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Lot # 1050: Pair of Early 1930s Mickey & Minnie Mouse Original Production Art (2)

Category: Mantle and Maris

Starting Bid: $1,000.00

Bids: 9 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "2018 Invitational",
which ran from 7/15/2018 9:00 AM to
8/17/2018 10:00 PM



Some of the finest quality early Disney artwork you will ever see. Matching pair of watercolors from the early 1930s on heavy artist's paper depict two of the most delightful poses representing the earliest Mickey and Minnie. The first depicts a Renaissance-influenced Romeo Mickey strumming a mandolin while serenading his "Juliet" Minnie wearing a daring art deco skirt. She is trying to hide her sniggering as Mickey is seemingly awful with his musicality. The mandolin has multiple broken strings yet she is thoroughly taken by charming innocence. In the second, Mickey and Min are sharing tasty dishes of vanilla ice cream. With the same childlike innocence, Mickey is pointing gleefully to Minnie's airborne red balloon, allowing his ice cream to drip without a care in the world. The imagery predates and predicts Albert Lamorisse's classic 1956 French film "Le Ballon Rouge" (The Red Ballon). Each drawing measures 8.5x11.5" and is uniquely and creatively framed sandwiched between two panes of glass with gold leaf paper wrapping the edges. The pair were likely created as personal tribute pieces given to friends/family of the artist. One is artist signed by "Armi." Later, they were custom framed and signed in pencil on the verso, "D. Laeney 9-6-40." The artwork matches a set of highly popular postcards sold by Disney all over Europe. Their captions were translated into multiple languages so they could be sold everywhere: English, French and German that we know of. However, this artwork is slightly different than the printed version, but the same quality perhaps even better. A vintage example of one of the postcards is included with the lot. The other can be viewed online. The style is early 1930s with the look of the most desired "ratty" Mickey traits which today have changed dramatically. In 1939, they changed everything from the name of the company (from Walt Disney Enterprises to Walt Disney Productions) to making Mickey less of a "mouse" and more of a little boy. Sadly, on an artistic level, less of a lovable scamp and more of a corporate symbol. These drawings are the ultimate vehicle to travel back to the days of old when Mickey was a mouse, movies were a quarter, and comics books were all in color for a dime.

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