Sunday, August 11, 2013

Practically Perfect Mary Poppins Snow Globe


The Walt Disney Archives has a stunning collection of familiar film props, costumes and artwork at the D23 Expo in Anaheim this weekend.  There are some wonderful treasures here, including the iconic St. Paul's snow globe from Mary Poppins.

For decades the glass globe with its miniature cathedral and birds has resided in the Archives in Burbank but, unfortunately, without its footed base.  The intricately filigreed brass piece might have been lost long ago— perhaps right after filming of the "Feed the Birds" sequence was completed in the 1960s.  I always felt a small twinge of sadness to see the incomplete globe, with a few of the little boomerang-birds trapped between the glass and the plug.


For D23's "Treasures of the Disney Archives," the Studio requested a replica of the lost base so that the globe could finally appear complete. Working from film frames and production stills, I attempted a "practically perfect" copy assembled from antique metal parts found around Los Angeles.  The glass neck fits snug inside a wool-lined "collar" so the globe and base may be easily separated, if necessary.  

If you didn't know the secret, the whole thing looks pretty great.  I hope the cathedral's "saints and apostles" that Mary Poppins sings about, are looking down and smiling.

10 comments:

Daveland said...

Beautiful job, Kevin—I am sure Jane Darwell is smiling, too!

alligatoreyes said...

The right Person did the job!! Fantastic Kevin..

Stephanie Bucholz said...

What a great project. Love that scene!

Adam Hazlett said...

Was it ever designed to have water in it?
I looks dry in the pictures except in the scene with Poppins holding it? Will it be used in the new film "Saving Mr Banks"?
You did a great job, Kevin. They should asked you to sculpt the face for the Hatbox Ghost audio animatronic at D23 this year.

CarouselGal said...

Now please create a stunning reproduction for us all to buy!

Kevin Kidney said...

Thank you, everybody!

1958 Shasta Airflyte "Penny" said...

That is gorgeous, great job! That is some amazing talent you have Kevin.

I'd give my left lug-nut to have a reproduction globe.

propmaker said...

Would love to see a repro of this globe made for public sale.

Unknown said...

You can hear Rolly Crump talking a bit about how he carved the cathedral in this globe at around 36:05

StoryMing said...

WHERE AND HOW CAN I BUY ONE???
That I can actually afford?