‘That’s From Disneyland’ auction raises over $8.3 million

What started out as a pop-up exhibit in an abandoned building in Sherman Oaks, Calif. culminated into a two-day auction at Van Eaton Galleries of over 900 items of Disneyland memorabilia collected by Richard Kraft, Hollywood agent.

Tens of thousands of people visited the pop-up shop and attended special events at the exhibit, including concerts, signings, and other pixie-dusted offerings. Even a wedding was hosted in the pop-up experience!

On Aug. 25 and 26, Van Eaton Galleries hosted the “That’s From Disneyland” auction and shattered previous records by raising over $8.3 million.

“For 25 years I collected with absolutely no intention of seeing it as an investment or acquiring things to sell. It has been purely for the joy of connecting to so many personal memories of the Happiest Place on Earth,” said Kraft. “When I finally decided to let it go it became much more about throwing a grand Bon Voyage party to those magical artifacts than about making projections about their worth.”

Highlights from the auction include the Jose animatronic bird from Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, which sold for $425, 500; a Skyway original vehicle which sold for $402,500; a Peter Pan ride vehicle sold for $253,000; and an original Haunted Mansion stretching portrait sold for $402,500.

Magician David Copperfield even threw his hat into the bidding ring when he purchased the Disneyland Hotel neon “D” for $86,250. Copperfield said that he bought the famous letter because his family would often stay at the Disneyland Hotel when he was growing up, and it was where he was inspired to become a magician.

“I am over-the-top thrilled at the results of this once-in-a-lifetime, extraordinary collection of Disneyland artifacts. Van Eaton Galleries was honored to be part of such a historical auction event,” said Mike Van Eaton. “The pop-up exhibit attendance was beyond our wildest dreams and the excitement for each and every item in the ‘That’s From Disneyland’ collection was electric […] for two-days solid I think Van Eaton Galleries was also one of the ‘Happiest Places on Earth!’”

Some of the records broken by the auction were the Skyway original vehicle, which broke a record for the highest price ever paid for a Disneyland ride vehicle; the Pirates of the Caribbean entryway sign which was the highest price ever paid for a Disneyland park sign; and the original Autopia attraction poster, which broke the record for the highest price ever paid for a Disneyland attraction poster.

A portion of the proceeds from the auction will go to the Coffin-Siris Syndrome Foundation and the CHIME Institute.

To learn more about “That’s From Disneyland” and to check out the inside of the former exhibition, visit VEGalleries.com/ThatsFromDisneyland.