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The Joel Magee Disney Collection and Van Eaton Galleries are auctioning off 1,500 Disney collectibles in Burbank.
The Van Eaton Galleries auction, named “The Joel Magee Disneyland Collection,” will feature items such as costumes, rare posters, and life-size vehicles from rides like Dumbo and Peter Pan. The Joel Magee Disney Collection has been built over 30 years, with over 6,000 items in total.
The auction is expected to draw significant attention from Disney fans and collectors alike. Magee has appeared on TV shows such as History Channel’s “Pawn Stars,” and his collection is widely regarded as one of the most impressive in the world. The auction will take place July 17th-19th, and a public exhibition of the items is currently being held at the Burbank Town Center Mall until July 16th in the former Bed, Bath, and Beyond storefront next to Cost Plus World Market.
Those who are unable to attend the auction in person can register for absentee and phone bidding.
The Joel Magee Disneyland Collection Auction is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Disney fans to own a piece of history and experience the magic of Disneyland in their own homes.
Who is Joel Magee?
Joel Magee is a well-known collector of Disney parks memorabilia. He has been building his collection for over three decades and has amassed over 6,000 items, making it the largest individually-owned Disney parks collection in the world.
Magee’s collection includes a wide range of items, from costumes and rare posters to life-size vehicles from rides like Dumbo and Peter Pan. He has appeared on TV shows such as History Channel’s “Pawn Stars” and has been featured in several news articles.
Magee’s love for Disney parks began when he was a child and visited Disneyland for the first time. He was fascinated by the park’s attention to detail and the way it transported visitors to another world. As he grew older, he began to appreciate the history and artistry behind the park’s attractions and began collecting items related to his favorite rides and characters.
Magee’s passion for collecting has led him to acquire some truly unique items. For example, his collection includes a trash can from Disneyland’s Main Street, which he purchased for $400 at an auction. He also owns a life-size replica of the Nautilus submarine from the movie “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” which was used as a prop in the Disney parks.
Magee’s collection has been on display in several exhibitions, including a recent one at the Burbank Town Center Mall. The exhibition showcased over 1,500 items from his collection and gave visitors a chance to see some of the rarest and most unique pieces up close.
Overall, Joel Magee’s collection is a testament to his love for Disney parks and his dedication to preserving their history and magic. His upcoming auction at Van Eaton Galleries starts on July 17, 2023 and is sure to attract collectors and Disney fans from around the world.
The Joel Magee Disney Collection
The Joel Magee Disneyland Collection is the largest privately owned collection of Disney Parks memorabilia in the world. Joel Magee, a collector who has appeared on TV shows such as History Channel’s “Pawn Stars,” has been building the collection for over 30 years. The collection includes more than 6,000 items, ranging from costumes and rare posters to life-size vehicles from rides like Dumbo and Peter Pan.
The collection is so large that it cannot fit into Van Eaton Galleries’ current location. The auction house is hosting a public exhibition at the Burbank Town Center Mall until July 16, 2023, where visitors can view some of the collection’s highlights. The exhibition is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm. Visitors can enter from outside the mall, near the West Garage.
The auction, named “The Joel Magee Disneyland Collection,” will take place July 17-19, 2023. In-person, online, phone, and absentee bidding will be available.
Monday, July 17th – Lots 1-163 – Starting at 5pm PT
Tuesday, July 18th – Lots 164-786 – Starting at 11am PT
Wednesday, July 19th – Lots 787-1499 – Starting at 11am PT
Doors open one hour before the auction.
Auction admission will be available for registered auction participants only.
Some of the collection’s most coveted items include a Haunted Mansion stretching room portrait, a Disneyland trash can, and a life-size Dumbo ride vehicle. The collection also includes rare items like a 1955 Disneyland map, a 1967 Pirates of the Caribbean poster, and a 1956 Sleeping Beauty Castle model.
The Joel Magee Disneyland Collection is a must-see for Disney Parks fans and collectors alike. With over 6,000 items, the collection offers a glimpse into the history and magic of Disneyland and Disney Parks.“The Joel Magee Disneyland Collection is actually almost 6,000 pieces. For this auction I have hand-picked just over 1,500 pieces that trace the story of the parks in an extraordinary fashion.
