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A superb original production cel of Captain Hook, used in the making of Disney's Peter Pan. Here we see him in the aftermath of his rant about Peter Pan and the ever-persistent crocodile.
Moments earlier, Hook furiously exclaims that Pan "chopped off my hand and threw it to that crocodile, who's followed me ever since, licking his chops for the rest of me!" Smee, ever the loyal (if bumbling) first mate, reassures him they'll hear the crocodile coming because "he swallowed a clock!"
As inevitably, the fateful tick-tock grows louder, panic sets in! Smee eventually shoos the creature away and tries to calm his trembling captain. "Just relax," he insists, "what you need. . . is a shave. A nice, soothing shave." This hand-painted production cel captures that fleeting moment of uneasy calm before the next burst of comic chaos.
Captain Hook remains one of Disney's greatest villains, a creation of flamboyant menace and operatic humour. Animated by Frank Thomas, one of Disney's legendary Nine Old Men, Hook is a masterclass in expressive character animation; arrogant yet cowardly, fierce yet farcically human.
The cel is paired with a hand-painted presentation background and accompanied by the original Walt Disney Productions certificate, issued through the studio's 1950s original art release programme. These setups marked Disney's early recognition of animation art as collectible fine art.
A stunning, characterful piece capturing the comic tension and craftsmanship that define Disney's Golden Age. Dimensions: 47 cm x 44.5 cm x 1.5 cm (18.5" x 17.5" x 0.5")
Sold without copyright; see copyright notice in the Terms and Conditions.
Estimate: £1,400 - 2,800 US
View all lots from PETER PAN (1953)