The Great Cabarga Online Garage Sale!

[GeorgeC]

I love old stuff.

I make no apologies for that.

Comics from the 1940s and 1960s were way more inventive, innovative, and exciting than the currently bland, angst-ridden, and morally gray slasher fiction parading around as the superhero comics of my younger days. If I had children, I wouldn't have any problems letting them read the 1940s Captain Marvel, Plastic Man, Batman, Superman, The Spirit, or 1960s Marvel. With very few exceptions, I'd honestly have to keep them away from most of the Marvel and DC comics being published now, though.

I love the old radio programs I've been able to collect in mp3 from the Net and on CD collections from Radio Spirits. Shows like "The Shadow" and "The Adventures of Superman" just aren't done anymore. Heck, half the things that are taken for granted as being Superman cannon were developed or showcased on the Superman radio show first!

There's also no question that animation from the Golden Age of Hollywood (1930s-early 1950s) was by far the best produced by the studio system. It's a real shame to see how far the artform has fallen when Homer Simpson tops lists above Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Popeye, and other theatrical short and feature film greats. We have the numbing effects of TV and the shortsightedness of studio vault handlers keeping the old shorts out of the general public's each to thank for that! And to think I've lived long enough in my short life to see this happen!


Now, here's some positive news...

I found some very catchy, quiche tunes made for the Merry Marvel Marching Society in the 1960s on the Net!

The MMMS was a fan group created by Marvel Comics in the 1960s to promote its comics. Many long-time fans of Marvel were members of the fan group and it existed until the mid-1970s. Part of the promotional pack for the group were two records issued in 1965 and 1967. The 1965 record featured voices of some Marvel artists (Jack Kirby among them) as well as editor-in-chief Stan Lee and the company secretary, Flo Steinberg.
http://www.mts.net/%7Elaynev/TheVoicesofMarvel1965.mp3

Somebody found a copy of the second MMMS record, "Scream Along With Marvel," and transferred the audio to his computer, cleaned it up a bit, and posted it as mp3s!

I'm not linking directly to the second set of mp3's since that might lead to a massive bandwith problem. Instead, I'm directing to a website where these tunes can be downloaded from. The mp3's are NOT this site per se but are linked to from it.

Here's the address...
http://checkthecoolwax.blogspot.com/200 ... 4941146571

Enjoy the mp3's!


P.S. -- Copies of the records are extremely rare. I did see 2 or listing for them but lowball figures were $45.00 and the high-end for the second record was in the $90 range! Insane.

Somebody must put them on CD some day!

[GeorgeC]

The Disney Store chain carried a bit of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit merchandise in late 2007 in honor of the Company's reaquisition of the character and as a tie-in to the Oswald Treasures release.

Unfortunately, by the time I got around to checking out the local store, ALL the resin statues and Oswald plush dolls were sold out with no plans to manufacture more of them. Many Stores still have the stretched canvass mural, though, and are selling those for $10 (70%+ off).

E-bay time!

It's funny how it worked this time... The resin statue which is by far the BEST licensed Oswald product was the cheapest to acquire online! Starting range between $3.99 (which is what I paid since I was the only bidder for my statue) and $7.95 all the way up to $50 and more.

Just got the statue in today for $13 (including shipping). Although I haven't taken it out of the box YET, I will to examine it and check out the paint job. In the meantime, the packaging window allows me to see a nicely posed and what looks like a high quality-level statue for a dirt-cheap price. Easily the nicest Disney figurine I've gotten.

I'm hoping someday to get a Mickey Mouse statue that is mid- to late-1930s design vintage before Disney ruined the character after what were arguably his best shorts ("Through the Looking Glass" and "The Brave Tailor"). Never did like how the character was humanized too much. Pie-eyed and solid pupil Mickey for me!

[Ben]

Pictures!

We must have pictures!

[GeorgeC]

The unfortunate reality, Ben, is that although I understand technology I lag a bit behind in the actual tech department!

I don't have A) a digital camera, B) a camcorder, C) a 5.1 sound system, D) a Quad or better computer, or a E) hi-def TV set!

I'm hoping to get two of these things in the next year, though!

However, I can definitely get access to A) next weekend and will post pictures if I can figure it out.

As for the resin statue itself, tons of them are being sold all over the Internet through e-Bay and other sites.

The statue was originally $34.95 US but was drastically marked down to clear Disney Store shelves. A darn shame, too, because it's a nice looking statue and better than many other statues of its kind that I've seen. The only bad painting on the statue I could see was on the bottom of the base and I could care less for bad swatches that I'm not going to see 99.99% of the time.

I really like this Oswald character design. It does remind me of Mickey Mouse at his best. Cute and pugnacious. Modern animation has lost the ability to do characters like this. Really, the best character designs I've seen are from the 1930s and 1940s.

