This year Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas celebrates 50 years as a holiday movie classic. To mark the anniversary, the family of legendary animator Chuck Jones is releasing a large number of original animation art from the Christmas classic. The trove of How the Grinch Stole Christmas art will be sold in Heritage’s auction on June 11, 2016 in Dallas, TX.

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Chuck Jones Center of Creativity in Orange County, CA.

“Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas has been on TV every holiday season since it was first released in 1966 and TV Guide ranked it #1 in its Top 10 list of holiday favorites,” said Jim Lentz, Director of Animation Art Auctions at Heritage Auctions. “This is an unprecedented offering and, more importantly than anything else, it comes directly from the Chuck Jones Personal Archives, chosen specifically by Jones’ daughter, Linda, and his grandson Craig Kausen.”

“The magic of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas television special, created 50 years ago, continues to enchant and entertain generation after generation,” said Kausen. “The amalgamation of Seuss and Jones, mixed with Karloff and the rest of the incredible talent on the special to produce an elixir so unique and satisfying it may never be matched again. We of the Chuck Jones family are delighted to share a few treasures from this film to help spread and foster creativity into the future.”

Heritage is offering 27 original pieces relating to How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It features three key master set-ups from the cartoon, original artwork by Jones and Maurice Noble used while making the cartoon, key animation cels, and original Jones Grinch paintings featuring characters from the Christmas classic.

The centerpiece in the auction is a hand-painted production cel of the Grinch looking into a hand mirror held in Max’s mouth while he completes his Santa outfit. The cel is on the key master hand-painted production background from the scene, of which there was only one made and used in production.

“This is one of the very few key master set-ups from the cartoon that I’ve ever seen in more than 30 years in the business,” said Lentz. “It can be seen right at the nine-minute mark in the special and I can tell you, it’s just a spectacular offering.”

Other highlights are Jones’ first concept drawings of the Grinch accompanied by one of the first hand-painted cels of the Grinch, rare storyboard of Cindy Lou Who, pan hand-painted key master background of the snow that leads the Grinch to Mount Crumpet, and rare 12-field director’s layout drawing of the Grinch trying to save the sleigh after he realizes the meaning of Christmas.