A Guidebook to the Carl Barks Universe

Backstage: In 1972 and 1973 Barks did "four or five" minature concept paintings of Uncle Scrooge that he gave away to friends. They were all essentially the same - little 5 inch x 4 inch studies. They were never "finished" in the strictest sense, were not sold, and were not titled.

Publications:

The Fine Art of Walt Disney's Donald Duck by Carl Barks (USA. Western Plains(?)): ?
The Carl Barks Library - Set IV (USA. Arizona, Scottsdale): colour
Walt Disney Comics & Stories 618 (USA): colour, cropped

Notes: Other (surfaced) versions:

scrooge and slightly green money bag

Sources

scrooge and slightly green money bag

Inducks: ...
Barks code: [no number?]
CBL: 05A-001
Type: preliminary painting [canvasboard? masonite?]
Creation date: 1972? 1973?
Art: Carl Barks
Script: [Carl Barks]
Hero: [none]
Submission: [unknown]
Publication date: 1981 ?
Issue: The Fine Art of Walt Disney's Donald Duck by Carl Barks ?
Pages: 1
Orientation: portrait
Width: 4 inch
Height: 5 inch
Motif: [2?] of 4 or 5
Fine Art index number: [none]
Fine Art page number: [unknown, if any]
Fine Art color plate: [unknown, if any]

Additional credits: Untitled Uncle Scrooge preliminary painting.

Publications:

The Fine Art of Walt Disney's Donald Duck by Carl Barks (USA. Western Plains(?)): ?
The Carl Barks Library - Set V (USA): colour

Notes: Other (surfaced) versions:

CB OIL 0 scrooge and dark green money bag

Sources

CB OIL 40 Blue Persia [73-01]

Barks code: 73-01
Type: Masonite
Creation date: 1973
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: [none]
Submission: [unknown]
Publication date: 1981
Issue: The Fine Art of Walt Disney's Donald Duck by Carl Barks
Pages: 1
Orientation: portrait
Width: 16 inch
Height: 20 inch
Motif: 3 of 4
Fine Art index number: 040
Fine Art page number: 309
Fine Art color plate: 118
Based on: king's trone and a catapult

Publications:

The Fine Art of Walt Disney's Donald Duck by Carl Barks (USA. Western Plains(?)): colour; small picture

Congruences:

CB OIL 129 Return to Morgan's Island: Scrooge is shown, but not at all included in the story on which the painting is based.
CB OIL 136 Return to Plain Awful: Scrooge is shown, but not at all included in the story on which the painting is based.

Sources | image: © [Walt Disney Productions]

Bullet Valley [73-02, red sky]

Inducks: ...
Barks code: [unknown]
Type: Masonite
Creation date: 1973
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: [none]
Submission: [unknown]
Publication date: 1979
Issue: Donald Duck [Marcia Blitz]
Pages: 1
Orientation: portrait
Width: 14 inch
Height: 18 inch
Motif: [5a] of 7
Later phase: 73-02 Bullet Valley [73-02, blue sky]
Based on: bullets bounce off sheriff's badge

Additional credits: Same painting as »Bullet Valley [73-02, blue sky]«, but in an earlier phase, when it still had a red background. By request of the buyer, Barks changed it into a blue background.

Wild West theme.

Status: A colour picture of the red background phase exists.

Publications:

Donald Duck [Marcia Blitz] (USA. New York): colour; slightly blurry quality

Questions: What is the exact source of the information on the buyer's request?

Sources | image: © [Walt Disney Productions]

CB OIL 41 Bullet Valley [73-02, blue sky]

Barks code: 73-02
Type: Masonite
Creation date: 1973
Art: Carl Barks
Script: Carl Barks
Hero: [none]
Submission: [unknown]
Publication date: 1981
Issue: The Fine Art of Walt Disney's Donald Duck by Carl Barks
Pages: 1
Orientation: portrait
Width: 14 inch
Height: 18 inch
Motif: [5b] of 7
Fine Art index number: 041
Fine Art page number: 309
Fine Art color plate: 119
Earlier phase: [unknown] Bullet Valley [73-02, red sky]
Based on: bullets bounce off sheriff's badge

Additional credits: Same painting as »Bullet Valley [73-02, red sky]«, but in an later phase, after it got a blue background. Barks originally applied a red background to this painting, but he changed it by request of the buyer.

Wild West theme.

Publications: