Propstore lines up $1M animation art auction with Simpson, Disney and anime rarities

Propstore will hold a two-day Animation Art Live Auction in Los Angeles on July 8-9, 2026, with nearly 700 lots expected to bring in about $1 million. The sale spans Western animation and anime, led by key pieces from The Simpsons, Fantasia, Dragon Ball Z and Kiki’s Delivery Service, as collectors mark major anniversaries across the category. Why it matters: - Animation cels, drawings and concept art are moving from studio history to the collector market in a major way. - Propstore’s sale highlights demand for original artwork tied to some of the most recognizable animated franchises in film and television. - The auction also lands in a milestone year for the category, with anniversaries for Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, Dragon Ball and Pokémon. What happened: - Propstore announced its Animation Art Live Auction for July 8-9, 2026. - The two-day sale will be held in Los Angeles and is expected to generate $1 million. - The catalog includes almost 700 lots of original production cels, drawings, storyboards, backgrounds and development artwork. - Bidding will be available globally online, by absentee and by telephone. - Registration is open, and the full catalog is available here . - Day one will focus on Western animation, including Disney, Warner Bros., The Simpsons, MTV and Nickelodeon material. - Day two will focus on anime and Japanese animation, including Dragon Ball, Pokémon and Studio Ghibli. The details: - The top lot is an original pan production cel setup from The Simpsons episode “Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder” (1999), showing Homer Simpson with Lenny and Carl at Springfield’s Bowlerama. - That Simpsons piece is presented on its original Key Master hand-painted production background and carries an estimate of $33,000 to $66,000. - A rare hand-painted concept painting from Disney’s Fantasia shows Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice conducting the stars in the “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” sequence. - The Fantasia painting is estimated at $11,880 to $23,760. - The auction includes an original production cel of Super Saiyan 3 Goku with a matching douga from Dragon Ball Z episode “Goku’s Time Is Up.” - That Dragon Ball Z lot is estimated at $9,900 to $19,800. - A preserved Key Master setup from Kiki’s Delivery Service shows Kiki visiting her friend Ursula. - The Kiki’s Delivery Service piece is estimated at $7,920 to $15,840. - Other Western animation lots include Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree and Cow and Chicken. - Other anime lots include Pokémon, Sailor Moon and Naruto. - The Pokémon lot is an original production cel of Pikachu from episode 214, “Mantine Overboard!” - The Sailor Moon lot is a cel of Usagi and Mamoru with a matching douga from “The Cursed Mirror: Mamoru Caught in a Nightmare.” - The Naruto lot is a douga from episode 128, “A Cry on Deaf Ears.” - Russell Singler, Propstore’s Animation Art expert, said the sale brings together one of the finest selections of animation art he has seen in more than 30 years. Between the lines: - The auction mixes universally familiar titles with rarer production materials, which can widen appeal across casual fans and serious collectors. - Propstore is using anniversary timing and franchise recognition to frame the sale as both a nostalgia play and a history-of-animation event. - The estimates suggest a market where iconic characters and original production provenance still drive the highest values. What’s next: - The live auction runs July 8-9, 2026, with bidding starting each day at 03:00 PM BST / 07:00 AM PDT / 10:00 AM EDT. - Propstore will continue taking registrations ahead of the sale. - The auction could set a benchmark for how much collectors will pay for original animation art tied to landmark franchises. The bottom line: - Propstore is betting that original art from The Simpsons, Disney and anime staples can turn nostalgia into seven-figure bidding.