editors
JERRY BECK (LA)
AMID AMIDI (NY)
1933 Mickey Mouse gum card w/Walt Disney
May 12, 2009 12:30 am


I was rummaging through my files last night and found this old beat-up Mickey Mouse Bubble Gum card from the early 1930s. I don’t know if anyone has posted this set (96 cards) on the internet, but I’d sure like to see the rest of them. Could this be the first time Walt Disney himself was pictured in licensed merchandise?

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Maya says:
05/12/09  2:26am

am i the only one thinking about the “mouse” in the modern digital age context?
the board walt is drawing on sure reminds me of a Cintiq! :D

 
The Gagaman says:
05/12/09  3:31am

Ah I thought I recognized the image. A neater version of this card (and one or two other designs from the set) are in the book Mickey Mouse: The evolution, the legend, and phenomenon. :)

 
uncle wayne says:
05/12/09  4:47am

That is a TRUE rarity! And being one to be a whore for Horace stuff….a reeeeeeeeeeal treat! Thank YOO!!!

 
Debbie says:
05/12/09  6:01am

Walt Disney was also drawn in “The Mickey Mouse Book”, from 1930.
http://vintagedisneymemorabilia.blogspot.com/2007/12/mickey-mouse-book.html

 
falconi says:
05/12/09  8:51am

Well, I found three others on eBay. http://cgi.ebay.com/LOT-OF-3-OLD-C.-1930‘S-MICKEY-MOUSE-BUBBLE-GUM-CARDS_W0QQitemZ200321375114QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090318?IMSfp=TL090318123001r17555

There are some images of more here: http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2004/840.html

 
Mike shain says:
05/12/09  9:05am

Am a former student of Jules Engel from the early years of Cal Arts, where I learned that Walt never called his meal tickets “Mickey” or “Donald.” It was always “The Mouse” and “The Duck,” Engel said.
So, the fact that this card refers to Mickey as “The Mouse” is maybe the only time Walt let that out.

 
JB Kaufman says:
05/12/09  9:29am

This card was one of a series of 96 Mickey Mouse cards that were issued in 1933. Who knows whether a collector could ever assemble the complete series, but in 1995 Applewood Books published a complete set of facsimile reproductions, and some of those sets may still be available. The set came complete with a collector’s album and an historical introduction by Dave Smith. In addition to card number 21, reproduced here, Walt was also pictured on number 92.

 
Charles says:
05/12/09  9:57am

Funny, I just watched a documentary about Walt last night. In it they talked about how Walt couldn’t even draw mickey mouse. He had to have his best animator teach him.

 
Hulk says:
05/12/09  11:38am

Walt looks so sinister in this drawing and the one that Debbie posted. I’m guessing the artist didn’t like him very much.

 
Jerry Beck says:
05/12/09  3:35pm

My thanks to JB Kaufman and other readers who sent in information on these gum cards.

Cole Johnson sent in this photo which was used as reference for the image on the card:

 
John A says:
05/12/09  4:59pm

Even back then, Horace was just wandering around the studio looking for something to do.

 
Kip W says:
08/19/09  7:45pm

I saw this card in a box in Grandma’s attic, back in the 60s. I expect it was probably given away when she got rid of vast quantities of stuff in the mid 70s, or perhaps it mildewed away in the basement of the place she lived after that. Nice to see it, anyway.

 
Liz Sullivan says:
10/15/09  4:38pm

I came across a 1935 mickey mouse bubble gum card # 20.
Can you tell me something about this card?
History?
Worth?

Thank you,

 
Ward_B says:
01/18/12  2:50pm

I saw this post and uploaded volume 1 album to the web so others can see what the entire first album looked like. I saw that a collection of 20 cards only in mint condition went to auction and sold for almost $4,000. I am considering selling this set.
http://issuu.com/wbrother/docs/disney2

 
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