I've been wanting to post my latest acquisitions for some time, but in purchase order. The piece I bought immediately after this has a major problem which I've had to address rather slowly. It's nearly ready for me to put the last words to the story (COVID lockdown is preventing me from taking the last step), but until then I may as well start:
I bought this from a seller who had recently advertised it on eBay. We haggled for price, and he tried to push some of his other pieces, in which I had little interest.
I chose this piece as it differentiates from the other cels in the shot by her eye lids, which are shifting in order to blink. While this frame doesn't ruin the look on her face, subsequent frames (three frames in total to complete her blink) aren't particularly desirable. Additionally, the slight close of her lids softens her expression from the otherwise wide-eyed surprise she shows when her voice returns to her, making this frame distinct among its peers.
I love this scene, as it builds up dramatically to the final climax. As a child, I found the concept of Ariel losing then regaining her voice captivating; the magical energy that visually depicts her voice was, I feel, a clever design choice (a sensible departure from the original, where she had her tongue cut out). In the process of writing this post, I've learned that singing using vowels instead of words, such as in this case, with Ariel's "Ah-Ah-AH!", is called a Vocalise(n).
This piece was previously sold through Hertiage Auctions in 2015 for about $1500. They also have a better photo of it:
This piece cost $1614, including shipping within continental US. The purchase date is 12 April 2018. Seal (naturally), unframed (but matted by ArtInsights), and I don't think it came with a COA.
Hi there. As a fellow collector, what are some questions I should be asking before I purchase from private sellers? I ask the basics, but am I missing anything? Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I have had to start asking, which I previously never thought I'd have to, is "Is there any damage to the cel, including line art and paint, and including any restoration attempts?" This is something that has plagued me with an acquisition a few years ago (the next cel I'll post up), because up until that point, I'd never seen a cel from The Little Mermaid that had been damaged. I have since found several, which is unfortunate, and not something that I thought I would have to deal with, as cels were considered valuable by the time this film was released.
DeleteAnother question is "Who framed the cel?", if the cel is framed, because in the same breath I learned about one dealer in particular who framed his cels very poorly, and anything that has been framed by him will need to be reframed (and potentially cleaned by a conservation specialist).
In the case of this cel, I probably should have asked if it is in the same condition as when it was purchased as, according to the HA listing, it was framed when he purchased it, which I didn't know at the time, and didn't think to ask.
I understand. I recently purchased a little mermaid cel and I noticed a fine line going across her face (hardly noticeable). Thankfully, the cel was undreamed so I gently looked at the back and I could see the same line in the paint on the backside of the cel. Not sure if that’s considered damage by the experts, but it was to me. I returned it. That was my first experience with a cel I considered to be damaged.
ReplyDeleteGosh, that's upsetting to hear. If you have any photos, I'd love to see them please!
ReplyDelete