Before Mario Was Mario, This Rescued Donkey Kong Promo Art Is Heading to Auction
A former Nintendo ad manager is auctioning original 1981 Donkey Kong promo art, set for display at New York Comic-Con this weekend.
One of the earliest public images tied to Nintendo's most enduring characters is going on the block, and its backstory is almost as striking as the piece itself. Original promotional artwork for 1981's Donkey Kong has been listed for auction, with a public display planned for this weekend's New York Comic-Con.
The artwork comes from the personal collection of former Nintendo Advertising Manager Donna Darbous, who has put up a group of Nintendo items for sale. The standout lot is a multi-layered Donkey Kong piece measuring about 19 by 15 inches. Darbous said the art was recovered from a dumpster during a storage-room cleanout at Nintendo of America. She said she found several envelopes containing the material and kept it only after getting permission from her supervisor.
For fans of classic gaming history, the significance is clear. Darbous described the piece as the moment the public first encountered Mario. At that stage, he was still known as Jumpman. The image is also notable for being among the first publicly available depictions of Donkey Kong himself and Pauline, long before Nintendo's cast became a global pop culture fixture.
The painting was created by New York author and artist Leslie Cabarga, whose credits include work published by Marvel, Dark Horse, and National Lampoon. The piece is said to be in notably strong condition and is being offered through LandryPop, where estimates place its closing price between $100,000 and $150,000.
The sale is not limited to that single artifact. Other listed items include early artwork featuring the Super Mario Bros., a conceptual Goomba piece, an old corporate Christmas card, a "Nintendo Rocks the '90s" satin bomber jacket, and concept art tied to Nintendo and Disney Game & Watch titles.
What changes now is that these items have moved from a private collection into a public sale. Bidding is live on LandryPop, and the Donkey Kong artwork is scheduled to be shown at New York Comic-Con this weekend, giving collectors and longtime Nintendo fans a rare look at a piece from the company's early era before it changes hands.
