We Made Some Ink! Washingtonian Magazine July 2022

Being residents of the greater DMV (that's DC, Maryland, Virginia for those not in the know), the Washingtonian is our version of New York Magazine or Los Angeles Magazine, with features on local interest, published monthly.  And this month has a one-page feature on the Alice collection, only 6 years in the making!  Pictures below of the cover and our single page, and then an annotated page.

In the photo below, the numbered its are:

1. Regal Mad Hatter Teapot
2. Gund Queen of Hearts Vinylite Stuffed Toy
3. Regal White Rabbit Creamer
4. Zaccagnini (Italy) Cheshire Cat Figure
5. Disneyland White Rabbit Press/VIP Gift from 1984 Attraction Re-Opening
6. Neevel Doll Wardrobe Case
7. Lars (Italy) Bill the Lizard Stuffed Toy
8. 1970s Disneyland Child's Sunglasses
9. National Leather Mfg Co Schoolbag
10. Madame Alexander Doll
11. Larceram (France) Lamp
12. Chad Valley (England) Nursery Play-Toy Tin Stacking Blocks
13. Unknown Tweedledee/dum String Holder (likely unlicensed)
14. Enesco Head Vase
15. Sni-Dor (Canada) Record Player
16. Goebel (Germany) Dodo Smoker Ashtray
17. Unknown (England) Meal Time Dish Set
18. Hassenfeld Bros (Hasbro) Nurse Kit
19. Linemar Mad Hatter's Sky-View Taxi Tin Friction Toy
20. US Time Watch in Teacup Box

Zaccagnini First Draft Complete

 I just completed the first draft of one of the most difficult sections in the ceramics chapter, that for Zaccagnini.  Not counting the years it has taken me to acquire all the various information and references, I've spent hours just to create 2000 words.  Gotta pick up speed...

Zaccagnini Cheshire Cat Redux - I Love the Internet!

Some of you may remember a few years ago I unsuccessfully attempted to purchase a Zaccagnini Cheshire Cat on eBay.  The auction gods did not smile on me that day, but lo' and behold:  this past June the internet gods (far more powerful) did smile upon me, and now this guy is safely ensconced here in the Tulgey Wood.  And there was much rejoicing.

This reduces the number of known figures not in the collection to two:  the Queen of Hearts and the Walrus.  Hint, hint.

Zaccagnini Queen of Hearts - I just missed it :-(

This just in from my network of spies, a sighting of the Zaccagnini Queen of Hearts - sadly by the time I found out about it, it was already sold, but at last a full color image of it!

UPDATE:  The original seller of this example was kind enough to send me a VERY nice image.  Enjoy!

2013 Year in Review

This year was a sporadic one for the blog, but we covered some interesting topics.  The majority of the year was spent on animation art, in particular animation drawings. I even tried my hand at a little animation myself :-)

We also looked at a variety of Italian movie posters

A new Zaccagnini discovery

Some David Hall storyboards

A few cels

And who could forget the Vinyl Aprons!

A variety of trading cards from around the world

Some really cool dolls

And some early attraction tickets

And last but not least, some really big leaves!

I wish every one of my faithful readers a safe and prosperous new year.  See you in 2014!

Zaccagnini Dodo

And the hits just keep on comin'!  Take a look at this bad boy, a Zaccagnini Dodo!

I seem to say this a lot, but who knew this existed?  And he's huge, almost 9 inches tall!

And best of all, he still retains his original sticker on the base.

I don't think I'll ever know exactly how many characters were made by Zaccagnini, but it sure is fun finding new ones!

Goodbye 2012 - The Year in Review

It's been quite the topsy-turvy year for us here at the Vintage Disney Alice blog.  The real world made itself know in several ways.  There was work, travel, illness, and of course new acquisition!  Here is a sampling of what we saw this year.

Mickey Mouse Weekly issues from England

Zaccagnini figures from Italy

The Final Four Goebel figures

and lots of David Hall story art (just a little more to come)

and a few other odds and ends.  I hope to be a little more regular in my posting in 2013.  Wishing all my faithful readers a prosperous new year.

Zaccagnini Accordian Owl - Who Knew This Existed?!

OMG (to use the vernacular), who in the world knew this existed?  A Zaccagnini of the Accordian Owl, one of the MANY Tulgey Wood creatures from the Disney film.  Amazing!

I could not believe my eyes when this crossed my path, so of course I had to share it with you, my faithful readers!

The mind reels at the potential scope of the full Z set for Alice.  Even a cursory count yields 40 characters, and that doesn't even touch the denizens of the Garden of Live Flowers!

Zaccagnini White Rabbit in the House!

