollie Johnston and reproduced as the illustration on the family's 1948 Christmas card. Oliver M. Johnston, Jr., one of Walt Disney's master animators known as his Nine Old Men, completed construction of his model railroad in the late-1940s; it ran on his property and that of Disney animator Frank Thomas, his next-door neighbor, best friend, and fellow train enthusiast. Included are two (2) reduced-size halftone prints, dated invoice (November 30, 1948) of Glendale Photo-Engraving Co., and that company's envelope addressed to "O. M. Johnston." Mr. Johnston hand-annotated one of the prints "Greetings / Marie and Ollie Johnston / 1948," in effect, signing it.

Ollie Johnston (Oliver M. Johnston, Jr.) was born October 31, 1912 in Palo Alto, California, and his higher education came at Stanford University and Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. On January 21, 1935 he joined The Walt Disney Studios as an apprentice animator on Disney short cartoons. In 43 years with Disney he served as animator and directing animator on more than 24 feature films including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Song of the South, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book and others. Walt Disney included him among his famous ?Nine Old Men,? those animators who formed the core of his animation team. His enthusiasm for trains led him to build a backyard railroad at his home in La Ca?ada, California and a full-scale railroad on the property he shared with fellow animator and best friend Frank Thomas in Julian, California. He encouraged Walt Disney to pursue his own passion for trains.

After 43 years with the Disney Studio he retired in 1978. Between 1981 and 1993 he and Frank Thomas co-authored four excellent books: Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life, Too Funny for Words, Walt Disney?s Bambi: The Story and the Film, andThe Disney Villain. He was named a Disney Legend in 1989 and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2005.

These items are from Ollie Johnston's estate. They were in his home until early 2007 when he moved to Washington state near his family. He passed away in April, 2008. The items are stamped "From the estate of Oliver M. Johnston, Jr." on the backs. Our certificate of authenticity is included.

Neapolitan Mouse (1954)

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIO
Neapolitan Mouse (1954)
original production animation character model drawings
watercolor and pencil on untrimmed animation sheet, image size: 8.75" x 11.5"

These original animation character design paintings and drawings of Jerry and Topo were created by an M-G-M Studio artist in development of the lead characters in the animated Tom and Jerry cartoon directed by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera. In this cartoon Tom and Jerry arrive in Naples, Italy aboard a cruise ship. Tom chases Jerry until they are both befriended by Topo, a local mouse who recognizes them from their famous cartoons. He protects Jerry from Tom and Tom from a slinky blue dog; feeds them; and takes them on a grand tour of his city. Original character drawings such as this from the Tom and Jerry cartoons are scarce; the drawing of Jerry is particularly fine. Interestingly, Topo's dual-tone front and ringed tail are crossed out in the drawing, and he does not exhibit these features in the cartoon.