This is the first and most important auction of his collection in the coming year and is by far the most impressive and historically significant one-of-a-kind pieces. A couple of examples of the rarities the auction will provide are the “Set of three Audio Animatronic Hitchhiking Ghosts” which are estimated to sell for $100,000-$200,000 and the “Midget Atopia” car, estimated to sell for $50,000-$100,000.
There are just too many outstanding Disneyland and Disney Parks items to list. It is the most amazing collection we’ve had the honor of working with in decades. We can’t wait to see all the happy faces come through the exhibition – our recreation of the “happiest place on earth.
– Mike Van Eaton, Co-Founder, Van Eaton Galleries.
Highlights from the Joel Magee Disney Collection Auction
24. Disneyland Cast Member Welcome Packet from 1984. ($200-$400)
This welcome packet includes a “Disneyland Welcomes You” orientation folder issued to new Cast Members with a Wardrobe Bulletin, A Shoe Requirement bulletin, a 5-page packet on park history and the various lands, a Food Protection Brochure, a Disney career planning brochure, and more!
25. An Original Disneyland Employee Nametag Badge (1955-1962). ($600-$800)
This is an extremely rare original identification badge used during the 1950s and the 1960s by employees at Disneyland. Before the modern plastic Disneyland Cast Member nametags were issued, Disneyland supplied stamped aluminum employee ID number badges to their cast members. Walt Disney himself carried one of these with the ID #1.
126. A Disneyland Summer ’67 Guidebook (1967). ($100-$200)
A rare guidebook featuring all of the changes to the park for 1967.
303. A Disneyland Mad Hatter Hat with Feather (1960s). ($100-$200)
A souvenir blue feathered hat from the Mad Hatter at Disneyland. The blue felt had been embroidered with the name “John”.
491. Original Tiki Room Birds with Custom Display (Walt Disney World, 1980s). ($30,000-$50,000)
A stunning collection of (3) original Park-used Tiki Room Avian Actors, presented on a custom-built and animated Tiki display. (Due to size, special shipping arrangements are required. Please inquire before bidding).
718. A Club 33 Gold-Finish Souvenir Pin (2013). ($100-$200).
Pin traders will love this small souvenir pin from Club 33 at Disneyland Resort.
744. A Hitchhiking Ghosts Animatronic Display (1971). ($100,000-$200,000).
According to Van Eaton Galleries owner, Mike Van Eaton, this is expected to be one of the most active, if not the most, lots of the auction.
An incredible display featuring three of the original Hitchhiking Ghosts from the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World. In 2010, the ghosts were removed from the attraction and replaced with a video image. These three ghosts were retained and sold at the 2011 D23 Convention Auction. When activated, the ghosts move their heads and arms and the soundtrack from the attraction plays.
816. A Disneyland Fantasyland Souvenir Charm Bracelet (1960s). ($100-$200).
A Disneyland Fantasyland Souvenir Charm Bracelet featuring (6) silver finish charms of characters Donald Duck, Tinker Bell, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty Castle, Bambi, and Dumbo on a double twisted curve chain.
1237. Tower of Terror Lobby Elevator Floor Indicator (1994). ($5,000-$7,000)
An original The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Elevator Floor Indicator, paired with a Cast Member uniform and impressive custom display. (Due to size, special shipping arrangements are required. Please inquire before bidding).
1421. A Figment Audio-Animatronics Figure. (Epcot, 2000s). ($4,000-$6,000)
A Figment Audio-Animatronics figure from JOURNEY INTO IMAGINATION at Epcot Center. This Figment figure is a prototype created for the EPCOT Center attraction.
About Van Eaton Galleries
Van Eaton Galleries is the world record-breaking auction house and premier original animation, fine art and collectible gallery. The gallery specializes in entertainment memorabilia, animation, art and Disneyland historic artifacts.
Van Eaton Galleries have set records for Disney related memorabilia and historic items including attraction vehicles, props, costumes, maps, important documents and personal items of Walt Disney from the earliest days of Disneyland and the Walt Disney World Resort.
Van Eaton Galleries has also hosted entertainment memorabilia auctions including the most recent Guitar Icons auction which raised over $2 million for charity.
The gallery is located at 12160 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, California, and has been the subject of thousands of media stories around the world offering special exhibits and events for collectors, fans and guests worldwide.
Such collections have included “That’s From Disneyland,” “The Story of Disneyland,” “The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss,” animation artwork from Disney, Warner Bros., DreamWorks, Hanna-Barbera, Don Bluth, Music Rising and in all areas of Pop Culture.
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