Founded by Clark W. Bryan, Good Housekeeping hit newsstands on May 2, 1885, and by 1911 it had already achieved a circulation of 300,000. During the mid-1920s, after being purchased by the Hearst Corporation, Good Housekeeping topped one million and continued to rise. In the debut issue, Bryan wrote that the brand’s mission would be “about equal proportions of public duty and private interest.” 

Across 134 years, Good Housekeeping has produced over 1,200 editions with articles about women’s interests, product testing, recipes, diet, and health, as well as literary articles. Throughout the magazine’s history, many famous writers have contributed articles, including Somerset Maugham, Edwin Markham, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Frances Parkinson Keyes, A.J. Cronin, Virginia Woolf, and Evelyn Waugh. 

Beginning in 1934 and running through 1944, Good Housekeeping adapted many works by Disney into poems and proses. This included such cartoons as Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphonies, and Donald Duck as well as feature films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Bambi and Saludos Amigos. Many of Disney’s pieces for Good Housekeeping were one-or two-page versions of these animated shorts and films. 

Between 1934 and 1941, artist Tom Wood created several text comic adaptations of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Silly Symphonies cartoons for Good Housekeeping. This included The Grasshopper and the Ants, The Wise Little Hen, The Band Concert, Mickey’s Fire Brigade, Mickey’s Rival, Mickey’s Elephant, Donald’s Ostrich, Clock Cleaners, Donald’s Golf Game, Donald’s Cousin Gus, Donald’s Lucky Day and The Tortoise and the Hare. Although Wood passed away in 1940, his beautifully illustrated work remains highly coveted among Disney collectors to this day. 

Did you know such a collectible piece is currently being offered in Hake’s Auction #229? The fully painted original art depicts the Silly Symphony cartoon The Tortoise And The Hare, featured in the October 1934 issue of Good Housekeeping. The art is done in five panels and sees Toby Tortoise and Max Hare lined up at the starting line before Max races off and leaves Toby in the dust. 

Subsequent panels show Max getting distracted by “Miss Cottontail’s Boarding School” bunnies, allowing Toby to beat Max to the finish line – proving slow and steady wins the race. The historic Disney art comes professionally matted and framed in an attractive gold wood frame.

Bidding on this exceptional art, as well as the countless other lots being offered, closes on March 11-12, 2020. Head over to hakes.com to get started today.