Q: I have a very odd piece in my collection, and I have no idea where it came from. It’s a hand-carved statue of Happy, and when I bought it 30 some years ago, I thought it might have been one of the maquettes used for Snow White. He’s a little too large for that; on his stand he’s about two feet tall. He has a conductor’s baton in one hand, and there is a cutout in the back with a lever that could have been once run by a simple motor. My best guess is that he was part of a display somewhere long ago, but the level of craftsmanship makes me think it was Disney-made. I’d love to bring him to the Archives and have your staff make a guess. Perhaps he was part of the display at the Carthay Circle in 1937? I have no clue?
Andrew, Riverside, California
A: Your guess is probably correct in thinking window displays; Disney had licensees who made displays for department store windows. I am not aware of any mechanical figures at the Carthay Circle Theater in 1937. You can contact the Archives at Disney.archives@disney.com.
Dave Smith