Early Mickey Mouse Comic Strip Art to be Offered by Heritage!

DALLAS, TEXAS: Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers (HG&A) will offer one of the earliest-known original Mickey Mouse newspaper daily strips, penciled by animation legend Ub Iwerks, in their upcoming Signature Auction, to be held January 20 & 21, 2006, in Dallas, Texas.

"This is a very exciting discovery," said Ed Jaster, Vice President, HG&A. "Previously, there were only three original strips known to exist from this initial sequence. The recent discovery of this piece makes it the fourth known of eighteen penciled by Iwerks and scripted by Disney himself in late 1930."

"Disney's studio had been producing cartoons featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit when Disney suddenly lost the rights to the character," Jaster continued. "Most of Disney's staff was hired away by competing animation studio Charles Mintz to continue the Oswald cartoons, leaving Walt with only a few loyal artists, including his early partner Ub Iwerks. Ub, born Ubbe Ert Iwwerks, from Dutch immigrant parents, was assigned to a new, secret animation project starring a mouse named Mortimer. This new character was soon renamed Mickey after eight-year-old child star Mickey McGuire, better known as Mickey Rooney, stopped by the studios to visit, and Walt liked the name."

"Mickey's first animated cartoon, Plane Crazy, was entirely drawn by Iwerks in 1928," Jaster said, "and was quickly followed by a second film when 'talkies' made their big splash in the entertainment world. The third film was designed to capitalize on this new trend, and the earlier two silent cartoons were shelved, to be released at a later date with added sound effects. As a result, this new cartoon, Steamboat Willie, was a huge hit. Merchandising deals soon followed, including an offer from King Features to run the adventures of Mickey as a daily comic strip in Hearst-owned papers. Ub was picked to pencil the strip; Win Smith provided the inks, and Walt himself scripted the first sequence."

Jaster added, "This fifteenth strip is from the third week of the original Lost On a Desert Island storyline, and was titled 'Too Many Feathers Spoil Big Meal.' Iwerks continued to pencil the strip for three more days before leaving Disney Studios to form his own animation company. In 1940, Iwerks returned to Disney, as head of the Technical Department and remained close to Walt for the remainder of his life. Iwerks' credits include contributing to over 200 movies, including Alfred Hitchcock's classic film The Birds. He received two Academy Awards for his brilliant film inventions, and has been widely regarded as the 'Albert Einstein' of the animation film industry."

"Making this an even more significant piece is the signature of Walt Disney himself in the last panel," said Jaster. "Added after publication, this adds an even greater degree of collector appeal to this magnificent find, as the signatures added prior to publication were all done by Smith, rather than by Walt."

This rare piece of comic art history, with an image area of approximately 23" x 6", carries a pre-auction estimate of $80,000 - $100,000.

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HeritageGalleries.com.

HG&A specializes in rare, high-grade comic books, as well as vintage comic and animation art, illustration art, classic toys, movie posters and comics-related collectibles.

Prospective consignors and sellers of top-end comics material, toys, and original art are invited to call Ed Jaster at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 288 or Lon Allen at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 261 to discuss their rare comics and original illustration and comic art. Or visit HeritageGalleries.com and click on the "Sell Now" tab. Or simply email Ed Jaster at EdJ@HeritageGalleries.com or Lon Allen at LonA@HeritageGalleries.com.

Music and Hollywood memorabilia collectors should contact Doug Norwine at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 452 or email DougN@HeritageGalleries.com.

Movie poster consignors, please call Grey Smith at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 367 or email GreySm@HeritageGalleries.com.

To reserve your copy of a catalog for any upcoming Heritage auction, please contact Nicole Jewell, c/o Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers, 3500 Maple Avenue, 17th Floor, Dallas, TX 75219, or call 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272.