THE AUGUST 7–11 SALE ACHIEVED THE HIGHEST TOTAL EVER FOR ANIMATION ART AT AUCTION, WITH HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDING WORKS BY GUSTAF TENGGREN, EYVIND EARLE, MARY BLAIR AND OTHERS.
By Intelligent Collector staff
Heritage Auctions’ August 7–11
The sale drew participation from more than 4,000 bidders worldwide and achieved a 100% sell-through rate, underscoring the growing demand for rare Disney production art.
Among the auction highlights was the Daniel Shak Platinum Collection, a curated selection of 58 lots that brought in more than $1 million. The collection claimed the auction’s top 10 results.
Standout pieces included:
- Gustaf Tenggren concept painting for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Old Hag with poison apple): $168,000
- Tenggren’s concept of Snow White’s enchanted sleep and kiss: $102,000
- Cinderella hand-inked and hand-painted production cel signed by Walt Disney: $72,000
- Eyvind Earle signed Sleeping Beauty concept of Prince Philip and Maleficent as a dragon: $52,800
- Earle’s forest concept painting from Sleeping Beauty: $50,400
Other notable results included Alice in Wonderland production cels of Alice and the Cheshire Cat ($45,600) and Alice surrounded by flowers ($37,200), a Tinker Bell cel from Peter Pan ($38,400), a hand-painted Beauty and the Beast cel ($38,400), and a Jungle Book cel featuring Mowgli and Baloo ($36,000).
Beyond the Shak Collection, the auction featured treasures from other Disney greats:
- John Hench concept painting for Cinderella balcony scene: $36,000
- Eyvind Earle cover illustration for Sleeping Beauty Big Golden Book: $36,000
- Andreas Deja “Bella Notte” cel from Lady and the Tramp: $36,000
- Mary Blair concept paintings for It’s a Small World and Alice in Wonderland: each $31,200
Jim Lentz, Vice President of Heritage’s Animation and Anime Art category, called the event “nothing short of historic,” noting that “animation art is not just cherished, it’s revered.”
With this record-setting result, Heritage has again demonstrated that it is the premier destination for consignors and collectors of animation art, the place where the most significant works find both their strongest bidders and their highest prices.