Ok, I know I said that I wouldn't be posting again until after I returned from Scotland, but I just couldn't resist.  This just arrived today, and I'm way too excited to wait.

And it only took 3 1/2 years from the time I first learned of its existence - and two failed auction attempts - before this little guy came home.  He is by far the smallest Zaccagnini I've seen so far, just over 5 inches tall. Little Italy continues to grow! Six down, four to go (that I know of)!

Zaccagnini Queen of Hearts

I have recently been made aware of another Zaccagnini figure, the Queen of Hearts. I have not seen one in person, but a reader forwarded this black and white photo of the Queen. Given the size of the King, she must be HUGE!

Zaccagnini Cheshire Cat Clapping Version

Although the past two years have been banner ones for me in the Zaccagnini acquisition domain, lately I just can't seem to win.  Hence, a new Zaccagnini figure from Alice in Wonderland has been spotted, but not acquired by me, 'natch.  Yet another Cheshire Cat.  This figure is quite different from the other two previously posted, it lends credence to a suspicion that I have regarding Zaccagnini figures.

I begin to think there were two different Zaccagnini series, done at different times.  Over the years I've been collecting images of any Zaccagnini figures that I could find, and there definitely seem to be variations in style.  It is especially noticeable in some of the Mickey, Donald, and Pluto figures.

The first two Plutos have all the characteristics of 'first series' figures, while the third Pluto falls into the 'second series' category.  All three are Zaccagnini.  Notice also that there are at least 3 Plutos (there may be more), so it is not odd that there would be multiple different figures of the same character.  Just look at Goebel for examples of that gone to the extreme.

So perhaps this clapping Cheshire Cat figure, which has 'first series' characteristics, is from an earlier series, and the other Cats, which seem to fit the 'second series' characteristics, are from a later period.  Either that, or there were multiple sculptors at work?  Since next to nothing is known about Zaccagnini anyway (at least by me), all of this is pure conjecture on my part.  Perhaps one day someone in Italy will be able to write the definitive text on the subject.
I am convinced that all are indeed Zaccagnini, as all have the distinctive mark on the base and have a similar weight, size and feel.  Also, even though the 'second series' figures are different, they are still extremely well modeled and appear to be very much production quality, so not handmade knockoffs.

UPDATE:  Brian pointed out that our friend is not really clapping, merely preparing to dive off his branch into invisibility upon his first encounter with Alice.  Alice has just asked him where she should go, and that it doesn't matter where, and his reply is "then it doesn't really matter which way you go!"

Zaccagnini Caterpillar

If there was ever a figure I absolutely needed to have, it is this one. The caterpillar is by far my favorite character from Alice, and this Zaccagnini figure is truly spectacular.

This guy is full of great details, like the curly toed shoes, his hand poised to grasp the Hooka, and the look on his face just says "Who R U?"

Little Italy continues to expand.

Zaccagnini Cheshire Cat - Sitting

And so again I have discovered another Zaccagnini figure, for which I was underbidder. Here's hoping I can make one more trip to the duplicate Zaccagnini Karma well. At least my bank account remains intact!

This sitting version of the Cheshire Cat is obviously different from the previous version I blogged about here, since he is sitting (thank you Capt. Obvious). While it is not unheard of for Zaccagnini to have made different figures of the same character, it is unusual. Here's hoping that they weren't like Goebel, I'd hate to find out there were 67 different figures made for Alice like Goebel did for Bambi!

But, I did make another Z score recently, stay tuned tomorrow!

Zaccagnini Mad Hatter

Fan-freakin-tastic, just off the boat from Italy comes this Zaccagnini Mad Hatter to pair with the March Hare from earlier this year!


Love the cup of tea with his pinky in the air, and he's definitely spiking it based on his crazy eyes!

Zaccagnini March Hare

Wow, this has been a banner year for Zaccagnini figures from Alice. In one year alone, I've now seen three figures I never knew existed before! Who knows what the future may hold.

I can't tell you how excited I was to acquire this figure. It completely captures the zany quality of the March Hare from the film, I especially love the crossed eyes.


Oh, and thanks to Matterhorn1959 for your prophetic words on my Cheshire Cat post, another did indeed come my way and now happily resides in my display case, in what I like to call Little Italy.

If I find any more, I'm gonna need a new case!

Zaccagnini Cheshire Cat - Missed it by That Much

Just last week I discovered the existence of another Zaccagnini figure (and was of course the underbidder, thank you very much), the Cheshire Cat. I may never get one, but I have its picture now.


UPDATE: Matterhorn1959, thanks to your good Karma in your comment, I now have this figure! Woohoo!