Alice Looking Over Shoulder Drawing

This is a great drawing, full of character and emotion, a combination of puzzlement and annoyance.

This comes from the scene where Alice is wandering though the Tulgey Wood and hears the Cheshire Cat singing and looks over her shoulder to see what the noise is.

Mickey Magazine #81 from Belgium - April 25th, 1952

Our next installment is in issue #81, this time featuring the Cheshire Cat,

and the Mad Tea Party with the Mad Hatter and March Hare.

Spanish Filmstrip Set - Cine NIC Sonoro

What a great toy this is.  This is a boxed set of 'filmstrips' of the Alice story from Spain.  Box graphics are a little crude, but wait till you see the insides!

This is one of many sets offered, this being set L (stock number 139-144).  There are a couple of other Disney sets in there as well, including Lady  and the Tramp, which probably dates this to 1955 since there is no Sleeping Beauty.

Inside are six individual boxes containing the filmstrips.  The inner boxes are generic, with what looks like a rubber stamp impression of the specific title.

Here's where it gets really interesting.  This filmstrips are really paper strips with drawing in two rows.  The action in each of the two rows is slightly different.  I've seen this kind of toy before, in fact I've seen Alice themed versions of this toy before, but not Disney.  Apparently the 'player' for this toy switches between the two rows creating a sort of animated effect.

I've attempted to reproduce what this effect would look like at a very slow pace (faster and I get a headache).

I was very excited when I got this, a complete set, woohoo! But sadly, my set is NOT complete, I have two copies of segment 6 and am missing segment 1. Oh well.

Detailed Courtroom Layout Drawing with Big Alice

I thought I'd continue the courtroom theme with another layout drawing, this time a highly detailed close up drawing of the front of the court where the King, Queen, and White Rabbit sit, with the prisoner doc below with card soldier spears surrounding.  Studio notations  identify this as Prod # 2069 (that is the studio production number for Alice), Seq 11.0 Sc 116.

What's great about this drawing is the detail in the shading and rendering, it really sets a mood.  Plus if you look closely you can see a faint blue outline of Big Alice standing in the dock.

Courtroom Layout Drawing with Studio Production Sheet

Very cool - and detailed - layout drawing of the courtroom scene with Alice at the dock looking up at the King and Queen of Hearts.  Notations on the drawing in the lower right corner identify this as Sc 12 Seq 11 BG

I love finding these with studio notes attached.  Here's what it says:

"L.S. court room.  Alice in prisoners dock - rabbit in late - runs length of court room blowing horn"

Accordian Owl Cel

From my favorite sequence in Alice in Wonderland, the Tulgey Wood, comes this original cel of the Accordian Owl.

Alice has more characters than any other Disney animated feature, mostly because of the Tulgey Wood.  Cels of the various Tulgey Wood critters are relatively scarce since each is on screen for such a short amount of time.

Unknown French Lamp

Another one for the 'where did this come from' column is this French lamp.  I have two variations of this, one with just the figures of Alice and the White Rabbit with the very cool Caterpillar leaves (complete with lamp and cord),

and another base only, with the same figure, but also a small planter to the side.  I acquired both of these from France, but there are no markings of any kind on them whatsoever.

UPDATE:  A reader has identified the make of these, a company called Larceram, from Paris, and was kind enough to send me an image of the label.  Thank you Christian!

Mickey Magazine #80 from Belgium - April 18th, 1952

Our next installment finds Alice interacting with the mother bird,

and the Cheshire Cat!

Profiles in History / Van Eaton Auction - Yowza!

Well, Father's Day is rapidly approaching and on my personal wishlist is this FANTASTIC Mary Blair piece in the upcoming PiH auction (get the catalog here.)  Of course, there are lots and lots and LOTS of fantastic items in this two day auction, would that I were independently wealthy.  sigh.

Schine's Colonia Theatre Handbill - August 1951

I love stuff like this.  Vintage movie paper from local theaters promoting Alice in Wonderland.

This particular handbill is from Norwich, NY from a theater called the Colonia.  It features a cover sporting the Alice 6-sheet art promoting its engagement Aug 5 - 6 - 7.  Upcoming shows later that week include The Mummy's Tomb, Dead Man's Eyes, Best of the Badmen, Sealed Cargo, and Rich, Young and Pretty.

But the coolest thing:  this theater still exists!  I love it!  This week they are showing Arthur, Paul and Despicable Me.  Thank goodness at least some of these old small town theaters are alive and well.

Mickey Magazine #79 from Belgium - April 11th, 1952

Catching up from what was supposed to be Monday's post, issue 79 of Mickey Magazine, and the next installment of Alice, featuring (again) the Caterpillar.

I don't know about you, but if I could transform into a butterfly when I got really pissed off, I think that'd be way cool.

Back in the Saddle - Post Party Post

 Well, it was a helluva shindig I must say.  We definitely celebrated the wife's 50th in style, and had a very special guest to boot!  I will resume posting (and catch up on my missed Mickey Magazine) tomorrow.

Wendy, Kathy and yours truly in the Tulgey Wood

Kathy and yours truly cutting a rug to the sounds of  Twas Brillig by Mindy Carson

Mickey Magazine #78 from Belgium - April 4th, 1952

Next installment in the Mickey Magazine series, featuring my favorite character - The Caterpillar!

Qui êtes-vous indeed...