The 1936 Italian Disney Silly Symphonies Series titled “ Collezionisti Figurine Premio Topolino Elah” or for most collector’s simply “Topolino Elah” is a long highly sought after and popular series from Italy that was issued at the time as part of a campaign partnership between Disney & numerous vendors and participating manufacturers that lead to a nationwide contest thru out Italy. This campaign of sorts created public excitement as consumers hunted and traded with friends and loved ones these early premium inserts that could be used towards great sponsor prizes.
This prove quite a challenge for collectors as they had to assemble a complete collection of all 100 cards in the series just to qualify for a basic sponsor prize. Top prizes in this contest required collectors to submit 200 complete sets, a feat in itself. Even in 1936 it was well known and published that some cards were limited in quantity further challenging prize hopeful hunters. These same cards command a significant premium with collectors today, with the key card, #41 La Donna Fatale” card being the rarest and most sought after. The redemption multiplier to obtain this rare issue has been said to be 100 to 1. Further research on this rare series has indicated that only 2-3 complete sets exist today in all of Italy, why this can’t be substantiated 100% it’s fair to say locating this rare card would be comparable to searching for a needle in a haystack.
Popular collector consensus is that current market research has outlined certain key issues that also consistently command a premium amount above and beyond the regular cards from this series though not as high as the elusive card #41. There are other facets to price that also play a role in resale value of these early Disney cards, that of condition. While there will be pockets of time during the year when private collectors will offer such cards from their collections, more than not there will be a larger percentage of times when the cards are issues with back damage or glue stains from being previously removed from a collector album. As such finding cards in their original condition unglued with strong corners, white to off white borders and bold text is very challenging to say the least.
Of all the Pre-War series that came out during this time period, this set, at least for me has a special distinction from the rest. Unlike the early series that had a tendency to be small issues in the 5-25 card range, this series was a whopping 100 cards. But this isn’t the reason for its special place in my personal “Top 10 Picks” list. The set is unique in that it encompasses the essence of everything that was great at the time from the House of Disney. It provided a A-Z type feel for almost all of Disney stable of characters, not just the major players like Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto. It also showcased many of the feature short films stars that Disney produced during the early years leading up to 1936. The list below, while not complete, offers a glimpse of each cards historical importance as it relates to the feature film it referenced via the color pictures that were wonderfully reproduced on each card of such classic characters as The Three Little Pigs, The Pig Bad Wolf, The Wise Little Hen, the Tortoise and the Hare, as well as Classic famous short stories like “Who Killed Cock Robin” to name a few .
It should be noted that the 1934 Short Disney Film “The Wise Little Hen” based on the fairy tale “The Little Red Hen” marked the debut of Donald Duck. Donald and his friend Peter Pig try to avoid work by faking stomach aches until Mrs. Hen teaches them the value of good old fashion hard work.
The set had one other interesting side note in that it also showcased many of the early Hollywood stars of that time period in its series. I think you’ll agree that no other card offers this type of homage to all that made Disney great like the series “Topolino Elah”. With so many of these cards being returned for premiums and ultimately destroyed, few exist today, especially in high grade. Its been said that within all of Italy only a few handful of complete sets with the ultra-rare card #41 exist today.
Typical prices as seen at private auctions and online internet sites like Ebay show semi complete albums with 90-95% of the cards glued within them going for upwards of 800 Euros. It should be noted that in these instances none of these offers include many of the key cards that complete this rare series. It should also be noted that none of these offers ever include an original collection of unglued original state mid to high grade examples in their offerings. A set like this would be valued easily at over 3,000.00 dollars and that would still be missing most of the key cards that make up this elusive collection. I’ll have a follow-up article on the rare issues from this series for those that want to know more about this great Pre-War Collection.
Here is a very rare original wrapper envelope in which these cards would have been distributed in.
This particular issue was sponsored by the Chocolate Manufacturer Pernigotti.
