DALLAS, TX.- Walt Disney had a vision, and that vision has shaped history. From technological breakthroughs in sight and sound to how we tell and understand stories, from care in the smallest detail to the pleasure of grand spectacle, one of the most popular and enduring of all American institutions is responsible for the modern world’s relationship with entertainment.

From August 7-11 in its The Art of Disney Signature® Auction, featuring more than 1600 lots across five days, Heritage celebrates its successful and ongoing relationship with Disney’s glorious history with a generous and wide-ranging auction that, through significant single-owner collections and more, showcases Disney’s spectacular run thus far, particularly via its most potent cultural touchstone: its animation.

This auction is led by The Daniel Shak Platinum Collection, a dazzling showcase of original Disney production art spanning the studio’s legendary Golden Age through its beloved Renaissance era. Offering more than 50 extraordinary lots, the collection brims with rare animation treasures: hand-painted cels, enchanting concept art and behind-the-scenes drawings from iconic films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Cinderella, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.

Mr. Shak built his collection for more than four decades, and his incisive acumen led him to the kind of rare original works prized by serious Disney collectors: Standout highlights include two exquisite concept paintings by famed Swedish illustrator Gustaf Tenggren created for Snow White. One captures the chilling moment the Old Hag conjures the poison apple, while the other immortalizes Snow White’s enchanted slumber and fateful kiss — scenes that helped shape the visual legacy of Disney’s first feature-length animated film. Other highlights in the collection include a Cinderella hand-inked production cel setup, signed by Walt Disney, featuring a transformed Cinderella admiring her Fairy Godmother’s wandwork (bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!) as well as an astonishing original panoramic production background by the lauded Disney legend Eyvind Earle from Disney’s timeless masterpiece Sleeping Beauty.

The Daniel Shak selection also presents beautifully preserved Courvoisier setups (check out this moment between Bambi and Thumper), stunning Master production cel setups like this Seven Dwarfs-populated gem attributed to Samuel Armstrong, and hard-to-find employee-only limited editions from the Disney Renaissance such as this stunning Lion King cel with master production background featuring Simba and Nala in a sweet exchange.

“Each piece of the Daniel Shak Platinum Collection is a window into the artistry and imagination that define Disney animation at its finest,” says Jim Lentz, Heritage’s Vice President of Animation and Anime Art. “His collection is one of the greatest of Disney artworks ever assembled and boasts more Master and Key Master background setups than we’ve ever seen in one auction.”

The August event is a sweeping celebration of the great artists of Disney, and no Heritage Disney event is complete without Mary Blair. And in Disney history, no family left a legacy quite like the Blairs. When brothers Preston (1908–1995) and Lee Blair (1911–1993) received scholarships to Los Angeles’ Chouinard Art Institute, they began a journey that would lead them—and Lee’s future wife, Mary (1911–1978)—to leave an indelible mark on Walt Disney Studios. Preston contributed animation to Pinocchio, Bambi, and “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” segment in Fantasia; Lee provided storyboards for Fantasia’s “Dance of the Hours” and “The Pastoral Symphony”; and Mary became renowned for her vibrant styling on Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan.

Heritage honors this trailblazing trio with a standout offering in the August 7–11 auction: an extraordinary collection of original works by all three artists, including more than 70 Mary Blair lots. Among the highlights is a rare concept painting she created for an unused scene in Cinderella, portraying the princess in mourning at her parents’ grave, an evocative and poignant image that deepens the character’s backstory. (Mary’s timeless appeal was underscored by the Walt Disney Family Museum’s acclaimed 2014 exhibition Magic, Color, Flair: The World of Mary Blair, and continues with Mary Blair: Mid-Century Magic, on view through September 7.)

Lee Blair, who joined Disney in 1938 as a color supervisor, was a pivotal figure in the California Style of watercolor painting. His works in the auction, including a masterful rural scene of a woman greeting a man and his dog, showcase the talent that earned him the presidency of the California Water Color Society in 1935.

Preston, who transitioned from fine art to animation during the Depression, made his mark on Fantasia, Pinocchio and Bambi, and authored essential animation manuals beginning in 1948. His featured work in this auction, including a romantic couple kissing before a glowing cityscape, demonstrates not only his gift for movement but also his sensitivity to still imagery. Together, these works celebrate the Blairs’ singular contributions to the golden age of animation and Disney’s artistic legacy.

Disney artists’ highlights continue with the Andreas Deja Collection, given that Deja himself is one of Disney’s most celebrated artists (he gave us the Renaissance era’s greatest villains including Scar, Jafar, and Vanessa), and his collecting reach is unbeatable. As a chronicler and champion of Disney’s animation history it’s no surprise that highlights from his collection include such treasures as this hand-inked “Belle Notte” production cel from 1955’s Lady and the Tramp which presents the most charming moment in the movie; this group of original storyboards for Robin Hood and The Aristocats by Disney legend Ken Anderson; and also by Anderson this original one-of-a-kind size comparison lineup for Robin Hood featuring Prince John, King Richard, Maid Marian, Sheriff of Nottingham, Robin Hood and Little John in all their lovable glory.

Also from the Deja Collection is a selection of Disney insider favorites: “Freddie’s Girls” were in-house illustrations by Disney legend Fred Moore, who after joining the studio in 1930 became an expert on Mickey Mouse and is often ranked as one of Disney’s greatest artists. He became well-known around the studio for his charming drawings of innocently beguiling women, which would become the iconic “Freddie’s Girls”— this brunette, for example, draped in purple, makes an appearance as a spectacular 12-field 5-peghole illustration. Such circa-1940s Moore drawings were gifted around the Disney office, and the 25 “Freddie’s Girls” lots offered in August provide a window into early Disney animators’ process, generosity and humor.

Another auction highlight is a selection of pre-World War II, early-stage development and concept drawings for Peter Pan, by artists such as Jack Miller and David Hall, which would not debut for another 13 years (Peter Pan was shelved due to budget constraints and Disney’s involvement producing war films). Among them is a remarkably rare sheet of first-pass story drawings featuring Hook’s pirates, Peter Pan and Tinker Bell; an exceptionally rare set of three character development drawings of Wendy; and a pair of storyboard drawings of Michael and Nana.

“This is more than just an auction. It’s a landmark moment for Disney collectors,” says Lentz. “The breadth and quality of material on offer this August present a vibrant tribute to the artists, the legacy and the enduring magic of Disney animation.”