Pinto Colvig Original Drawing of 1st Talking Cartoon Bolivar The Talking Ostrich

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This is by far one of the rarest sketches to ever surface in animation history. The only hand drawn sketch known in existence done by a person who most have no idea of his name, but certainly know his work.I am talking about Pinto Colvig. Top animation enthusiasts may know this Disney Legend as being the voice of Goofy. Among other things, he was the voice of Pluto , two dwarfs from "Snow White" as well as a pig in "The Three Little Pigs". Colvig left in 1937 after a dispute with Disney However, he did not sit idly and worked in the next few years including for Warner Bros. animation studio, Fleischer Studios and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He said, among other things Gabby in "Gulliver's Travels" and Popeye's rival Bluto. 1941 returned Colvig returned to Disney. Later on, he was the voice of Bozo the Clown.He later was inducted in the Clown Hall of Fame. If you use your search engine and put in Pinto Colvig and Disney you will see a special 5 minute Walt Disney Treasure about Colvig. In 1993 Disney honored Pinto Colvig as a Disney Legend. As far as animation history, Pinto Colvig, created in 1919 one of the first animated cartoons. In 1928, he along with Walter Lantz created the first or one of the first animated Cartoons with Voice.The film was the first animated film set to music. Walt Disney was so impressed despite the movie having little success, that Disney hired Colvig for Disney films. It is believed that Colvig started earlier than 1930 as mentioned by some references for Disney. Many believe that if it wasn't for Pinto Colvig, there would not have been any sound to Disney's animated cartoons.Being offered is a drawing of a hand drawn colored sketch of ''Bolivar'' The Talking Ostrich. This is the only drawing done by hand which has ever surfaced. The sketch is 7x10 and is on Pinto Colvig Stationary. It is drawn in black ink and colored with what appears to be in colored pencil. Signed in the right corner and dated October 1928. The page is glued on an album page. The album belonged to early silent film star Betty Lou Elwyn. Underneath she wrote in fountain pen. Pinto's ''brainchild''-Hollywood,Calif. Cartoonist-at present working with Walt Disney on ''Mickey Mouse ''shorts.The sketch shows some folds from mailing in an envelope. Being sold in original as found condition. Some slight soiling. The reverse souvenir program from Jan 14,1930. Its from the P.C.S.A. or The Pacific Coast Showman's Association. Also a letter sent to an saved to Betty Lou Elwyn. Her picture also next to the letter on a horse. The Progam could easily be removed from the scrapbook page and the original drawing could be cut out or professionally removed. The scrapbook page does have some small tears. No tears on the original sketch.Apparently Betty Lou Elwyn was friends with Pinto Colvig, and received this early sketch from him. The rest would become History or at least Animation History.The family of Pinto Colvig donated all of Colvigs items to TheSouthern Oregon Historical Society in Medford Oregon. It maintains a large exhibit on Colvig including drawings and letters. I have been in contact with the Historical Society and they do not have any original drawings on Bolivar The Talking Ostrich. This is the earliest known by far. They do have later drawings but not from this early classic with only a few frames of this important movie which are known to exist.The Library does have an original cell done by Colvig which the library had appraised at $60,000. The question is how much is the only drawing known from a film which was an early voice cartoon, which help pave the way for future Disney Cartoon creations. Also were drawings made into cells back then? This is certainly an item for the special animation enthusiast plus also for the special Disney Collector. Along with the sketch on the scrapbook page, the program on the reverse, and the photo of Betty Elwyn, I am including a 15 page pamphlet done by the Oregon Historical Society. Also a early cinema advertising of Betty Lo Elwyn.According to the Big Ca... read more

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