It’s a happy holiday season for winning bidders of Heritage’s Animation Art Auction. The sale that was held on December 8-9, 2018 in Beverly Hills, CA, totaled an impressive $1,956,296. Mickey Mouse, artist Mary Blair, Charlie Brown, the Grinch, and Scooby-Doo were among the top draws that helped make this the most successful animation auction in the company’s history.
“This animation art auction was our best to date,” Heritage Animation Art Director Jim Lentz said. “It showcased the global love of animation art. Record prices were seen across the board for all the studios: Disney, Hanna-Barbera, Warner Brothers and so many more!”
The Haunted Mansion Stretching Room Disneyland painting original art soared to $72,000, nearly triple the preauction estimate. The rare, hand-painted piece measures a giant-sized 11 feet, 2 inches by 3 feet, 10 inches. A Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? full cast stock production cel was driven to $26,400 by two competitive bidders. A Winsor McCay Gertie the Dinosaur original animation drawing hammered for $24,000. Lady and the Tramp background color key/concept painting by Eyvind Earle reached $24,000.
The auction contained 65 lots of Mickey Mouse art, including the Steamboat Willie Mickey and Pete rare original animation drawing in graphite that sold for $14,400. The Plane Crazy Mickey and Minnie animation drawing was pushed to $14,400 and early publicity art of Mickey signed by Walt Disney showing the character’s 1930s design sold for $11,400 more than twice the estimate.
Iconic Disney artist Mary Blair was a significant draw for many collectors. The “It’s a Small World” concept painting tripled the preauction estimate, closing at $28,800. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad Headless Horseman concept painting reached $21,600. A penguin prop from the “It’s a Small World” park ride saw 29 bidders push it to $19,200. Alice in Wonderland Tweedledum and Tweedledee concept painting hammered for $16,800, triple the estimate.
Charlie Brown and the Peanuts crew were showcased in 35 lots. The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show “Happy Dance” Snoopy and Charlie Brown production cel sequence of seven with pan master background hit $10,800, A Charlie Brown Christmas “Tree Lot” limited edition cel #212/500 went for $6,300, and Charlie Brown and Friends color model cel on production background sold for $5,040.
Dr. Seuss’ popular Grinch was featured in 25 lots, with the top seller being a How the Grinch Stole Christmas Grinch and Max production cel that brought $4,320 and storyboard original art that ended at $4,080.
A few other top results were the Bambi production cel Courvoisier setup with master production background and Walt Disney signature for $21,600, Two-Gun Mickey production cel with production background for $20,400, and “Enchanted Tiki Room” Disneyland Park entrance poster for $19,200.