Vtg 1987 Disneyland Jungle Cruise Congo Queen Sgd. Collin Campbell Litho 58/300 For Sale

Up for sale comes this rare and highly collectible vintage piece of Disney theme park history, showcasing an immense historical lineage across two generations of Walt Disney Imagineering. The initial line artwork composition was drawn up by Disney Legend Harper Goff in 1954 during the original design phase for Disneyland\'s opening. Inspired by the 1951 adventure film The African Queen, Goff envisioned a ride that rejected the sterile, educational tone of early travelogues in favor of a cinematic, 1930s tramp steamer expedition. His vision for the rider was one of immersive peril; he intentionally framed the boat within dense, gnarled jungle canopies and massive foreground orchids to make guests feel safely vulnerable, isolated from the outside world, and blind to what waited around each sharp bend of the river. Decades later, fellow Imagineering master Collin Campbell applied the vibrant, definitive color styling to Goff\'s foundational 1954 layout to create this stunning piece featuring the iconic Congo Queen—notably one of only two boats physically ready and operating on Disneyland\'s opening day in 1955. Hand-signed clearly along the bottom margin by color artist Collin B. Campbell, this specific print is limited edition number 58 of only 300 produced worldwide and features the authentic raised The Disney Gallery embossed seal in the lower right corner with 1987 date.The print carries a distinguished Hollywood pedigree, coming directly from the estate of James R. Cox, a prominent television professional whose extensive career as an assistant director and director helped shape beloved classic network television. His directorial and production leadership left a lasting mark on television history, spanning iconic sitcoms and cultural favorites such as Welcome Back, Kotter, Mama\'s Family, Punky Brewster, and Roseanne. A discerning collector of fine production artwork, Mr. Cox originally purchased this piece on August 18, 1987, directly from The Disney Gallery at New Orleans Square in Disneyland, California, for the sum of $295.50. Adjusted for standard inflation, that original investment equals approximately $827.40 in today\'s dollars, highlighting its status as a premium, high-tier collector\'s piece right from day one. Crucially, the original 1987 sales invoice included in this sale clearly displays James \"Jim\" Cox\'s name and physical address, flawlessly solidifying the undeniable provenance of this artwork. While 300 unframed paper prints were distributed across the limited run, this specific item represents a significantly scarcer offering; because it was physically framed and sold in-house by the gallery itself during the opening months of the location, it is likely one of only a small handful of these prints to retain its complete, original storefront presentation.Presented in excellent vintage condition, the lithograph remains beautifully preserved under glass with vibrant, crisp colors and no visible fading, staining, or waving. It remains housed in its original professional gallery framing, consisting of a high-quality dark wood frame with an elegant gold inner border and clean white matting. The outer frame dimensions measure 25-5/8\" x 32-1/4\", creating a large, landscape-oriented statement piece ready to display. While the frame shows minimal structural shelf wear to the edges from age, please note that the original hanging wire was removed from the back; however, it can be easily and quickly replaced by any standard picture-hanging kit. The original paper receipt remains intact with normal historical folding creases from storage. The item will ship securely packaged in a dedicated art box with heavy-duty bubble wrap and will require a signature confirmation upon delivery due to its high value.Shipping to run $150.00 in the USA and No International Shipping to to the size and fragile nature of this item.The last eight (8) photos of the Jungle Cruise Concept Art, Harper Goff, Collin Campbell and James R. Cox are shown here for history and provenance only and are not part of this listing.Good luck & God Bless!!!About the Designer: Disney Legend Harper Goff (1911–1993)Harper Goff was a visionary artist, Hollywood set designer, and legendary Imagineer whose early collaborations with Walt Disney directly established the look and feel of Disneyland. After working on cinematic masterpieces like Casablanca (1942), Goff met Walt Disney by chance in a London model train shop in 1951. Impressed by his imagination, Walt hired him immediately. Goff went on to design Captain Nemo\'s iconic Nautilus submarine for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and drew the earliest architectural renderings for Main Street, U.S.A.

