An iconic piece of artwork used to promote Nintendo's Donkey Kong in 1981 has sold at auction for nearly $330,000, more than double its estimated price. The detailed illustration, which depicted the game's premise of an ape throwing barrels at a hero figure, served as an early visual representation of Donkey Kong and the first appearance of Mario.
This artwork was originally created for sales flyers distributed to arcade operators. It played a significant role in establishing the initial visual identity of Mario and Donkey Kong, later appearing on various merchandise and in early media such as the Saturday Supercade cartoon. The piece was created by legendary illustrator Leslie Carbaga.
The artwork was part of a collection amassed by former Nintendo advertising director Donna Darbous. She reportedly saved the illustration from being discarded when a storage room was being cleared out for office space. Recognizing its historical value, Darbous took the piece home, where it remained until its recent rediscovery and inclusion in the auction.
The auction also featured other notable items from Nintendo's early history, including artwork for Game & Watch titles, a promotional Punch-Out boxing glove signed by Mike Tyson, and rare "black box" NES games. Detailed results for the auction are available through Landry Pop Auctions.
The sale highlights the growing recognition of video game artifacts as valuable pieces of cultural history. Companies often discard old promotional materials and documentation during restructuring or office moves, making the preservation of such items by individuals like Darbous crucial for safeguarding gaming's heritage.