The animation collection of a Hollywood producer will be sold at auction, including work by some of the world’s greatest examples of film animation art.
Mike Glad’s collection was built over decades and has toured museums around the world.
Glad was ahead of the game when it came to animation art, and the result is a huge collection that runs from Disney to Ghibli.
Heritage Auctions are hosting the sale, The History of Animation – The Glad Museum Collection Signature Auction, which is open from August 16 to 19.
“Original pieces from virtually every studio will be featured, including some never-before-seen key master setups, production cels, hand-painted one-of-a-kind backgrounds and concept art from animation’s most iconic films and scenes,” writes Heritage’s Director of Animation Art and Anime, Bill King.
Among the Disney films featured are: Fantasia, Lady and the Tramp, early Mickey Mouse shorts and more.
Currently topping the minimum bids is a Lady and the Tramp key master setup with hand-painted production cel from the Bella Notte musical scene.
Gertie the Dinosaur, a 1914 film that is foundational for animation history according to Mike Glad.
This “pinnacle in animation production art,” according to the catalogue, shows Lady and Tramp falling in love over a plate of meatballs and spaghetti.
The piece is largely hand-coloured, and painted by Eyvind Earle. It is open to bids from $25,000 ($30,000 with buyers premium).
Glad’s own personal favourites include 1914 production drawings from pioneering animated film Gertie the Dinosaur; a 1929 Mickey Mouse drawing by Ub Iwerks; the 1935 colour debut of Mickey Mouse in a cel from The Band Concert; a 1936 Popeye collection; and a Felix the Cat setup from 1936.
Animation art is a huge and growing part of the movie memorabilia market. In 2018 Heritage trumpeted what they called “the most valuable animation auction ever held” when they achieved $1.9 million in a sale.
The most valuable animation items are the oldest, and Walt Disney’s original works are still very highly prized. In 1989 a private buyer paid $400,000 for a cel from 1934’s The Orphan’s Benefit. And in 1999 a cel from The Band Concert made a reported $420,000 in another private sale.
Looking at those prices some may see the starting bids for this auction as tempting bargains.
