Walt Disney: the Art of Animation.

Notes

First edition, first printing. Inscribed by Walt Disney on the verso of the front free endpaper, "To Vita Best Wishes Walt Disney." Additionally it is inscribed by Roy Disney and contains the signatures of more than 100 other people in the Walt Disney Studio, including seven of "The Nine Old Men" who were the key animators of the studio, this copy with the signatures of Eric Larson, Frank Thomas, Milt Kahl, Ollie Johnston, Marc Davis, and Woolie Reitherman. The signatures range from the studio nurse to directors of animation. This book seems to have been given as a retirement/going away gift from the studio to Vita Victoria, whom worked in the ink and paint department, which was at the time where the majority of females worked in animation, some artists refereed to it as the "Finishing School" of hand drawn animation. The paint and ink department was responsible for transferring drawings onto celluloids and giving them colour before being sent off to be photographed. A wonderful title which illustrates the family atmosphere the studio was noted for. Truly an exceptional Disneyana piece.