Bonhams Auction House Sells Rare Disney Film “Hungry Hobos” & Classic Production Art
[Editor’s Note: Edited to focus on animated-related topics]
Los Angeles – Bonhams is pleased to announce a stellar result for the December 14 auction of Entertainment Memorabilia in Los Angeles. The sale celebrated the role of the visual arts in the making of film, and included the only known copy of the Disney film Hungry Hobos and two rare and important collections of original production art from the 1950s-1970s, in addition to several works of art by Frank Sinatra and Disney artists Eyvind Earle and Campbell Grant.
Highlighting the sale was the only known copy of the Disney film Hungry Hobos, which was previously recorded as lost, sold for $31,250. The film was re-discovered in a social history film archive in the UK. The film features Oswald The Lucky Rabbit, a prototype for Mickey Mouse, and Peg Leg Pete.
Another significant collection of production art hailed from the Disney Studios of the 1960s and 1970s, and featured rare Mary Poppins (1964) production artwork by famed designer Peter Ellenshaw, including two views of the Bank’s house at 17 Cherry Tree Lane (lot 4128 sold for $28,750, lot 4130 sold for $22,500 and lot 4129 sold for $20,000). Present also was original artwork from fellow production designer Jim Schaeffing and included concept paintings of Mary Poppins and Burt riding off on carousel horses from the “Jolly Holliday” animation sequence and Uncle Albert’s floating tea party (lot 4122 and 4123 each sold for $11,250).
Within the animation section of the auction was a Charles Schulz Peanuts Sunday page depicting the beloved characters of Lucy and Peppermint Patty (est. $25,000-35,000, sold for $25,000), a preliminary watercolor drawing from Fantasia (1940) from the Estate of Campbell Grant (est. $1,500-2,000, sold for $4,750) and two concept drawings from the 1959 classic children’s film Sleeping Beauty by Disney artist Eyvind Earle.
The Disney Studio hired Earle in 1951. Within two years, he became the color stylist and inspirational artist for Sleeping Beauty. His artistic style, derived from medieval tapestries based on paintings by Durer and Breughal, had a large impact on the look of the characters and backgrounds. The watercolor on board pieces featured in the winter auction depict the evil Maleficent as a dragon behind the castle walls (est. $7,000-9,000, sold for $8,125) and standing on the balcony beneath an arch of the castle with the sun setting in the background (est. $7,000-9,000, sold for $8,125).