Classic Americana : Disney Buffs Snap Up the Art That Sold

To Disney memorabilia buffs like Tommy Christopher, 35, Saturday’s art sale was a childhood dream come true, a chance to own a piece of classic Americana.

To art collectors like Marshall Karsh, 43, it was the bottom line that mattered: The art was a good investment, “or else I wouldn’t have spent $11,000 cash in less than five minutes.”

The original paintings, drawings and sketches, priced between $1,400 and $16,500, illustrated future attractions such as “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Jungle Cruise” and “Tomorrowland.”

Disney used these pictures, Christopher said, “to illustrate concepts to get the bankers (potential investors) excited.”

Designs for Theme Parks

The artists, among them Herb Ryman, Marc Davis and Eyvind Earle, illustrated for Walt Disney Imagineering, a company subsidiary that has designed everything in the Disney theme parks.

Since opening last summer in Disneyland, Disney Gallery had been selling only limited reproductions of illustrations, while originals were for exhibit only. On Saturday, the first 26 originals went on sale, and before noon 14 had been sold.

“I’ve never seen art sell so fast in my life,” said Karsh, who was standing in line a half hour before the gallery opened to get first crack at the originals. “They were grabbing (the illustrations) like they were $5 each.”

Antique dealer Kevin Marisay, 37, flew in from New York to add an illustration or two to his collection of street plaques, wooden Plutos, hard-rubber dwarfs, Snow White composition dolls and other Disney movie memorabilia. But for him it was too late.

“I was really hoping to buy something, but all the paintings I like were gone.”

The illustrations he didn’t get, Marisay said, “were original concepts, the beginning of an era that will never end.”

Pointing to a young boy admiring Davis’ “Pirates of the Caribbean Dungeon Scene,” he said, that’s what Disney’s all about: children that refuse to grow up.”

Topping the sales list was Earle’s “Sleeping Beauty Cradle Scene,” which was purchased by a California businessman for $16,500.

Encouraged by the sale’s success, Disney officials announced that a new series of original illustrations will go on sale May 9.

“They were sitting in the vaults, gathering dust,” said Disney gallery guide Sandy Hullar, 46. “Now people can get to enjoy them.”

Added exhibit producer Tony Baxter: “A lot of people grew up in Disneyland. It means so much to them to have a piece of that creation.”