Tomart’s Illustrated Disneyana Catalog and Price Guide — published by Tom Tumbusch through Tomart Publications in Dayton, Ohio beginning in 1985 — was for decades the standard reference work for vintage Disney collectibles. It remains an important resource today. But using it correctly requires understanding both its genuine strengths and its critical limitation: all price values are historical, reflecting the Disney collectibles market of 1985–1989.
What Tomart’s Does Exceptionally Well
Identification: Tomart’s comprehensive photographic documentation of Disney merchandise is its enduring value. The ability to identify a piece — establish its character, era, manufacturer, and product category — using Tomart’s visual reference is as useful today as it was in 1985. This identification function has no expiration date.
Item numbering: Tomart’s developed a numbering system for Disney collectibles providing a common reference language across the collector community. “Tomart’s number” citations still appear regularly in auction catalogs and dealer listings — a testament to the guide’s lasting influence.
What Tomart’s Cannot Tell You
The price ranges in Tomart’s reflect the market of 35–40 years ago. In that time the market has moved dramatically in both directions for different categories. Some items valued modestly then are now worth 10x those prices; others have declined. Never use Tomart’s prices for current buying or selling decisions.
Where to Find Tomart’s
- Internet Archive (archive.org): Both the 1985 three-volume original and 1989 condensed editions are available to borrow free with a free account
- eBay: Physical copies appear regularly for modest prices
- Essential for identification; useless for pricing: This is the correct relationship to maintain with Tomart’s
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