Niels Munk Verner 
Now there is a renewed reason to browse our selection of original Disney animation art as we have just added several drawings to our selection.
There is a kind of devotion that doesn’t announce itself.
It doesn’t speak in vows or ceremonies. It doesn’t gather witnesses. It doesn’t ask to be understood.
It simply remains.
In Till Death Do Us Part, Carl Barks gives us that kind of devotion—not between two people, but between a figure and something far less forgiving: gold.
The Companion That Never Leaves
Scrooge McDuck stands beside a sack of gold dust, the bag seated almost ceremonially on a chair. It is not clutter. It is not background. It occupies the space like a presence—like something that belongs there.
Like something that has always been there.
Through the window behind him, the Klondike stretches outward—a memory rendered in distance. The place where everything began. The origin of the obsession, or perhaps the justification for it.
Scrooge does not look triumphant.
He looks… settled.
And that’s where the piece becomes unsettling.
A Different Kind of Marriage
The title, Till Death Do Us Part, frames the entire scene in a way that feels almost too precise.
Because what we are looking at is not wealth.
It is commitment.
The gold dust is positioned like a partner—elevated, attended, quietly central. The chair gives it status. The proximity gives it intimacy. And Scrooge’s stillness suggests something deeper than ownership.
Attachment.
This is not about greed in the simple sense. Greed is loud, impulsive, chaotic.
This is something quieter.
Something that has lasted.
The Distance of the Klondike
The Klondike, visible through the window, is not just scenery. It is context—almost like a memory Scrooge cannot quite leave behind.
It represents effort, hardship, transformation. The place where gold was not just wealth, but survival. Where every grain carried meaning.
But now, separated by glass, it feels distant.
Contained.
The question begins to form:
Did the Klondike create the bond—or trap him inside it?
Stillness as Revelation
There is no motion in this image. No narrative unfolding.
Just a moment held in suspension.
And in that stillness, something becomes clear: this is not a beginning, and it is not an end. It is the middle of something that has already lasted too long to question easily.
Scrooge is not reaching for the gold.
He doesn’t need to.
That’s what makes it permanent.
What the Title Really Means
“Till death do us part” suggests an ending imposed from the outside—something inevitable, something final.
But here, it feels less like a limit and more like a certainty.
Because nothing in the image suggests separation.
Only continuation.
Only endurance.
The gold will remain. Scrooge will remain. And the space between them—carefully arranged, quietly reverent—will not change unless something forces it to.
The Weight of Staying
Barks does something subtle here.
He removes the noise we usually associate with Scrooge—the adventures, the schemes, the movement—and leaves only the relationship.
Stripped down, it becomes harder to dismiss.
Harder to laugh at.
Because what remains is something familiar: the way people hold onto things that define them, even when those things stop evolving.
Even when they stop giving anything back.
Why It Lingers
This lithograph doesn’t resolve itself.
It doesn’t condemn Scrooge, and it doesn’t celebrate him.
It simply shows him—standing beside what matters most, with the past behind him and nothing in front of him but continuation.
And maybe that’s the quiet discomfort of it.
Not that he loves gold.
But that the love no longer changes.
That it has settled into something permanent.
Something that, like the title suggests, will only end when he does.
Edition details:
Released in 1983
24” x 20” (60 x 50 cm)
Editions:
495 Regular Edition
1 bon-a-tirer trial proof
100 Gold Plate Edition*
6 AP
*This was the first lithograph to also be released as a Gold Plate Edition. However, it was embossed only with the gold emblem and thus does not feature the characteristic gold border.
Our current selection of this beautiful and resonating lithograph encompasses a professionally framed Regular Edition litho and another Regular Edition housed in the rare, original Disney licensed frame.
Introducing our brand new, limited-edition Bank of Duckburg coin series featuring the art of Carl Barks.
In the expanding secondary market of 20th-century illustration, few names carry the enduring weight of Carl Barks. Long celebrated as the defining creative force behind Disney’s Duck Universe, Barks transitioned in his later years from mass-produced comic storytelling to limited fine art editions—works that would ultimately redefine his cultural and economic legacy. Among these, his 1983 lithograph An Embarrassment of Riches stands as a pivotal moment in the maturation of comic art as a collectible asset class.
Released as Barks’ second official lithographic edition, An Embarrassment of Riches builds upon themes deeply embedded in his earlier narratives: wealth, excess, and the paradoxes of abundance. The composition—featuring Scrooge McDuck overwhelmed by towering accumulations of gold and treasure—functions not merely as nostalgic imagery, but as a distilled commentary on accumulation itself. In this sense, the lithograph transcends its cartoon origins and enters a broader discourse on value, scarcity, and human (or anthropomorphic) behavior.
From a production standpoint, the 1983 release marked a refinement in both technique and market positioning. Unlike earlier comic reproductions, this lithograph was conceived explicitly for collectors, printed in a controlled edition, and authenticated to preserve long-term value. This shift mirrors developments seen across other artistic domains in the late 20th century, where limited editions became instruments for stabilizing and appreciating asset value.
