Rare Disney World memorabilia to highlight Bonhams auction

A rare collection of Walt Disney World memorabilia is to provide one of the main draws in Bonhams' Entertainment Memorabilia auction, which will be held on November 18 in Los Angeles.

Walt Disney World concept map
Somehow, the Venetian resort was deemed unsuitable for Disney's child fans



Items from the collection will be sold as individual lots, with early concept designs and models for the park expected to provide the most fascination for collectors. Arguably the most exciting item in the sale is a large scale concept map depicting an aerial view of the site, which features several attractions that were never built.

Published prior to the park's opening in Florida in 1971, it depicts the Venetian, Asian and Persian resorts, which would never become reality. It is expected to sell for $1,000-1,500.

In July, Walt Disney's initial prospectus for Disneyland, which opened in California in 1955, sold for $80,000. The plan was one of just three produced by Disney to take to New York to find investors for his park.

Also featuring is a set of designs for some of the shops and attractions that are now closed at the Walt Disney World resort ($1,000-1,500) and a group of original Disneyland plans, which have been annotated in red ink and are believed to have been used in the design process for Disney World's Main Street USA.

Bobby Driscoll Walt Disney signed letter
Driscoll also starred in Disney's Song of the South and Treasure Island
  

Leading the collection is a rare Walt Disney typed Christmas greetings letter, which was sent to Bobby Driscoll, the child star who featured as the voice of Peter Pan in the 1953 film. It is expected to sell for $4,000-6,000.

The sale follows the announcement that Disney is holding a UK-wide search for the rarest memorabilia, which will culminate in a London exhibition.

Paul Fraser Collectibles has some great signed Walt Disney items, including a rare sketch of Mickey Mouse and autograph on a copy of the book Ivanhoe.

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