Last Thursday, a pencil drawing of Donald Duck drawn and signed by Walt Disney himself sold at auction for a serious sum of money. The sketch was sold by Nate D. Sanders Auctions in Los Angeles to unnamed bidders for $11,949.
The drawing features Donald, as created by Disney in the early 1930s as a friend of Mickey Mouse, wearing his signature sailor hat. The full page measures 13″ x 17” and is framed and matted. Prominent on the sketch is Disney’s signature and both the sketch and signature were authenticated.
In a statement ahead of the auction, Nate D. Sanders’ auction manager, Michael Kirk, noted that the find is rare, as Disney was well known for delegating the work of animation to his team.
“It’s rare to find a Donald Duck illustration hand drawn and signed by Walt Disney himself,” Kirk said. “Disney famously delegated almost all animation work to his team of talented animators, making this piece very unique and collectable.”
Apart from the mega sale, Disney is also celebrating Mickey’s 90th birthday with “Mickey: The True Original Exhibition” in New York, which features a look back at Mickey’s origins as well as the character’s long-lasting global impact.
The exhibition will run from Nov. 8, 2018 to Feb. 10, 2019, Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 60 10th Avenue, New York.
By: Maytinee Kramer