Movie Star Cameo Appearances
Some cards highlight famous Movie star cameo appearances by such stars as: 34 May West, 41 Greta Garbo, 42 W.C. Fields, 71 W.C. Fields, 87 Clark Cable, 88 Laurel & Hardy
1936 Topolino Elah Premio
[FigurinesMovie Shorts – Reference]
The Silly Symphonies were a series of animated short subjects produced by Walt Disney Productions. A total of 75 shorts were made between 1929 and 1939 while the studio was located at Hyperion Avenue in the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles. Unlike the Mickey Mouse series, to which it is a sister series, Silly Symphonies did not usually feature continuing characters (an exception being the Three Little Pigs which had three sequels to their first cartoon) and as such were unique in their own way. Donald Duck got his start in a Silly Symphonies cartoon (The Wise Little Hen, 1934), and Pluto’s first appearance without Mickey Mouse was also in a Silly Symphonies cartoon (Just Dogs, 1932). Characters such as Donald Duck were separated from the Silly Symphonies group to have their own cartoon series.
Card# |
Comments |
Movie Referenced |
1 – Topolino | Disney Key Character | |
2 – Topolina | Disney Key Character | |
3 – Pluto | Disney Key Character | |
4 – Clarabella | Disney Support Character | |
5 – Orazio | Disney Support Character | |
6 – Tommi | Silly Symphonies Character | 1933 The Three Little Pigs |
7 – Timmi | Silly Symphonies Character | 1933 The Three Little Pigs |
8 – Gimmi | Silly Symphonies Character | 1933 The Three Little Pigs |
9 – IL Lupo Mannaro | Silly Symphonies Character | 1933 The Three Little Pigs |
10 – Paolino | Silly Symphonies Character | 1934 The Wise Little Hen |
11 – Goffo | Disney Key Character | |
12 – IL Feroce Gamba di Legno | Silly Symphonies Character | 1934 Shanghaied |
13 – Tobia Tartaruga | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 The Tortoise & The Hare |
14 – Max Leprotto | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 The Tortoise & The Hare |
15 – La Cicala | Silly Symphonies Character | 1934 The Grasshopper and the Ants |
16 – Fuffo | Silly Symphonies Character | 1936 Elmer Elephant |
17 – Ippo | Silly Symphonies Character | |
18 – IL Gigante | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1933 Giantland |
19 – IL Fannullone | Silly Symphonies Character | 1934 The Wise Little Hen |
20 – IL Signor Centopiedi | Silly Symphonies Character | |
21 – La Chioccia | Silly Symphonies Character | 1934 The Wise Little Hen |
22 – IL Canguro | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 Mickey’s Kangaroo |
23 – I Tre Lupetti | Silly Symphonies Character | 1936 Three Little Wolves |
24 – Micetto | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 The Robber Kitten |
25 – IL Brigante Bill | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 The Robber Kitten |
26 – IL Direttore | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1935 The Band Concert |
27 – IL Capobanda | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1935 The Band Concert |
28 – IL Suonatore di Tromba | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1935 The Band Concert |
29 – La Suonatrice di Flauto | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1935 The Band Concert |
30 – IL Suonatore di Trombone | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1935 The Band Concert |
31 – IL Suonatore di Jazz | ||
32 – IL Tenore di Forza | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1936 Mickey’s Grand Opera |
33 – La Soprano Assoluto | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1936 Mickey’s Grand Opera |
34 – IL Violino Tzigano | Silly Symphonies Character | 1934 The Grasshopper and the Ants |
35 – IL Trovatore | ||
36 – GL’ Innamorati | Silly Symphonies Character | 1936 Elmer Elephant |
37 – L’Allenatore | Silly Symphonies Character | 1936 Toby Tortoise Returns |
38 – IL Padrone di Casa | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1936 Moving Day |
39 – IL Telefono Animato | ||
40 – L’Ammaliatore | ||
41 – La Donna Fatale | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1933 Mickey’s Gala Premiere |
42 – IL Sarto Alla Moda | ||
43 – IL Vigile Urbano | ||
44 – IL Rivale | ||
45 – IL Dentista | Silly Symphonies Character | 1933 The Mad Doctor |
