DCML digest #834

[Don Rosa]

From: dennis books <comicchar_shop at yahoo.com>
>>>I believe the book states that the first old master was MADONNA  DUCK
and done in 1941. Actually it was BLUE DUCK done in late 1939. The text
says there where 16 completed by 1945. Actually there are 17 considered to
be the old masters Several others of lesser fame are known to exist by this
writer. ANY information, especially photographic copies would be
appreciated.

I've seen these reprinted in books or magazines from time to time, but I
can't tell you exactly where just now without an extensive
search-and-rescue operation in my archives. However, the *first* place they
were ever publicly printed was in LIFE magazine during WWII, I've always
known that, and I recently bought a copy of LIFE for April 16, 1945, off of
eBay which the seller described as having something inside which clearly
sounded like the issue in question. I have yet to receive it, it's "in the
mail" coming slowly from Canada, so I don't know if it has all 16 (17?)
paintings, or if I'll need to watch for additional LIFE issues. But remind
me, and I'll let you know what I see. The magazine seems overdue, so I
should have it any time.
While we're on the subject of famous mainstream magazines that printed
famous Disney art, I also have a full set of GOOD HOUSEKEEPING from 1933
through 1947 during which years, in every single monthly issue, the Disney
studio furnished a special full page of new color illustrations telling the
story of some current animated short or feature. I sought these for the
many Donald Duck pages, but when I found the set, since I'm an archivist at
heart, I could not resist preserving the entire run. This was also an
Internet purchase (though not eBay).
Love dat eBay! You folks have no idea how many hundreds of old Donald Duck
toys and books and old 1940's/50's comic books I've bought off there in the
last 4 years (non-Disney comic books... I already had a full set of all the
American Disney comics since about 25 years ago). Yum yum.