On July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened its gates to the public for the first time and started a new era of family entertainment. Through the new medium of television, “Dateline: Disneyland” introduced Walt Disney’s innovative Magic Kingdom to the world with a star-studded event. 

To commemorate the momentous occasion, Van Eaton Galleries is proud to present “Disneyland: The First 65 Years,” an exhibition and auction of over 1,000 artifacts of rare Disney Parks history. Memorabilia from Disneyland and the other Disney theme parks from around the world will be on display and go up for auction on August 15 and 16.

This large exhibit and two-day auction will showcase the legacy of Disneyland and other Disney theme parks through rare props, signage, costumes, vintage souvenirs, attraction posters, and much more.

, Rare Disneyland Treasures on Exhibit and Auction!
Blast off to another time and place in an original vehicle from Disneyland’s Space Mountain, which includes speakers that were added to the seats when the attraction was upgraded in 1996.

Some of the auction’s highlights include original Walt Disney autographs, rare 16mm films of some of Disneyland’s earliest lessees, Disney Legend Milt Albright’s original 1955 cast member no. 10 metal ID badge, attraction vehicles, an original Eyvind Earle concept painting for the Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough, a mock-up for the Pirates of the Caribbean guidebook, park signage, and other rare items.

For collectors, this event is a wonderful opportunity to add to their collection of Disney memorabilia.

, Rare Disneyland Treasures on Exhibit and Auction!
A rare prop from the external queue of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion: the original Phineas Pock tombstone.
, Rare Disneyland Treasures on Exhibit and Auction!
Beware of hitchhiking ghosts! This rare set from the Walt Disney Classics Collection is signed by Disney legend Marc Davis.

A treasure trove of Disneyana . . . the old Donald parking lot sign, a lantern from the Teacup ride, a Mark Twain life preserver, the Letterbox from Main Street and many more rare items . . . 

, Rare Disneyland Treasures on Exhibit and Auction! , Rare Disneyland Treasures on Exhibit and Auction!

Changes to the Exhibition 

A free exhibition was tentatively planned to open from July 25 through August 14. UInfortunately, due to updates to public health guidelines and social distancing, Van Eaton Galleries is making adjustments to the event.

“We built a special display just for this auction so that people could view items in person in an intimate setting,” said Mike Van Eaten, owner of Van Eaton Galleries. “However, that may not happen due to the current situation with the pandemic. We are tentatively planning to film a walkthrough of the display so that everyone can see the collection from the comfort of their homes.”

At the moment, the gallery is closed to the public; however, they are still fulfilling online and phone orders of all their merchandise through shipping and scheduled curbside pickup.

Virtual Catalog

For easy access to information on the items, a digital catalog with an exhaustive listing of all the items and descriptions is available for browsing. 

For more information on the exhibition and auction, be sure to visit Van Eaton Galleries at their official website.

Pop-Culture & Disneyland Fall Auction

This coming November, the gallery will present an auction of popular culture and Disney theme park history! This collection will combine rare original film posters from such iconic films as Creature from the Black Lagoon, Forbidden Planet, and The Blob, as well as some of the earliest pieces of Disneyana including 1930s tin toys, early Mickey Mouse dolls, Walt Disney signed pieces, and much more.

Original props, rare documentation, costumes, and other pieces from both Disneyland and Walt Disney World will also be part of the collection.

The auction is currently scheduled for November 2020. Additional details will be posted on the website soon.

About Van Eaton Galleries

For over 20 years, Van Eaton Galleries has been a central meeting place for a vibrant community of collectors, professionals, and Disney theme park enthusiasts. The gallery’s founders, Mike and Janeen Van Eaton, are world-renowned experts in the fields of Disneyland, animation, and popular culture memorabilia.

Van Eaton Galleries is located at 13613 Ventura Blvd. in Los Angeles.

Let’s Hear From You 

You may be familiar with Van Eaton Galleries from previous blockbuster auctions of rare Disney memorabilia. See anything rare you’d love to snag? Do you have a treasure of your own just sitting in a box in the attic that you’d love to auction off one day? Let’s hear from. you below. 

Oh , . . and one last thing . . . here’s one minute of video we cut together for you of those amazing rare 16mm films of early Disneyland which will be available in the auction: 

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