Fleischer Studios
A great collection of original production animation cels, original production animation drawings, and master production backgrounds for sale from the Fleishcher Studios.
Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cel of Betty Boop, circa 1970's, Fleischer Studios; Signed Grim Natwick in ink lower right; Set on a lithographic background; Size - Betty Boop: 6 3/4 x 2 1/2", Image 10 x 12 1/2"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original hand painted production animation background from "We Aim To Please," 1934, Fleischer Studios; Production numbers upper left; From Popeye's 17th theatrical cartoon; Pictured in "The Fleisher Story" by Leslie Cabarga, page 108; Size - Background: 8 3/4 x 11 1/2", Image 7 3/4 x 9 1/2"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cel of Raggedy Andy from "Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Numbered in ink upper right; Size - Raggedy Andy: 3 3/4 x 2 1/4", Cel 9 x 11"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation layout drawing from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite and red pencils on peg hole paper; Size - Sheet: 10 3/4 x 13 1/2"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation storyboard drawings from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite, blue, and red pencils on peg hole paper; Collaged panels and production numbers and notes throughout the sheet; Size - Sheet: 13 x 16"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation storyboard drawings from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite, blue, and red pencils on peg hole paper; Production numbers and notes throughout the sheet; Size - Sheet: 13 x 16"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation storyboard drawings from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite, blue, and red pencils on peg hole paper; Production numbers and notes throughout the sheet; Size - Sheet: 13 x 16"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation storyboard drawings from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite, blue, and red pencils on peg hole paper; Production numbers and notes throughout the sheet; Size - Sheet: 13 x 16"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation layout drawing from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite, blue, green, and red pencils on peg hole paper; Size - Sheet: 13 x 16"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation storyboard drawing from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite and red pencils on peg hole paper; Collaged notes and production numbers lower left; Size - Sheet: 13 x 16"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation layout drawing from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite, blue, and red pencils on peg hole paper; Size - Sheet: 13 x 16"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation pan layout drawing from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite and red pencils on peg hole paper; Size - Sheet: 13 x 36 1/4"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation layout drawing from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite, blue, and red pencils on peg hole paper; Size - Sheet: 8 1/2 x 11"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation layout drawing from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite and red pencils on peg hole paper; Size - Sheet: 13 x 16"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation layout drawing from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite pencil on peg hole paper; Size - Sheet: 13 1/2 x 10 3/4"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation layout drawing from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite and red pencils on peg hole paper; Size - Sheet: 13 x 16"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation layout drawing from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite and red pencils on peg hole paper; Size - Sheet: 13 x 16"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original production animation layout drawing from "Mr Bug Goes To Town," 1941, Fleischer Studios; Graphite pencil on peg hole paper; Size - Sheet: 10 3/4 x 13 1/2"; Unframed; SOLD!
Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cel of Betty Boop, circa 1970's, Fleischer Studios; Signed Grim Natwick in ink lower right; Set on a lithographic background; Size - Betty Boop: 6 3/4 x 2 1/2", Image 10 x 12 1/2"; Unframed.
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Fleischer Studios, founded by brothers Max and Dave Fleischer in the early 1920s, was one of the most innovative and influential forces in the Golden Age of American animation. Known for their creativity, technical experimentation, and urban sensibility, the Fleischers produced cartoons that stood apart from the wholesome, polished style of their main rival, Walt Disney Studios. Fleischer animations were characterized by their surreal humor, fluid movement, and adult tone—traits that reflected the energy and grit of early 20th-century city life. The studio’s two most iconic creations, Betty Boop and Popeye the Sailor, exemplify this unique blend of imagination, personality, and technical artistry.
Betty Boop, introduced in the early 1930s, became one of the first and most famous female cartoon characters in animation history. Originally appearing as a side character in Talkartoon shorts, she quickly evolved into a star in her own right, embodying the flapper spirit of the Jazz Age. With her short dress, high-pitched voice, and coquettish charm, Betty symbolized the carefree and risqué culture of the early Depression era. However, beneath her playful exterior, she also conveyed vulnerability and independence, traits that made her appealing and relatable to audiences. The Betty Boop cartoons combined music, humor, and fantasy, often featuring jazz soundtracks and cameos by famous musicians such as Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong—cementing Fleischer Studios’ close connection to popular culture and musical innovation.
Popeye the Sailor, introduced by the Fleischers in 1933, brought a new kind of animated hero to the screen—tough, humorous, and working-class. Based on E.C. Segar’s comic strip, Popeye’s adventures revolved around his battles with the burly Bluto and his love for Olive Oyl, punctuated by his spinach-fueled feats of strength. The Popeye cartoons stood out for their gritty realism and distinctive personalities, offering a grounded, streetwise alternative to Disney’s idealized characters. The Fleischers also developed new techniques to enhance depth and motion, such as the revolutionary “stereoptical process,” which used miniature 3D sets behind the animation cels to create the illusion of dimensional space. This gave the Popeye shorts and other Fleischer films a dynamic, cinematic quality that was ahead of its time.
What truly distinguished Fleischer Studios was its commitment to experimentation and urban energy. The animation often featured dreamlike transformations, fluid body movements, and surreal humor that broke the boundaries of reality—turning ordinary cityscapes into elastic, imaginative worlds. Their cartoons resonated with adult audiences as much as with children, mixing slapstick comedy with social commentary and jazz-age rhythms. Despite their creativity, however, the studio faced financial difficulties and creative clashes that ultimately led to its decline in the 1940s, after being absorbed by Paramount Pictures.
Nonetheless, the legacy of Fleischer Studios endures. Through characters like Betty Boop and Popeye, the Fleischers helped define the personality-driven animation style that influenced later studios and animators. Their technical innovations, musical integration, and embrace of surrealism paved the way for future experimentation in the medium. In contrast to Disney’s idealized worlds, Fleischer Studios celebrated the eccentric, the urban, and the human—making their work an essential chapter in the evolution of American animation.
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