LOT #17111 |
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The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad RARE J. Thaddeus Toad Early Character Development Maquette (Walt Disney, c. 194...
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Sold on Dec 13, 2025 for:
$4,800.00
Bid Source: HA.com/Live bidder
Description
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad RARE J. Thaddeus Toad Early Character Development Maquette (Walt Disney, c. 1940s/49). "Eghad!" From the preliminary development of what would later become his segment of Disney's 1949 package film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, the unequivocal J. Thaddeus Toad, Esquire is presented as a hand-painted early character development maquette. Walt initially sought to adapt Kenneth Grahame's 1908 children's novel The Wind in the Willows as its own feature length film with preproduction development beginning around 1940. This distinctly more amphibian styled model is reminiscent of Mr. Toad's depiction in similarly early concept art by story artist Homer Brightman, with all but his dapper attire significantly revised by the time the package film debuted. Likely created in Joe Grant's legendary Character Model Department, maquettes like this one are used to ensure consistency throughout a production with new versions produced as character models become updated over time. Mr. Toad measures approximately 7" tall with a width and depth of 5" x 4.5", masterfully hand-painted down to the polka dots on his tie. Walt would personally shelve this first adaptation of The Wind in the Willows as a feature film in late 1941 for a myriad of reasons, subsequently bringing it back under the direction of Disney Legends Jim Algar and Frank Thomas only to shelve it a second time around August 1946, before finally greenlighting a condensed version to accompany Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad which theatrically debuted on October 5, 1949. With typical handling and edge wear including some professional restoration to a break on his right hand/cigar as well as small areas of restored paint, small unrestored chips, and faint surface wear/debris, this toad-ly unique and incredibly rare maquette is in Fair to Good condition.Auction Info
2025 December 12 - 15 The Art of Disney Signature® Auction #7408 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
December, 2025
12th-15th
Friday-Monday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 17
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 371
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
20% of the successful bid per lot.
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