83

Maurice Sendak / Fred Calvert

(1928-2012) / (1936-2015)

Seven Monsters, Sesame Street animation cels. 1971.

Cel vinyl and dye on acetate.
A print background derived from the film is included for presentation.

Production:
A pair of hand-inked and painted animation cels of the titular characters from Seven Monsters, a segment designed by Maurice Sendak and directed by Fred Calvert in the early days of Sesame Street.
Each: 10 x 12 1/2 in. (25.4 x 31.8 cm.)

  • Provenance:
    Private collection, New York.

    Further information:
    This short represented a rare collaboration between the creative giants Jim Henson and Sendak. Ultimately, the segment only aired twice because it was deemed too scary for the show's young audience, but it served as the inspiration for Sendak's 1977 book Seven Little Monsters, as well as a later animated series.

    Both cel setups appear within the same scene, when the rowdy monsters make their first appearance in the village. The setup featuring Monsters 1 through 5 appears at the 12 second mark, and the one with Monsters 1 through 6 appears 16 seconds into the short. The cels were carefully hand tinted to resemble Sendak's watercolor painting style.
  • Condition:
    Please contact the Specialist for the auction to request a condition report.

    Condition reports and additional images are provided as a courtesy and should be used by you to aid in the formation of your own opinion regarding condition. All material is sold subject to Swann's standard Terms and Conditions of Sale as published in our catalogues and posted on our website, and include the following terms: (1) all property is sold "as-is"; and (2) works cannot be returned on the basis of condition.

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December 4, 2025 12:00 PM EST
New York, NY, US

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