Today was the first time I actually watched Oswald cartoons. I snuck peaks at two shorts on Youtube at work!

Not bad shorts, really...

EDIT:
Picture of the Resin Statue here --
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B0 ... e=&seller=

Click on the picture to get a pop-up window with a larger view of the statue.

[Ben]

Oh my gosh, that's lovely!

And going so cheap? When I get back I'll hunt on eBay for a decent one...and it was only $35 new!? Man that's nuts.

Thanks George...yes, very nice! I need more of these things!

[GeorgeC]

In one of the few recent instances I've bothered to read Cartoon Brew, there was mention of an online auction by Leslie Cabarga, author of "The Fleischer Story," of a bunch of animation memorabilia.

This includes items from Famous Studios, Disney, and Fleischer Studios. There are model sheets, original production drawings, and photostats from Popeye cartoons (theatrical series), Superman, Disney's Sleeping Beauty, and Felix the Cat drawings by Otto Messmer.

Some of the production drawings are actually fairly reasonable in price ($249). Others are typical of what you'd pay at a gallery ($800 and more). To each his own on what's reasonable pricing for animation art...

I don't have the cash for any of this and frankly nothing interested me.

Here's the URL for Cabarga's e-Bay store... http://stores.ebay.com/cablesj


Good luck selling this stuff, now! It's a LOUSY economy to try to sell expensive now! Collectibles aren't going for much right now. Buyers' market for sure (if you have the spare cash), not so good for sellers.

[Ben]

There are three or four things there that entice, one under $100 and the rest well over $500!

However, that's not the kind of money that I would want to hand out over eBay and risk losing the thing on delivery or having it damaged...and decent insurance and import customs fees would make any purchase prohibitive.

For the record, I'd be up for the Steamboat Willie art, the He Drew How He Pleased book, the Superman model sheet and the Popeye art.

Still needed to pick up The Fleischer Story book, and this wasn't going for much more than it would retail, so I've plonked down a "buy it now" on that.

[GeorgeC]

"The Fleischer Story" is a good book. It's among the first half-dozen animation history books I bought in the early 1990s. It's the best survey book on The Fleischer Studios that's ever been printed and has a good chapter or two on the bankruptcy and eventual takeover of the Fleischer Studios in 1942. The book is currently out-of-print.

The 1988 edition that Cabarga edition has for sale is definitely the one to get. Wish it had been printed in hardcover like the original 1976 version.

As for the rest of the stuff, I can't see buying a piece of "Mickey Art" that DOESN'T have Mickey Mouse in it.

The Felix piece is interesting, but unless you authenticate this stuff it does beg the question about its authenticity. I'm not doubting Cabarga has the "real deal," but there are so many scams that go on e-Bay!



EDIT: FORGET ABOUT WHAT I SAID ABOUT THE BOOK!

Just get the darn thing! I checked the Half.com and Amazon.com prices... Cabarga's price for a mint copy is steal! Some of the online jackals want $100+ for a trade paperback book! You're getting it for half that WITH the signature. That's a good deal in my Ebeneezer book!

This book IS out-of-print!

[droosan]

I've been looking for a decent copy of He Drew As He Pleased (at a decent price) for many, many years. Cabarga's copy is indeed better-preserved than some examples I've seen 'in-person' .. but I wouldn't pay anything close to his asking price for it (even so, it is just a little over half the price of the most expensive one I've yet seen).

It certainly would be nice if Applewood Books could get permission to craft a 'replica' edition of this book, similar to their 'Disney Sketchbook' series .. :idea:

---------------

Lots of great stuff for sale, otherwise -- I especially like that Terrytoons castle background painting -- but certainly nothing I 'need'; I shed most of my own animation production art collection five years ago (although I did keep a couple of very select pieces, which I doubt I'd ever part with).

Plus, GeorgeC is right; selling such 'high-end' art/collectibles -- especially on a grey-market vendor, like eBay -- is a bit foolhardy, in the current economy. None of these items is likely to fetch near what they might have, even one year ago.

Though, he makes a good point that The Fleischer Story is a great deal. I'd definitely consider it, if I didn't already have my own copy (which is likewise one of the first animation history books I'd bought, 'way back when).

[Ben]

Still needed to pick up The Fleischer Story book, and this wasn't going for much more than it would retail, so I've plonked down a "buy it now" on that.

As I mentioned above...I <I>did</I> actually buy it before I posted here!

Going through the auction items for my post, I did an impulse buy on the book. Rand's mentioned it to me several times, and I understood the value of it (I even held a copy of a hardback way back when I was too young to really appreciate or afford such things) and that it was indeed out of print, so seeing if for close to list price in mint condition was a no brainer.

