Hundreds of fans crowded into a specially built tent at Van Eaton Galleries in Sherman Oaks this weekend to bid on nearly a thousand items from the golden age of Disneyland. Bidders online, by telephone, and in person spent more than $1.7 million over two days. That’s enough money to treat every resident of El Segundo to a day at the Anaheim theme park. Experts say the prices soared above estimates and perhaps bidders got carried away in the excitement, but this really was just the coolest stuff. I could gush about the wonders of this collection all day, and as a collector myself (I once spent a week’s pay on a restaurant menu!) I understand how passionate we are about these precious objects. Many of the items sold were one-of-a-kind, but it got me thinking that versions of many of the highest priced items still exist in the park. We could just pay a visit and say hi. But we couldn’t help but wonder: What else could those funds be used for?
Item: Enchanted Tiki Room animatronic bird
Winning bid: $153,400
Can also buy: His and Hers Tesla Roadsters
Item: Pirates of the Caribbean skeleton prop
Winning bid: $129,800
Can also buy: A college education
Item: Cigar Store Indian
Winning bid: $44,250
Can also buy: Hot apple pie from McDonald’s for every homeless person in Los Angeles
Item: It’s A Small World doll
Winning bid: $41,300
Can also buy: 1 bedroom house in the Antelope Valley
Item: Mickey Mouse Character Costume Head
Winning bid: $29,500
Can also buy: A week-long trip to Hawaii for an entire class of high schoolers
Item: Enchanted Tiki Room Flower Boat
Winning bid: $22,420
Can also buy: A ‘57 Chevy
Item: Golden Horseshoe Revue costume
Winning bid: $15,340
Can also buy: A new Nissan + gas for one year
Item: Mark Twain Riverboat Life Preserver Prop
Winning bid: $11,800
Can also buy: Half a pound of pure gold
Item: Main Street Entrance Flag
Winning bid: $7,670
Can also buy: Public radio membership for the rest of your life
All photographs courtesy icollector.com
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