Everyone knows Donald Duck. Most people recognize his girlfriend Daisy. But not many people are aware that Daisy wasn’t called Daisy at first. Much like Goofy was first called Dippy Dawg, Daisy’s name was later changed. 

Donald Duck received his first starring role in the 1937 cartoon Don Donald, which had the rascally quacker attempting to woo his love, Donna. That’s right – Donna. While there are arguments as to whether this is Daisy’s first appearance or a completely different character, most regard this cartoon as Daisy’s debut. But what’s the connection between this cartoon and Good Housekeeping magazine? Read on, dear reader!

Good Housekeeping magazine started in May 1885 and is still published by the Hearst Corporation. While not readily associated with Disney these days, in the 1930s and ‘40s, this magazine contained a very important piece of the Disney story. From April 1934 to September 1944, Walt Disney, in arrangement with Good Housekeeping, produced one-page adaptations to be printed in Good Housekeeping to promote their animated shorts, which is detailed in Gemstone Publishing’s book Walt Disney’s Mickey And The Gang – Classic Stories In Verse. The beautiful, fully painted art was done by either Tom Wood or Hank Porter over this ten year span, resulting in more than 100 gorgeous prose adaptations of Silly Symphonies and classic Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck animated shorts.

In current Hake’s Americana & Collectibles, a division of Geppi’s Entertainment, auction, they are offering an original piece of art for one of these features. Appearing in the January 1937 issue, Don Donald features both Donald Duck in his first starring cartoon role as well as the first appearance of Donna Duck, Donald’s girlfriend who would eventually become Daisy Duck. The art is presented in five panels, the first showing Donald arriving on Basil the burro, playing guitar and presenting Donna with a flowering cactus. The second panel shows Donald bowing with his sombrero off, a ladder at Basil’s side so Donna could mount the burro with ease. The third panel shows a typically angry Donald pushing a stubborn Basil, much to Donna’s chagrin. The last panel strays from the plot of the cartoon as Donald serenades Donna, who remains atop Basil as he plods forward, chasing after an ear of corn Donald has suspended over his head.   

For more information on this piece click here. To peruse the remaining 2,500 plus items in Hake’s September auction, visit their website, www.hakes.com. The auction is now online and closes September 2-4, 2008. Don’t miss out on your chance to own this beautiful piece of art, an important early appearance of the character that would go on to become Daisy Duck.