I've been meaning pick it up somehow anyway but the high prices, as George found, and the lack of quality guarantee have kept me away. The best I found was a second hand copy for around the price listed on Carbarga's auction, so I figured that I'm not going to get it for much less than that and if the funds can go to the author, then that's a fair enough deal as well, especially, as you say, it will come signed (and with a Boop picture to boot).

I agree that selling/buying such stuff on eBay is a risk, but would hardly doubt Carbarga's legitimacy. There is some nice stuff there, but I'd just be so worried about having such expensive stuff trying to find its way over to me in the UK. As such, James has very kindly accepted for me to have the book sent to him for now...we'll arrange for it to be forwarded to me in the New Year because I didn't want it going missing in the festive mail...!

Thanks for the concern though George and Droo...book bought!

[Sunday]

This is the last thing on earth I expected to see from www.woot.com

It's good only for today and I'm sure this is right up the alley of some folks here, including as it does musical selections from 1928 through 1977.

Features:

* Original 1978 release, not a reissue or remaster
* Anthology of classic Disney art and music
* Music, dialogue, and sound effects from original Walt Disney motion picture soundtracks
* Compiled from famous Disney cartoons, classics, animated features, live action films, Disneyland, and Walt Disney world
* 52 page full color book includes a collection of authentic Disney art including original sketches, drawings, paintings, film stills and rare behind the scenes photographs
* Released in 1978 to commemorate Mickey Mouse's 50th birthday, Ovation Records collected the Music, Dialogue and Sound Effects from 37 Original Walt Disney Motion Picture Soundtracks and masterfully reprocessed them
* This special commemorative edition box set covers Disney’s career and the history of Walt Disney Productions with special emphasis on the music and the people who created it
* Reprocessed for stereo sound
* Written and produced by Dick Schory

Features the music from these Disney Film Classics:

Mickey Mouse Cartoons:

* 1928 Steamboat Willie
* 1929 Mickey’s Follies
* 1931 The Delivery Boy
* 1931 Blue Rhythm
* 1932 The Whoopee Party
* 1933 Building a Building
* 1933 Mickey’s Gala Premier
* 1934 The Orphans’ Benefit
* 1935 The Band Concert
* 1936 Mickey’s Grand Opera
* 1942 Symphony Hour

The Silly Symphonies:

* 1933 Three Little Pigs

The Early Animated Features:

* 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
* 1940 Pinocchio
* 1940 Fantasia
* 1941 Dumbo
* 1942 Bambi

Cartoon Classics of the ‘40’s:

* 1941 Reluctant Dragon
* 1943 Saludos Amigos
* 1945 The Three Caballeros
* 1946 Make Mine Music
* 1947 Fun and Fancy Free
* 1948 Melody Time

Animated Live Action:

* 1946 Song of the South

Animated Features of the 50’s:

* 1950 Cinderella
* 1953 Peter Pan
* 1955 Lady and the Tramp
* 1959 Sleeping Beauty

True Life Adventures:

* 1954 The Vanishing Prarie

Animated Features of the 60’s and 70’s

* 1961 One Hundred and One Dalmatians
* 1963 Sword in the Stone
* 1966 Winnie the Pooh
* 1967 Jungle Book
* 1973 Robin Hood
* 1977 The Rescuers

The Animated Live/Action Musicals:

* 1964 Mary Poppins
* 1977 Pete’s Dragon

Music of the Magic Kingdom

In the box:

* Four Long Playing Vinyl Records
* 52 Page Full-Color Book

[Ben]

As a vinyl soundtrack fan I am salivating...and at only $20!?

I am a little put off that these are not "OSTs" but actual final mixed tracks, with dialogue and sound effects mixed in just as we heard them in the films, but that's a heck of a nice box.

Only thing is...never heard of Woot and no idea on what it is/how it works. When you say it's good for today only, what does that mean?

Thanks...great find!

[Sunday]

^ Oh dear, sorry Ben, they don't ship outside the United States. Woot was one of the early "one deal a day" sites, updating with a single item every 24 hours which only sells during that period or until their stock runs out, whichever comes first. It's hit or miss but they have a tendency towards electronics and computer related items, mostly recertified but occasionally new. Prices usually range from good to very good and shipping is always a flat $5 USD.

[Ben]

My good friend (and site partner) James is often very glad to accept US-only mail items for me if push comes to shove, so that wouldn't have been a problem.

But you're saying that's gone now, never to be repeated?

[Sunday]

It's gone for now. Judging from these stats they sold out of a stock of 5999 at 11:50pm CST last night. Will this be back? Extremely doubtful.

However, given the pricing of most items on the site it's a known issue that a lot of buyers (wooters) purchase purely for the eBay/Craigslist turn-around so you will likely find multiple sets online in their original unopened state soon, albeit at a marked up price.