DALLAS, TX.- From animation drawings to production cels, concept art to storyboards, Heritage Auctions' July 1 Animation Sale will offer one of the largest selections of artwork from the groundbreaking classic 1940 Walt Disney animated feature film Fantasia. No other piece highlights the rarity of this auction as well as Kay Nielsen's epic "Night on Bald Mountain" Concept Painting (Walt Disney, 1940), which is expected to sell for $50,000.

"We're highlighting this sale featuring 'The Art of Fantasia,'" said Jim Lentz, Director of Animation at Heritage Auctions. "This is one of the largest collections of production artwork – cels, animation drawings, concept art, storyboards – from this film ever in one auction. Over 60 pieces of original production art for this film are in this sale!"

Being offered is a fantastic original of Mickey Mouse as "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" Production Cel. Mickey's role as the "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is arguably his greatest and most impactful role (est. $15,000). The Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen, makes another appearance with a piece of Preliminary Background Art (est. $10,000). Another piece of animation from Fantasia is a Production Cel from the "Nutcracker Suite" section. This cel features Fantasia's equivalent of Dopey, Hop Low and the accompanying mushroom dancers. Ben Ali Gator and Hyacinth Hippo Production Cel (est. $5,000) will be a fun hand-inked, hand-painted, fan favorite, and the "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" Storyboard Painting (est. $1,000) is a magical representation of Mickey's role.

In addition to the ample amount of Fantasia production art, pieces from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Song of the South, Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp, Pinocchio as well as rare never-before-seen artwork from all the major animation studios, among others, will be presented in the July event.

Some of the earliest known art to come from the hand of Tim Burton will be offered, such as Stalk of the Celery Monster (est. $10,000) from Burton's time at Cal Arts in 1979, and The Black Cauldron (Walt Disney, 1985), several concept art pieces from his time as an apprentice at Disney (est. $5,000).

Ken Anderson's early Disneyland Haunted Mansion Studies (est. $5,000) is one of the most important lots Heritage Auctions has ever offered regarding Disneyland. Based on the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose California, The Haunted Mansion notes and plans are confined to a soft binder that Walt Disney and Ken Anderson loosely designed in 1957, 12 years before the ride officially opened.

One of the earliest known Mighty Mouse Production cels on its Key Master set ups from the cartoon Pandora's Box is a special lot being offered in this sale. It is a rare, blue Super Mouse (Mighty Mouse) Production Cel on its Key Master hand-painted production background before legal reasons required the character to have his name and colors changed. In this Key Master Background Setup Super Mouse features the original, pre-infringement, Superman colors. This key cel and background set up could be the earliest Key Master Setup of Super Mouse/Mighty Mouse known to exist (est. $5,000).

"This auction will also feature the largest collection of Disneyland hand-silkscreened park entrance posters ever offered to the public," Lentz said. "These are signed originals highlighted in several books celebrating the art of Disneyland."

Posters include the Haunted Mansion Entrance Poster (est. $5,000), Peter Pan Entrance Poster (est. $2,500), Matterhorn Bobsled Attraction Poster (est. $3,500), Monorail Disneyland Park Attraction Poster (est. $3,000), Alice in Wonderland Park Attraction (est. $3,000) and the Autopia Park Attraction Poster (est. $2,500).

More than 1,000 rare and many never-before-seen lots from all major animation studios from some of the most important people in the history of animation also will be included in this sale.

Additional highlights include, but are not limited to:

· It's a Small World Concept Painting by Mary Blair (est. $10,000)

· Song of the South "Tar Baby" Concept Art by Ken Anderson (est. $25,000)

· Lady and the Tramp Production Cel (est. $1,000)

· Scooby-Doo/Super Friends Publicity Cel (est. $1,000)