Van Eaton Galleries
13613 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, California 91423
818-788-2357
About Auction House
Van Eaton Galleries represents the single largest selection of works from the earliest days of animation right up to the present day, as well as contemporary fine art. For over 20 years, the gallery itself has been located in the heart of the animation and entertainment industry and is a central meeting place for a vibrant community of animation professionals and collectors.Auction Previews & News
5 Results
Auction ResultWhat a Joyride! Van Eaton Galleries’ “The Joel Magee Disneyland Collection” Auction Results
Van Eaton Galleries of Studio City, CA held The Joel Magee Disneyland Collection auction from July 17 to 19, 2023. This nearly 1,500-lot sale featured the largest privately owned collection of Disney Parks memorabilia in the world. The event included a full spectrum of theme park materials, including vintage to contemporary posters, ephemera, signage, souvenirs, displays, and cast-worn uniforms. However, the superstars of the event were unquestionably amazing park ride vehicles and related materials. So take a seat, buckle up, and take a look at some of these eye-popping results. Lot #744, a Hitchhiking Ghost Animatronic Display, was estimated at $100,000 to $200,000 and sold for $320,000. Image courtesy of Van Eaton Galleries. Three's a crowd when it came to the top lot in this breathtaking sale. Lot #744, a Hitchhiking Ghost Animatronic Display from around 1971, was estimated at USD 100,000 to $200,000 and delivered $320,000. This display featured three ghosts which would appear like magic in the Haunted Mansion attraction passenger vehicles as the ride concluded. When activated, they would move their heads and arms in rhythm with the Haunted Mansion musical soundtrack. According to Van Eaton Galleries, this trio of ghosts from the Haunted Mansion ride are the only ones known to have been sold by Disney. The Haunted Mansion attraction opened in 1969; this illusion was used through 2010, when it was replaced with high-tech visual imagery. Lot #902, a Dumbo Attraction Elephant Vehicle, was estimated at $100,000 to $200,000 and sold for $220,000. Image courtesy of Van Eaton Galleries. This next auction winner is simply ele-fantastic. Lot #902, a Dumbo Attraction Elephant Vehicle, was estimated at $100,000 to $200,000 and traded hands at $220,000. This example, from the 1960s, measured about five feet long, 12 feet wide, and 5.75 feet tall. The vehicle was repainted to bring it back to its original appearance but was otherwise all original. It featured the beloved flying elephant in a pink hat, matching blanket, and decorative neck ruffle. Disney has featured this signature aerial carousel ride in its parks since 1955. It appears in six Disneyland locations worldwide. This…
Auction Result2022 Christmas Sale Highlights
Auctions held throughout 2022 generated some breathtaking results for Christmas-related antiques, novelties, artwork, and other finds that bridged (or defied) conventional categories. In keeping with Auction Daily's annual December tradition of spotlighting holiday-themed superstar results, here are five extraordinary lots that prove Christmas rarities continue to top many collectors' wish lists– all year 'round! All sale prices noted include the auction house's buyer's premium. Tippco Santa Claus Driving Auto sold for $62,500. Image courtesy of Bertoia Auctions. Our first 2022 Christmas sale highlight is the wheel-deal. Santa Claus is best known for traveling by sleigh, but apparently he has a driver's license as well. Bertoia Auctions of Vineland, NJ sold lot #69, a Tippco Santa Claus Driving Auto, for USD 62,500 during its November 17, 2022 event. This extremely rare German-made wind-up toy carried a presale estimate of $12,000 to $18,000 and generated 28 bids. It measured 12 inches long, was in pristine to near mint condition, and was decorated with playful images of early-20th-century toys, including dolls, Teddy bears, elephants, a train, and even a zephyr. Tippco featured this Santa Claus vehicle in its catalog from 1925 to 1935 in a number of different versions, including one that had a full-fledged, rotating Christmas tree on its rear. Tippco, or Tipp & Co., was a prolific toy manufacturer (c. 1912 - 1971) located in the prewar "toy mecca" of Europe– Nuremberg, Germany. Fine Tippco items hold enormous interest with collectors today; on March 11, 2022, Bertoia sold a Tippco Mickey and Minnie Mouse Motorcycle from 1932 for a whopping $231,250! This appealing cross collectible had a presale estimate of $25,000 to $45,000 and generated 52 bids. Sand art in a bottle by Andrew Clemens (American, 1857-1894) sold for $277,200. Image courtesy of Bonhams Skinner. Our second Christmas sale highlight is literally sand-tastic. During its November 18, 2022 sale, Bonhams Skinner of Boston, MA sold lot #172, an impressive sand picture in a bottle by Andrew Clemens (American, 1857 - 1894) for $277,200. It was estimated at $150,000 to $250,000 and generated 12 bids. The work from 1887 was housed in…
Auction ResultAround the Auction World: December 2021
