Donkey Kong Original Artwork Auctioned by Former Nintendo Employee Donna Darbous on LandryPop

A piece of early Nintendo history has surfaced for collectors: original promotional artwork for the 1981 arcade classic Donkey Kong is being auctioned by former Nintendo Advertising Manager Donna Darbous on LandryPop. The multi-layered illustration, painted by New York artist and author Leslie Cabarga, was reportedly rescued from a dumpster following a storage room clearout at Nintendo of America and added to Darbous's personal collection with supervisory permission. The Donkey Kong artwork measures roughly 19 inches by 15 inches and is notable for depicting some of the franchise's earliest public imagery of Jumpman, later known as Mario, alongside Pauline and the titular ape. Darbous has described the piece as a foundational artifact that marks the moment the public first encountered Nintendo's emergent mascot. Cabarga, whose career includes work for publications such as Marvel, Dark Horse and National Lampoon, created the vivid image as part of the marketing package for Donkey Kong when the arcade game helped launch Nintendo's foothold in the North American market. The item is currently listed on LandryPop with an estimated closing range of between $100,000 and $150,000 USD and will be displayed at this weekend's New York Comic-Con (NYCC). The Donkey Kong piece is one of several Nintendo-era artifacts Darbous has offered through LandryPop. Other listings include early Super Mario Bros. artwork, a conceptual Goomba piece, a corporate Christmas card from Nintendo, a satin "Nintendo Rocks the '90s" bomber jacket, and concept pieces tied to Nintendo/Disney Game & Watch titles. Each item represents material from what many consider Nintendo's formative advertising and promotion era. Donkey Kong's 1981 arcade debut introduced characters that would go on to define Nintendo's IP strategy across home consoles and handhelds, from the NES era to modern platforms including the Nintendo Switch. The franchise's legacy is frequently referenced in Nintendo Direct presentations and in digital storefronts like the eShop when classic titles and collections are reissued. As the auction progresses and the NYCC display opens, the sale offers collectors and historians a rare opportunity to acquire original promotional art tied directly to one of gaming's most influential early releases. All details above are based on reporting and the LandryPop listings associated with the auction.