Fleischer Studios Gold

Okay historians, a treat for you today.

Animation art dealer-extraodinaire Mike Van Eaton has just come into a motherlode of vintage Fleischer Studios material, some of which will soon be up for sale (or auction). For the rest of us, Van Eaton has graciously allowed us to take a peak. This gallery below is of just a part of collection he recently acquired from the grandchildren of painter Mary Jones.

It includes inscribed photographs of Max and Dave Fleischer, model sheets of Betty Boop and Popeye, personal gag drawings from animators Dave Tendlar, George Germanetti, Tom Moore, Willard Bowsky, Gordon Sheehan, Tom Golden and “Jack” (Jack Mercer?). Click thumbnails below to enlarge:

If that little boy in Dave Tendlar’s drawing looks familiar – and even if he’s not – here’s the cartoon he appeared in, the 1936 Color Classic, Play Safe. Here’s a great Technicolor print (with French opening and closing titles, otherwise in English):