Stephen Ison - Inside Collector Magazine

Well-known Snow White collector Stephen Ison is featured in the December 1994 edition of The Inside Collector magazine. Learn more about Stephen and his collection in an earlier interview post.

Image scans generously provided by William Stillman.

Screen Guide Magazine - April 1938

The first few were pages here were published in the April 1938 Screen Guide magazine which featured Tyrone Power on the cover.

In his blog entries from May 21 and 23, 2009, collector Bob Cowan posted these pages. Here's what he wrote about the magazine's Photo Parade section which show the original voice actors next to their individual character:

It's my favorite because you can see the faces of those that were the voices in the movie AND you can see some of the similarities between the actors and the movie characters... NOTE: be sure and check out the photos of Pinto Colvig (more widely known as the voice of Goofy).

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BONUS PAGES: Bob also posted this one which originally appeared in another media publication prior to the release of the film in December 1937.

And this set of pages with illustrations that were to be used in the Harper & Brothers deluxe edition book, said to be released on December 1st of that year.

Page images via Cowan Collection: Animation and Comic Art

Mel Birnkrant's Snow White Carvings by Artist Charles Ponstingl

Mel Birnkrant first caught the collecting bug in the 1950s when he picked up a Mickey Mouse bank at a Paris flea market. Vintage Mickey Mouse toys (and other early comic characters) became his lifelong passion. His amassed collection is now legendary and has been written up in numerous newspapers and periodicals. The best place to see his finds, short of getting an invite to his home, is through his e-books at his website: melbirnkrant.com.

One of Mel's books, Carving the Comics, is dedicated entirely to his collection of artwork created by Charles Ponstingl. Charles was born in Allentown, PA during the mid 1930s. Yet, it wouldn't be until 1973 that he took up the art of carving. All his pieces are fashioned from wood and set in intricately designed shadow box scenes. Each is one-of-a-kind and patterned after early cartoon characters from his childhood.

Ponstingl placed his first few completed scenes on display at a local bank, but they garnered no interest from potential buyers. Still, over the next several years, he continued to carve. Then as chance would have it, our man Mel was introduced to the artwork through an antique dealer.The story of how Charles the artist and Mel the collector would bypass the middleman and finally meet in person is a good one and can be found in Birnkrant's online book. Their friendship blossomed as did the number of carvings.

From 1990-1995, Ponstingl added the Snow White gang to his catalogue of characters. Ten shadow boxes, one for each dwarf, the princess, witch and cottage. Measure about 4" deep.

All images copyrighted and beautifully photographed by Mel Birnkrant.

Birnkrant's impression of his artist friend's work...

What made these shadow boxes interesting to me was not so much the Seven Dwarfs, themselves, but the amazing creativity, variety, and consistency of the frames, and the situations Charles invented to put them in. Each one is different and unique. Although, they were carved years apart, the whole set fits together with an overriding unity.

In addition to the shadow boxes, Charles also created a large bas-relief, the design patterned after the original "cast portrait" sketch by Gustaf Tenggren.

Artist Charles Ponstingl in 2012, standing in front of his work collected by Mel Birnkrant.

Collector Mel Birnkrant.

Birnkrant's Mouse Heaven e-books can also be found at the Internet Archive, volumes 1, 2, and 3, plus volume 4 which is the complete Carving the Comics title. Special thanks to Major Pepperidge of Gorillas Don't Blog for the heads-up on these wonderful books.

Pierre Lambert's Blanche-Neige Book

You don't have to read French to enjoy the books by author Pierre Lambert. His series of titles on animation are packed with full-color plates of original production drawings, backgrounds paintings and cel set-ups. Lambert's earliest Disney titles, Pinocchio and Mickey Mouse, were printed first in France in his native language, then afterward into English. However, Blanche-Neige, was never translated. No need; it's stunning just as it is.

The artwork seen in Blanche-Neige came from the Walt Disney Animation Research Library and private collections around the world. Printed on high-quality paper, the book contains hundreds of exceptional photos, many never seen in print before.

It came in a slipcase and included a special sericel page of Snow White at the well, created from an original in the Stephen Ison collection. I read somewhere that only 3500 copies were available, with 250 being limited editions signed by the author and containing a foot of original 35mm film from Snow White.

Both the slipcase and the front cover display the same image of the cottage dance scene...

Hardcover image scans courtesy of Greg Philip of A Lost Film.

This original deluxe hardcover was published by Démons et Merveilles in the year 2000. ISBN: 978-2950781871. The retail price printed on book was ₣975 (French francs) or €148,64 (euros). Both prices were listed because, at the time, both currencies were accepted. France has since dropped francs. Total number of pages: 245+.

The sericel appeared on page 5. Snow White, the pillar, and doves lay over the top of the background.

The hardcover version included several fold-out pages too. It also came with a bookmark which promoted a commemorative set of three Snow White lithographs and a collection of two resin figures.

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Nine years later in 2009, Blanche-Neige was republished as a softcover by Editions de la Martinière. ISBN: 978-2732439440. Retail €38,00. While the book is basically the same as the hardcover, it's not identical. The total number of pages is less at 240, the sericel setup is not included, and there are no fold-outs or bookmarks.


The softcover has a different front cover image...

Front flap author bio + Table of Contents page...

There are only so many pieces of original Snow White production art to go around. So after all these years, you wouldn't think there'd still be any "fresh" images to see. Yet, Pierre Lambert comes through. Here's just a sampling.

A red-headed Snow gathering wildflowers...

Dark forest background...

Cottage cleanup...

Sleepy-time Snow...

A last vain attempt...

Off they go...

Softcover ISBN page and rear cover...

Text and illustrations copyright Disney/Pierre Lambert.

Both the quality and quantity of images found within this book are unparalleled. For the serious Snow White enthusiast, Pierre Lambert's Blanche-Neige is a must. It can still be purchased through online resellers in France and elsewhere.

Jim Korkis New Articles & Books

Disney historian and best-selling author Jim Korkis is back at it with more great little-known anecdotes and unofficial stories from Disney's past. His authoritative but friendly and accessible style make for enjoyable reading.

Over the past couple months, Jim has released several Snow White-related articles including one on the evolution of the Disney princess, published December 21, 2012 (the 75th anniversary) in the UK-based tabloid The Sun. Read Fairest to Feminist.

 Image via The Sun.

The piece was greatly expanded and posted on MousePlanet earlier this month. Read Evolution of the Disney Princess.

Then just a few days ago, MousePlanet uploaded Debunking Disney Stories, a piece in which Jim does just that. It includes an interesting segment on the Disneyland statues from Snow White's Grotto.


The big news is the release of Jim's new book, Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South? It's the first definitive account of the Disney film, its history, its production, and the controversy that still surrounds it today. In addition, his 2010 title The Vault of Walt has now been completely revised with a major overhaul and five brand-new stories.

Both books are now available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble...

Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South?
Amazon or B&N

The Revised Vault of Walt
Amazon or B&N


Some good reads await!