From: Rich_Koster@agwbbs.new-orleans.LA.US (Rich Koster)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney
Subject: Disneyana - Auction Pt. 3
Distribution: world
Date: 7 Oct 92 18:25:12 CST
Organization: The Amiga GateWay BBS * New Orleans, La.

Picking up in this part with Items #28-35 of the 1st Disneyana
Convention Auction conducted by Sotheby's at the Contemporary Resort
Convention Center Fantasia Ballroom Friday, September 25, 1992.
 
Comments and further detailed descriptions within [] are ours,
otherwise come straight from the auction catalog.
 
28.  Four cel set-up with color reproduction background from "The
Little Mermaid."  After narrowly escaping the shark, Ariel and
Flounder meet above water.  In front of them, Scuttle explains the
dynamics of the "snarfblatt" [smoking pipe]--one of Ariel's human
possessions.  [Scuttle not in this frame.]  12 3/4 in. high by
17 in. wide.  Estimate:  $1,500-2,000.  Sold:  $5,000.
 
29.  Three cel set-up with color reproduction background from "The
Little Mermaid".  Scuttle explains the many uses of the human
"dinglehopper" [fork] to the rapt Ariel and Flounder [all three
characters are here].  12 3/4 in. high by 17 in. wide.  Estimate:
$1,800-2,200.  Sold:  $3,000.
 
30.  Four cel set-up with color reproduction background from "The
Little Mermaid".  Ariel realizes she is late for her father's concert.
She and Flounder say good-bye to Scuttle [not in this frame].  12 3/4
in. high by 17 in. wide.  Estimate:  $1,500-2,000.  Sold:  $3,500.
 
31.  Two cel set-up with color reproduction background from "The
Little Mermaid".  Inside the wreckage of a sunken ship, a delighted
Flounder smiles as Ariel explains one of the treasures from the human
world [an open book].  12 3/4 in. high by 17 in. wide.  Estimate:
$1,500-2,000.  Sold:  $3,000.
 
32.  Three cel set-up with color reproduction background from "The
Little Mermaid".  Sebastian quivers in terror as he overhears the
lovestruck Ariel talking about Eric, the human.  She plucks at
flowers, saying "He loves me, he loves me not."  17 in. high by
12 3/4 in. wide  [Yes, this one is more vertical than horizontal.]
Estimate:  $2,000-2,500.  Sold:  $4,750.
 
33.  Four cel set-up with color reproduction background from "The
Little Mermaid".  Ursula works her black magic while Ariel awaits her
transformation of the mermaid tail into human legs.  [Scene is mostly
black.  Ursula left, orange and grey smoke arises out of a seashell
cauldron in the center, Ariel on the right full-view including tail,
both characters illuminated in the darkness by the burning light from
the cauldron.]  12 3/4 in. high by 17 in. high.  Estimate:  $1,800-
$2,200.  Sold:  $3,000.
 
[The weak of heart, please sit down for the following, item 34!]
 
34.  Plate Illustration and Sample Plate with Characters from "The
Little Mermaid", 1992, cel vinyl and airbrush illustration by Alvin
White Studio.  11 1/4 in. in diameter.  Estimate:  $1,200-1,500.
Sold:  $8,250.  [!]
 
[Storytime:  This item fetching this price had to be the most amazing
and entertaining surprise of the evening.  Matted and framed were the
original artwork together with the gold-rimmed plate it ended up
gracing.  This illustration shows, around the rim and alternating with
seashells, the main and supporting characters of the film:  Eric,
Eric's sheepdog, Flounder, Scuttle the Sea Gull, a sea horse in
Elizabethan throat collar I gather was a court herald under the sea,
Ursula, Eric's butler, Eric's chef, Sebastian, King Triton.  In the
center of the plate is Ariel with mermaid tail, radiant, smiling,
self-assured, wind blowing her hair back, white crested blue waves
breaking behind her, propping herself on a rock, blue sky with fluffy
clouds behind her.  Someone familiar with the souvenirs sold in the
parks may know the retail price of the plate and the quality of the
ceramics (is it collectible alone, or is it mainly souvenirware?).
Anyway, the bidding started a few hundred dollars below $1,200.  It
escalated!  Refer to earlier posts for previous prices Alvin White
Studios artwork was able to get, none were this high!  When the price
reached like over $4-5,000 there would be gasps among the audience,
and the auctioneer would pause allowing the various bidders in the
room a bit of time to confer with companions.  There was one person
bidding by telephone who acquired a couple of the other "The Little
Mermaid" set-ups and apparently wanted this item real bad.  The
bidding increments were $250.  Everytime it reached higher to another
thousand, the audience would gasp and murmur.  The person on the phone
would match and exceed, only to be matched and exceeded by a handful
of bidders dotted around the ballroom.  A lady sitting near us in the
front row remarked at about the $7,000 level "Well, I guess you
wouldn't want to cut your meat on it."  My wife replied "Yeah, and
don't feed your toddlers with it, or put it in the dishwasher."
Someone we talked to the following day said they expected the plate
and it's artwork would get "only" $6,000.  At the end, when the gavel
fell on $8,250 the audience applauded and cheered.  My wife turned to
me and remarked "What recession?"  You'll see high bids and wide price
spreads in a few of the upcoming items, but none created the same
excitement and exclamation as this picture and plate.]
 
35.  Illustration for Walt Disney World Promotion, acrylic created by
Disney artist Jim Noble.  29 in. high by 24 in. wide.  [Shows horse
drawn streetcar, kids on inner tubes on water slide, spinning teacup,
race cars, castle with fireworks, Space Jet, speedboat, man in a
straw hat selling Mickey balloons, midnight blue background top half
and yellow foreground with unused space for additional graphics or
text.]  Estimate: $1,200-1,400.  Sold:  $1,000.
 

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