• Father of the Jungle Cruise: Harper Goff didn\'t just help build the Jungle Cruise—he entirely conceptualized it. Inspired by the 1951 film The African Queen, Goff pitched the idea of an exotic riverboat attraction to Walt Disney. He personally oversaw the design of the dense jungle waterways and engineered the unique mechanics of the ride system.
• The Famed 1953–1954 Concept Sketches: Before Disneyland even broke ground, Goff set to work bringing the riverboat attraction to life on paper. Between 1953 and 1954, he executed a series of brilliant, hand-rendered concept sketches and watercolor paintings. These historic drawings were used directly by Walt Disney to pitch investors, map out the layout of Adventureland, and dictate how the actual physical environment of the ride would be landscaped.
• The Congo Queen Concept Drawing: Chief among his 1953–1954 sketches was the concept artwork for the Congo Queen—the signature, definitive riverboat that became the blueprint for the entire ride fleet. His drawing established the ride\'s iconic mid-century adventure aesthetic, detailing the striped canvas canopy and the rugged, weathered tramp steamer design that has thrilled guests since opening day in 1955.
• A Permanent Tribute: To honor his massive hand in inventing the attraction, Walt Disney Imagineering placed Goff\'s signature on the prop blueprints found in the Disneyland ride queue, marking the Congo Queen as \"Checked by H. Goff\".
• The \"Tattoo & Banjo\" Window Honor: Because Goff was the primary designer of Adventureland, Disney broke tradition when honoring him with a legendary \"Main Street-style\" business window. Instead of putting it on Main Street, they placed his honorary window directly above the Adventureland Bazaar. It humorously reads: \"Oriental Tattooing by Prof. Harper Goff — Banjo Lessons\"—a nod to his eccentric creative flair and his real-life role as the banjo player for Disney\'s famous all-employee jazz band, the Firehouse Five Plus Two.

About the Artist: Disney Legend Collin Campbell (1926–2011)Collin B. Campbell was an extraordinary artist whose creative genius profoundly shaped both Disney\'s animated masterpieces and its world-famous theme parks. Beginning his career as a Disney studio messenger in 1943, Campbell went on to study at the Académie Julian in Paris before returning to the Walt Disney Animation Department as a layout and background artist.

• The Animation Era: Campbell was a pivotal layout artist on legendary features such as Lady and the Tramp (1955) and One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), where he helped pioneer the historic Xerox camera animation method.
• The Imagineering Legacy: In 1961, Walt Disney personally reassigned him to WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering). As a top-tier designer, he brought many of Disney\'s most iconic attractions to life, developing concept art, models, and color styling for Walt Disney\'s Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, it\'s a small world, and The Haunted Mansion.
• The Jungle Cruise Connection: Campbell’s distinctive paintings and color styling played a crucial role in conceptualizing and refining the Jungle Cruise attraction. In 1987, the Disney Gallery released a highly sought-after, limited-edition series of lithographs featuring his legendary concept work for the ride, celebrating the iconic vessels like the Congo Queen.
• The Ultimate Honor: To cement his lasting contributions to the Disney legacy, Campbell was posthumously inducted as a Disney Legend in 2013.

1. The Main Street Window TributeUnlike Harper Goff\'s custom Adventureland window, Collin Campbell shares a massive tribute on a formal Main Street, U.S.A. window. Located on a cul-de-sac called Center Street, his name is featured on a beautiful gold-leafed window honoring Disney\'s legendary master artists.

• The Inscription: \"Center Street Academy of Fine Art Painting & Sculpture — Collin Campbell, Herbert Ryman, Blaine Gibson, Mary Blair, Dorothea Redmond\".
• The Meaning: This window functions as a \"who\'s who\" of the absolute greatest concept artists in theme park history. Placed alongside absolute powerhouses like Mary Blair (it\'s a small world) and Herb Ryman (who drew the first-ever map of Disneyland), it highlights just how highly regarded Campbell was by his peers.

2. The Haunted Mansion Tombstone TributeBecause of your interest in the Congo Queen, you might also love knowing that Campbell is deeply tied to The Haunted Mansion lore. In 1969, he was the primary artist who illustrated the wildly famous, spooky record-and-book album The Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion.

• The Easter Egg: During a massive queue expansion for the attraction, Imagineers paid homage to him by crafting an official, personalized tombstone epitaph in the graveyard queue.
• The Catch: While Disneyland has had temporary and permanent nods to its classic album artists, a permanent version of this specific boot-hill tombstone was famously erected in the expanded interactive queue at Walt Disney World\'s Magic Kingdom to honor his cross-park contributions to the Mansion\'s legacy.

3. The Hidden Harpsichord Painting (Club 33)If you ever get the chance to step inside Disneyland\'s hyper-exclusive, private Club 33 in New Orleans Square, you can see a direct piece of Campbell\'s physical brushwork.

• The Easter Egg: Walt\'s wife, Lillian Disney, donated an antique harpsichord to the club. Underneath the inside lid of the instrument, Collin Campbell personally hand-painted a beautiful, vintage scene of the Mississippi River and Jackson Square. It remains a prized hidden gem of the club to this day.