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Thomas, Bob, with the Walt Disney staff, with research by Don Graham. Walt Disney: The Art of Animation; The story of the Disney Studio contribution to a new art. Golden Press, Inc. (c.1958), New York, 1958.

Price: US$350.00 + shipping

Condition: Very Good

Description: [some wear to the book at the extremities (particularly the spine ends), otherwise a clean and attractive copy; the jacket is a bit edgeworn, with a few short closed edge-tears and some associated horizontal creasing at the bottom edge of the front panel]. (B&W and color artwork, photographs) Despite its self-promotional tone, this is an important work of animation history that benefitted from the full cooperation of the Disney Studio. "Before writing this book, [the author] roamed the Disney Studio, listening to the men who made the historic advances and innovations by which a cartoon moves from the storyboard to the screen. His researches touched upon the full history of animation, and his story includes an intimate view of the production of 'Sleeping Beauty,' in many ways the quintessence of the art of animation." SLEEPING BEAUTY was released in January 1959; the first edition of this book was issued under the Simon and Schuster imprint, presumably late in 1958 as a bit of advance publicity for the film. This date-unspecified reprint (thanks for nothing, Golden Press) appears to be identical, content-wise, with the first printing in every respect save one: the addition of an "epilogue" (pp. 178-179) about "the future of animation," which summarizes what the Disney company was up to in the early 1960s, and makes brief reference to ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS, THE SWORD IN THE STONE and THE JUNGLE BOOK. The last-named film was released in 1967, but this epilogue also makes reference to Walt Disney himself in the present (living) tense, so this printing must have gone to press sometime late in 1966, but before Walt's death in December. What's inexcusable, however, is that nobody took the trouble to update the "animation credits" section at the back of the book -- so the most recent credit listed for any of the documented individuals is still SLEEPING BEAUTY. Although not marked as such, this book was obtained from the estate of famed animator Art Babbit, who worked for Disney in the 1930s and 1940s, but was more or less persona non grata (at least to Walt himself) after having taken a firm anti-management stance during the animators' strike that roiled the studio in 1941. (Disney was subsequently forced to rehire him, although he departed for good in the late 1940s to join the newly-formed United Productions of America (UPA). The book includes his Disney animated feature film credits at the studio in the credits appendix, but per the index he is not referenced in the text of the book at all.) ****NOTE that additional postage charges will be assessed for international shipping of this heavy book; if this concerns you, please contact us for a shipping quote before placing your order.****

Seller: ReadInk, ABAA/IOBA, Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.

Thomas, Bob [Walt Disney]. The Art of Animation: The Story of the Disney Studio Contribution to a New Art.. Simon and Schuster, New York, 1958.

Price: US$11000.00 + shipping

Description: First edition of this definitive work on the animation of Walt Disney. Quarto, original half cloth, pictorial endpapers. Association copy, inscribed by Walt Disney opposite the title page, "To Ralph All Best Walt." The recipient, Ralph Hulett was a director, known for Sleeping Beauty, Lady and the Tramp and Peter Pan. Additionally signed by many of "Walt's Nine Old Men" animators throughout the book, including Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston as well as Disney Legends John Hench, Al Dempster, Xavier "X" Atencio, Collin Campbell, and other noted artists and animators from the Disney Studio. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket, with Ralph Hulett's ownership name to the front free endpaper. A unique example. Bob Thomas roamed the Disney Studio, listening and conducting interviewing with the men who made the historic advances and innovations in animation. Watching the intricate processes by which a cartoon moves from the storyboard to the screen, the result is a remarkable tour behind the scenes of the magic we see on the screen.

Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.