The title itself—An Embarrassment of Riches—is telling. Borrowed from a phrase historically used to describe overwhelming abundance, it reflects a duality central to both Barks’ storytelling and modern economic systems: the idea that excess can be as burdensome as scarcity. In Scrooge’s world, limitless wealth does not yield peace, but rather anxiety, vigilance, and an almost obsessive attachment to material accumulation. This narrative aligns uncannily with real-world market psychology, where the pursuit of growth often generates systemic fragility.
Collectors and analysts alike have noted that this lithograph represents a key inflection point in the legitimization of comic art within fine art markets. Prior to the 1980s, such works were often dismissed as ephemeral or purely commercial. However, editions like this—carefully curated, signed, and distributed—helped establish a framework through which illustration could be evaluated alongside traditional printmaking.
Moreover, An Embarrassment of Riches reflects Barks’ own late-career awareness of his cultural capital. Having spent decades uncredited within the Disney system, his emergence as a recognized artist coincided with a growing demand for authenticity and provenance. In this sense, the lithograph is not only a depiction of wealth, but also a manifestation of it — transforming intellectual and creative labor into a tangible, tradable asset.
Today, the work occupies a stable position within the collector ecosystem. Its value is not merely aesthetic, but historical: it captures the moment when popular art began its transition into institutional recognition and financial legitimacy. For investors, it represents a relatively low-volatility segment of the broader art market; for enthusiasts, it remains a quintessential expression of Barks’ enduring vision.
In retrospect, An Embarrassment of Riches is aptly named—not only for its subject matter, but for the layered wealth it embodies: narrative richness, cultural significance, and economic value.
Edition Specifics:
Released in 1983
Size: 20” x 24” (50 x 60 cm)
Editions:
395 Regular Edition
500 Sharper Image Edition*
6 AP
14 PP
1 Bon-a-tirer trial proof
*This edition was offered for sale (and sold out) exclusively through the US Sharper Image Catalog.
We currently have 1 copy of the extremely rare and highly sought-after Another Rainbow Edition of this beautiful investment-grade lithograph in stock which you can find here.
In 1982, a new chapter in the legacy of Carl Barks quietly set sail. Known to generations of readers as the master storyteller behind Scrooge McDuck and Donald Duck’s most enduring adventures, Barks had long since retired from comic book production. Yet his imagination remained as vivid as ever. That year, through a collaboration with Another Rainbow, his artwork found a new medium—fine art lithography. The inaugural release was Sailing the Spanish Main, a piece that bridged the worlds of comic narrative and collectible art.
The lithograph captures a scene that feels both timeless and unmistakably “Barksian.” A grand sailing vessel cuts through restless waters, its billowing sails echoing the romance of classic adventure tales. The composition evokes the spirit of Scrooge McDuck’s treasure-hunting escapades—those globe-trotting quests where history, myth, and humor collide. Though not a direct panel lifted from a specific comic, the image resonates with the thematic DNA of Barks’ storytelling: exploration, risk, and the irresistible pull of the unknown.
What makes Sailing the Spanish Main particularly significant is not just its imagery, but its context. By the early 1980s, Barks’ reputation had undergone a remarkable transformation. Once an anonymous craftsman in the Disney comics machine, he had been “rediscovered” by fans and scholars who recognized his singular contribution to the medium. Another Rainbow emerged at precisely the right moment, dedicated to elevating Barks’ work into the realm of fine art. Their lithographs were not mere reproductions—they were carefully produced, limited-edition prints that treated Barks’ illustrations with the reverence typically reserved for gallery artists.
The lithographic process itself added a new dimension to Barks’ art. Unlike the mass-printed comic prints of earlier decades, these prints emphasized texture, color fidelity, and scale. Subtle gradients in the sky, the movement of water, and the intricate detailing of the ship all gained a depth that standard comic printing could not fully capture. For collectors, owning Sailing the Spanish Main was not just about nostalgia—it was about experiencing Barks’ artistry in a richer, more tangible form.
Stylistically, the piece reflects Barks’ late-career refinement. His lines are confident, economical, yet expressive. There is a cinematic quality to the framing, as if the viewer has arrived at the exact moment when adventure is about to unfold. The ship is not merely a vessel; it is a promise. It invites speculation: Where is it headed? What dangers lie ahead? What treasure waits beyond the horizon?
In retrospect, Sailing the Spanish Main can be seen as a symbolic departure point—not only for the ship it depicts, but for Barks’ post-comics career. It marked the beginning of a series of lithographs that would further cement his status as an artist whose work transcended its original medium. Through Another Rainbow’s efforts, Barks’ creations entered living rooms, galleries, and private collections, reaching audiences who might never have encountered his stories in their original comic form.
More than four decades later, the lithograph remains a cornerstone of Barks collectibles. It stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of his vision: a world where adventure is always just over the horizon, and where even a single image can carry the weight of an entire story.
