Ub Iwerks' Secretary's Copy of "The Art of Animation"
Autographed by Walt Disney, Ub Iwerks,
and a Dozen More Legendary Disney Artists

 Bob Thomas' terrific 1958 book about the Disney Studio- THE ART OF ANIMATION- with 13 important Disney Studio signatures including Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks!  The book follows the complete process of the making of Walt Disney's SLEEPING BEAUTY.  14 autographs in all (Ward Kimball has signed twice).   

This very special volume of The Art of Animation belonged to Ub Iwerks' secretary Virginia Sommerfield.  Ms. Sommerfield was a Disney Studios employee beginning in 1945.  She is quoted in Leslie Iwerks' book "The Hand Behind the Mouse" on pages 167,181 & 202.  Walt Disney has boldly autographed the book to Ub Iwerks' secretary with a HUGE signature:

To Virginia  My Best  Walt Disney
 

The book also includes Ub Iwerks very rare autograph above his photo on page 126.  I can't recall offering his autograph for sale more than twice in 30 years!  Ub Iwerks was an American animator, cartoonist, character designer, inventor, and special effects technician.  Iwerks joined Disney as chief animator on the Laugh-O-Gram shorts series beginning in 1922, but a studio bankruptcy would cause Disney to relocate to Los Angeles in 1923. In the new studio, Iwerks continued to work with Disney on the Alice Comedies as well as the creation of the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit character. One of Iwerks' most long-lasting contributions to animation was a refined version of a sketch drawn by Disney that would later go on to become Mickey Mouse. Iwerks went on to do much of the animation for the early Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony cartoons, including Steamboat Willie, The Skeleton Dance and The Haunted House, before parting with Disney in January 1930.  Iwerks returned to Disney in 1940, working mainly on developing special visual effects. He is credited as developing the processes for combining live-action and animation used in Song of the South (1946), as well as the xerographic process adapted for cel animation, which was used in 101 Dalmatians (1961).  Iwerks won an Academy Award for inventing the multihead optical printer for creating special effects.  He also worked at WED Enterprises, now Walt Disney Imagineering, helping to develop many Disney theme park attractions during the 1960s. Iwerks did special effects work outside the studio as well, including the birds for his Academy Award nominated achievement for Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963). Iwerks' last credit for Disney was for perfecting the traveling matte system for the Mary Poppins sequence "Feed the Birds."

The book measures 8.5" x 11.25" and is in very fine condition, including the original dust jacket.  Inside the cover Ms. Sommerfield has written "The Sommerfields 5121 Maryland St. La Crescenta, Calif. Xmas 1958."  The book includes a custom made red slipcase with its title embossed in gold on the spine.  This book has is double authenticated; it includes the JSA notarized Authenticity Certificate, and also the Phil Sears Collectibles Lifetime Guarantee of Authenticity.  An extremely rare find!  Item # 7087 
SORRY, SOLD
 

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