Images from around the auction world in December of 2021. Image credit from left to right: Sotheby’s, Potter & Potter Auctions, and Phillips. Collage by Heemin Moon (Auction Daily). December offers a chance to relax during the holidays, look back on another year, or perhaps turn over a new leaf and start afresh. Auction houses also took time to rest and prepare for 2022. While many sellers entered their slow season, the market offered no shortage of new records and exciting events. These included the first-ever tea auction at Sotheby’s, a selection of Disney-themed items at Van Eaton Galleries, and a haunting sculpture installation by Magdalena Abakanowicz with Polswiss Art. Auction Daily also seized the opportunity to look back on 2021. We looked at the rise of NFTs and curated the top Christmas items that sold this year. Now, we present the top headlines from around the auction world in December of 2021. Auctioneer Henry Highley at Phillips' London Evening Sale, October 2021. Image courtesy of Phillips. Industry Trends Sellers from around the auction world released a collective breath after the high-stakes New York marquee week concluded in November. Sotheby’s achieved new in-house records and stirred up a frenzy of excited bidding. Auction Daily examined the top lots to emerge from the whirlwind. The results from Sotheby’s and other auction houses also pointed to a broader trend in the industry: the rapid rise of ultra-contemporary art. This category— only defined in 2019 by Artnet News— is now one of the most profitable and exciting parts of the art world. Phillips has been a primary driver of ultra-contemporary art and its rise. The company has built a robust market for works by young artists, and it has fresh auction records to prove it. Another sector that continued to swell this month was NFTs. An open edition NFT project by Pak achieved USD 91.8 million on Nifty Gateway in early December. Now, the mysterious creator(s) could be among the world’s most expensive living artists. To better understand this result and the market-wide rise of NFTs, we tracked the timeline of NFTs in…
Auction IndustryVan Eaton Galleries Offers Chance to Own Rare Disney Paintings, Collectibles, and a Document Signed by Walt Disney
Besides sending people down memory lane, Disneyland has established a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience that attracts people of all ages. Disneyland was initially named “The Mickey Mouse Park” and even “Disneylandia” for a brief period. The rise of Disneyland elevated characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and many others to celebrity status. Christian R. Lassen, Seaside Romance original painting, 1996. Image courtesy of Van Eaton Galleries. In its upcoming two-day auction, Van Eaton Galleries will offer close to 800 pieces of Disney memorabilia. The event, titled A Visit to Disneyland, highlights the company’s newest selection of Disney Parks items. The collection features an original Skyway vehicle, original Christian Lassen Disney paintings, documents signed by Walt Disney, park props, Disney store displays, and more. Christian R. Lassen, Sorcerer of the Sea original painting, 1995. Image courtesy of Van Eaton Galleries. Christian R. Lassen’s Original Disney Paintings Day 1 of Van Eaton Galleries’ A Visit to Disneyland event will present two original paintings by Christian Riese Lassen. A world-renowned marine artist, Lassen is well-known for highlighting the interconnection between heaven and the sea in his works. One available painting, titled Sorcerer of the Sea, depicts Sorcerer Mickey perched on a sea rock controlling the sky and sea with a magical spell. Sorcerer of the Sea and its pair, Seaside Romance, was once stolen during a Las Vegas art heist. Those involved left no traces and were never captured. An unsuspecting collector purchased the paintings before returning them to the original gallery upon realizing their history. Sorcerer of the Sea is estimated to sell between USD 40,000 to $60,000 in the upcoming auction. Lassen’s Seaside Romance painting has the same estimate. Skyway original bucket vehicle (Disneyland, c.1965 - 1994). Image courtesy of Van Eaton Galleries. Skyway Original Bucket Vehicle Originally, Disneyland offered Skyway buckets to give visitors tours of the park. An original Skyway bucket vehicle that operated at a Disneyland attraction between 1965 and 1994 is available for sale in this auction (estimate: $100,000 - $200,000). This blue Skyway bucket is notable for its rounded rectangular shape, interior seats, and a functional door…
Auction PreviewDisneyland: The First 65 Years – Day 2
An original roller coaster car from the Space Mountain ride at Disneyland is featured on the second day of the upcoming Disneyland: The First 65 Years event, presented by Van Eaton Galleries. Space Mountain debuted in 1977 as Disneyland’s second roller coaster. It also expanded the offerings at the park’s Tomorrowland. The car available in this auction was restored by collector Kevin Doherty in the 1990s to include Boston Acoustic speakers and new padded vinyl seats. This second session of the Disneyland event offers nearly 600 lots from Disney Parks’ history. Fans of the Haunted Mansion can consider an original stretching portrait from the attraction. This is one of the early, hand-painted pictures for the ride. Later examples were printed instead. In this portrait, a woman sits atop the grave of her late husband, George. Also representing the Haunted Mansion is a tombstone prop used near the exit. Tombstones located in this area were normally humorous homages to the park’s Imagineers. The one exception, though, is this tombstone, which bears the name "Phineas Pock." The character was supposed to be the mansion's host, appearing in early promotional materials for the attraction before the idea was canceled. This tombstone remained in the Haunted Mansion until 1978 when a park employee gave it away as a gift. Those interested in this or any other piece can register to bid on LiveAuctioneers.
