The Hobbit Rare Gandalf Production
Gandalf calls upon the eagles for aid in this magnificent hand-painted original production cel from the ambitious Rankin-Bass animated film The Hobbit, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved novel of the same name. An exceptionally rare find, this cel from the acclaimed adaptation is displayed on its original Key Master production background, rendered in gouache on board. The Hobbit was famously animated by the prolific Topcraft studio in Japan, which would eventually split into Pacific Animation and the renowned Studio Ghibli in 1985. Backgrounds of The Hobbit are credited to Hidetoshi Kaneko and Minoru Nishida. Key Master setups from the film hardly ever come to market. In addition, this lot includes the matching original storyboard drawings for the scene, rendered masterfully in ink and artist marker on 14" x 10" bond paper by the great anime director Takashi Hisaoka (Queen Millennia, Mazinger Z). Showcasing the power of storyboarding for translating text to a visual medium, this Key Master setup perfectly matches the image seen in the storyboard drawings. A highly coveted matching set featuring the development artwork and final artwork of the film, this lot is a must-have for any fan of animation and the imaginative fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien. The Key Master setup has been trimmed to 10" x 8", and otherwise shows minor handling and edge wear with some surface scuffing and tape on edges. The storyboard art shows minor handling and edge wear with light age-related toning. The condition overall is Very Good.