Sailing the Spanish Main is not just a print—it is an invitation. A quiet call to set sail, guided by one of the greatest storytellers the medium has ever known.
Edition specifics:
Released in 1982
24” x 20” (60 x 50 cm)
Editions:
245 Regular Edition
20 Artist’s Proofs
We currently have to copies of Sailing the Spanish Main in stock: Number 41 of the 245 released prints and Carl Barks’ personal copy of the lithograph numbered AP 13/20 – a truly special litho with its own unique story.
A number of the Carl Barks lithographs released by Another Rainbow were published in rare so-called Progressive Proof sets.
These sets consist of sequentially numbered lithographs that show the order in which the individual colors have been applied in the lithographic production process. The final print of each set is a signed and numbered Gold Plate Edition lithograph. All sets are housed in a custom-made box featuring a gold embossing and title on the front. Only 5 Progressive Proof sets plus a few AP and PP editions were produced for each image.
All 5 Progressive Proof sets for an image are numbered “1 of 5” to indicate that they are all one of just five sets released for public sale.
The large photo shows the finalized gold plate edition print layered atop 4 of the color proofs included in the set.
This Blizzard Tonight Progressive Set is one of 3 currrently available at Disneyana+. Click here for more details.
The other two sets currently available are the very special Time Out For Fun Progressive Proof Set and the large Halloween in Duckburg Progressive Set
In the period 1982 – 2000, Another Rainbow released a total of 26 large lithographs, two medium-sized lithographs and 18 mini-lithographs based on Carl Barks’ oil paintings.
With a few exceptions, all lithographs were published in two main editions. The first of these is called the Regular Edition, which can be identified by the white border surrounding the image, as well as being published in a limited quantity of 345-595 prints.
The second edition is the more exclusive Gold Plate Edition of 100 prints.
This edition is characterized by having an embossed gold border surrounding the image, as well as a gold emblem at the bottom white margin of the lithograph. In addition to the two main editions, some of the lithographs have also been published in special and/or commemorative editions to mark special occasions or anniversaries. These were generally limited to a circulation of 50-100 prints.
Additional copies of a number of the prints were set aside as so-called Foreign Editions, which were intended for publication in countries other than the United States.
The final quantities of these Foreign Editions vary depending on the image and country.
Common to all the Another Rainbow lithographs is the fact that they are hand-signed and numbered by Carl Barks and that they were all accompanied by an identically numbered certificate of authenticity. Below you can see an example of the mini litho entitled Pick and Shovel Laborer in all its various, officially released U.S versions.
Pick and Shovel Laborer Regular Edition
Regular Edition of the mini lithograph from Another Rainbow titled Pick and Shovel Laborer. As with the large lithographs, the Regular Edition of the mini lithograph can be recognized by the white border surrounding the image as well as being limited to 595 prints.
Gold Plate Edition
The gold plate editions can be identified by the embossed gold emblem at the lower left margin. All Gold Plate Edition lithographs feature a gold emblem that relates to the printed image.
All Gold Plate Edition lithographs also feature with the distinctive gold border surrounding the image.
The only exception to this rule is the Till Death Do Us Part lithograph which is the third in the series of lithographs from Another Rainbow, and the first to be printed in a Gold Plate Edition. This lithograph features only the gold embossing, not the gold border.
Top Pick Edition (special edition)
Special edition with the additional title, Top Pick Edition. Printed in 100 copies (with the TP specification in front of the numbering) as well as a gold label affixed at the left of the title.
In the original Disney-licensed frame
Gold Plate Edition in the original Disney-licensed frame, which consists of an aluminum frame in a special gray tone as well as a gray and a red mat.
Figurine Edition
The Figurine Edition lithograph accompanied the porcelain figurine based on the same image. This framing solution is similar to the officially licensed Disney framing with one difference in that the aluminum frame has been replaced with a frame in cherry wood, which was also used for the porcelain figurine’s base. Originally 100 figurines plus 10 APs were produced, but today there are only 62 figures plus the APs.
White Sculpture Edition
With the exception of the 5 Progressive Proof sets, which were also produced of this image, this White Sculpture Edition is the rarest special edition release of this lithograph. This is a set consisting of two lithographs. One signed and numbered print without any color and one with color and embossed gold border, gold emblem and gold foil sticker.
Only 12 such sets were produced along with a few AP, PP, and PR editions.
The Pick and Shovel Laborer lithograph is one of only two lithographs from Another Rainbow produced with a 3D-effect that highlights the details of the image. The second lithograph featuring this 3D-effect is the mini lithograph titled ‘A Christmas Trimming’ which also exists in this special White Sculpture Edition.
The original Certificate of Authenticity for Pick and Shovel Laborer
We offer a huge selection of Another Rainbow’s lithographs, which you can find here.
If you are looking for our current selection of the Pick and Shovel Laborer lithos, we have a regular edition copy of the lithograph available here.
We also have one of the rare figurine editions available, which you can find here.
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