Auction PreviewDisneyland: The First 65 Years – Day 1
Two years before the release of Sleeping Beauty (1959), Walt Disney was already preparing for an attraction dedicated to the animated movie at Disneyland. One of Disney’s main concerns with what would become the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough was the empty space inside. To solve this, he asked animator Eyvind Earle, who was also working on the film, to produce dioramas that visitors could look at while walking through the castle. A concept painting for those dioramas by Earle is among the highlighted lots in day one of the upcoming Disneyland: The First 65 Years auction, presented by Van Eaton Galleries. The event will offer over 500 pieces of memorabilia from Disneyland and other Disney parks. This includes a 1967 original attraction poster for Disneyland’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” ride. “Sail with the wildest crew that ever sacked the Spanish Main,” invites the poster. Also representing Disneyland is the original entrance sign for Don DeFore's Silver Banjo Barbecue. From 1957 to 1962, the restaurant offered Disneyland visitors barbecue spare ribs, fish and chips, and other dishes. It was named after actor Don DeFore, notable for his role as the neighbor “Thorny” on the television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Interested collectors can learn more about the featured lots in this Auction Daily article and register to bid on LiveAuctioneers.
Auction IndustryVan Eaton Galleries Celebrates 65 Years of Disneyland with its Latest Auction
The exhibit and two-day auction offer memorabilia and souvenirs from Disneyland and Walt Disney World When Walt Disney's daughters were very young, he would take them for rides at Griffith Park every Saturday. One Saturday, as his daughters enjoyed their ride, Walt sat on a bench, eating peanuts. Suddenly, it dawned on him that there should be a family park where parents and children alike could have fun. Walt Disney nurtured the idea of a theme park for years before finally opening the gates to Disneyland, "The Happiest Place on Earth," in Anaheim, California, on July 17th, 1955. Walt Disney on the Opening Day of Disneyland. (Photo courtesy of Disney Parks) This August, over 1,100 pieces tracing Disneyland's history from its inception to the present day will cross the auction block in a Van Eaton Galleries sale. The auction will also feature several items from Walt Disney World, Disneyland Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong. Online, phone, and absentee bidding will occur on Saturday, August 15th, and Sunday, August 16th. Several notable items will make their first appearance, including an entrance sign from Don DeFore's original Silver Banjo Barbeque, an opening-day restaurant (USD 50,000 – $70,000). Silver Banjo Barbecue Entrance Sign (Photo courtesy of Van Eaton Galleries) DeFore, a close friend of Walt and a stage and screen star of the 1950s and 1960s, on the invitation of Walt Disney, opened a restaurant called Don DeFore's Silver Banjo Barbecue in Frontierland in 1957. Even though the restaurant closed in 1962, the original sign with hand-painted lettering and a metal body was displayed in DeFore's home for years. This sign comes from the collection of Disneyland historian and author of Growing Up in Disneyland Ron DeFore, Don DeFore's son. Also coming from Anaheim Park is a Gold VIP ticket to Disneyland's opening day ($3,000 – $5,000). Gold VIP ticket to Disneyland (Photo courtesy of Van Eaton Galleries) According to Van Eaton Galleries, as Disneyland's opening day events were being broadcast on live TV, Walt Disney issued timed tickets for steady coverage. The gold tickets were only issued to VIPs and, in this…
