Rarest of the Rare Original Disneyland Prospectus Coming to Auction

Disneyland fans may have to mortgage their homes, cars, and first born children to get their hands on this rarest of the rare piece of Disneyland history. One of three, and the only intact copy, prospectus portfolios with beautiful art by Herb Ryman and used by Walt to pitch the idea for Disneyland to New York bankers (footnote: he was rejected) is coming up for auction. The estimated value at auction is $150,000.

This document was discovered at an estate sale on Long Island in New York in the early 1980s by a picker and has been in the same owner’s hands since 1984 (collectibles expert and appraiser Gary Sohmers) who has extensively researched to determine its rarity and importance. It had been seen by Dave Smith of the Walt Disney Archives at a Disneyana Convention in the 1990s and Dave explained what it was.

The document includes an outer 9″ x 12″ folder with tabs to hold pages featuring what appears to be rub on lettering “DISNEYLAND.” Inside the folder are 9 type pages describing Walt’s planned park including describing the different “lands” with some that never came to fruition such as “Lilliputian Land” and “Happy Holiday Land.”

The first Map attached inside the front cover is a large 24″ x 36″ stat, hand colored by either (or both) Walt and Herb in colored pencils features a fantasy birds-eye view of the proposed park. The second Map is a 12″ x 18″ stat of an architectural rendering of the proposed park showing an advanced stage of planning for the acreage that was purchased in Buena Vista.

The typed pages include quotes from Walt that have been referenced about the proposed park ever since, one page features only “Walt Disney – sometime – in 1955 will present to the people of the world – and children of all ages – a new experience in entertainment. In these pages is proffered a glimpse into this great adventure – a preview of what the visitor will experience – Disneyland.”

Also available in this auction are over 350 lots of Disneyana, Animation and Comic art including items from the Conventions, signed art and rare memorabilia. For more info visit Phil Weiss Auctions.