46 – I Lottatori | 1936 Elmer Elephant | 1936 Elmer Elephant |
47 – La Macchina Per Punire I Cattivi | ||
48 – IL Pescatore | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1935 On Ice |
49 – IL Campione | Silly Symphonies Character | 1936 Toby Tortoise Returns |
50 – I Soldati di Piombo | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 Broken Toys |
51 – Figurine di Bisquit | Silly Symphonies Character | 1934 The China Shop |
52 – IL Padrone Del Circo | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1936 Mickey’s Circus |
53 – I Bambini Acquatici | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 Water Babies |
54 – IL Cane Sapiente | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1936 Mickey’s Circus |
55 – L’Ammaestratore | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1936 Mickey’s Circus |
56 – IL Colosso Impotente | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1933 Giantland |
57 – I Funamboli | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1936 Mickey’s Circus |
58 – Giulietta e Romeo | 1936 Mickey’s Grand Opera | 1936 Mickey’s Grand Opera |
59 – La Ninna Nanna | Silly Symphonies Character | 1933 Lullaby Land |
60 – Gli Amici Inseparabili | Silly Symphonies Character | 1933 Lullaby Land |
61 – IL Buon Mago | Silly Symphonies Character | 1933 Lullaby Land |
62 – La Febbre Dell’oro | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 The Golden Touch |
63 – IL Torneo | ||
64 – L’Agguato | ||
65 – IL Sogno Dell’innocente | Silly Symphonies Character | 1933 Lullaby Land |
66 – Le Cure Materne | Silly Symphonies Character | 1933 Lullaby Land |
67 – La Lezione | Silly Symphonies Character | 1936 Three Little Wolves |
68 – L’Invito | Silly Symphonies Character | 1936 Three Little Wolves |
69 – La Dichiarazione D’Amore | Silly Symphonies Character | 1934 Cookie Carnival |
70 – Oro e’ Dannazione | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 The Golden Touch |
71 – IL Prestigio Dell’Uniforme | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 Broken Toys |
72 – La Lezione di Pattinaggio | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1935 On Ice |
73 – La Tentazione Irresistibile | Silly Symphonies Character | 1936 Three Blind Mouseketeers |
74 – IL Ramoscello D’ulivo | ||
75 – Le Gioie Del Turismo | ||
76 – Le Cure Paterne | ||
77 – Chi Va Piano Va Lontano | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 The Tortoise & The Hare |
78 – Dolorosa Obbedienza | ||
79 – IL Fascino Della Musica | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 Mickey’s Rival |
80 – Leggerezza Femminile | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 Mickey’s Rival |
81 – IL Giorno Del Giudizio | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1935 Pluto’s Judgement Day |
82 – Un Sistema Sbrigativo | ||
83 – Trasporto in Frigorifero | ||
84 – Gli Amici Sanno Rendersi Utili | ||
85 – La Pazienza ha Un Limite | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 Mickey’s Rival |
86 – Non Fare Ad Altri | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1935 Pluto’s Judgement Day |
87 IL Fascino Del Cinematografo | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1936 Mickey’s Polo Team |
88 – Lotta Impari | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1936 Mickey’s Polo Team |
89 – Una Situazione Imbarazzante | Mickey Mouse Cartoon | 1936 Alpine Climbers |
90 – La Punizione Dell’Avaro | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 The Golden Touch |
91 – Condannato a Morire di Fame | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 The Golden Touch |
92 – Un Corto Circuito | ||
93 – Non Lasciatevi Influenzare | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 Who Killed Cock Robin? |
94 – Una Energica Protesta | ||
95 – L’Avvocato Difensore | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 Who Killed Cock Robin? |
96 – IL Trasloco di Topolino | ||
97 – IL Gattino Brigante | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 The Robber Kitten |
98 – Mani in Alto | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 The Robber Kitten |
99 – IL Pesce D’Aprile | Silly Symphonies Character | 1935 Water Babies |
100 – I Tre Moschettieri | Silly Symphonies Character | 1936 Three Blind Mouseketeers |
Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2015
Leave a Reply