An extraordinary, museum-grade piece of theme park history! Up for sale is a spectacular, original vintage collection of five (5) production artwork drawings created during the design phase of The Hall of Presidents Preshow for the grand opening of Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971.These are true, hand-drawn artifacts from the dawn of Walt Disney World, capturing the patriotic creative direction that went into a landmark Audio-Animatronic attraction.The Production & Attraction Background:
To bring the spectacular main show and preshow to life, more than a dozen internationally renowned artists worked under the strict Art Direction of legendary four-time Academy Award-winner John DeCuir, Sr. (1918–1991). DeCuir's team created 82 to 85 painted masterpieces—some measuring over 40 feet long—to form the cinematic tapestry of the show.These 5 original drawings were prepared specifically to map out the final painting titled "Abraham Lincoln: Candidate for U.S. Senator," which beautifully depicted Lincoln as he appeared in 1858 during the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates. Accomplished in graphite pencils on vellum by unidentified studio artists, these drawings depict dynamic, passionate everyday people stirred by Lincoln's words: "Our defense is in the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands everywhere."Collector Highlights & Art Specs:
- The Grid System: Each drawing features visible transfer grids hand-drawn across the sheets. This classic grid-scaling technique was used by Disney artists to accurately map and enlarge these sketches into massive, final background paintings.
- Dimensions: Sheet sizes range dynamically from 9" x 12" to 14" x 17", making for an incredible mosaic layout if framed together.
- Pedigree: John DeCuir, Sr. is internationally renowned for his indelible contributions to both Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland and The Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World. Original design material from his production unit is incredibly tough to source.
Condition Note:
These authentic artifacts show a Fair-to-Good condition overall. Because they are genuine, fragile production-used vellum sheets from over 50 years ago, they exhibit cracks, creases, and natural edge wear from active studio handling and age. These signs of history do not detract from the art, but rather prove their authentic, working background on the Disney lot.Item Specifics:
- Animation Studio / Affiliate: Walt Disney Imagineering / WDW Magic Kingdom
- Theme Park / Attraction: Walt Disney World / The Hall of Presidents
- Year of Production: 1970–1971 (Opening Day Artifacts)
- Item Type: Original Production Concept Drawings (Pencil on Vellum)
- Number of Pieces: 5 Original Drawings
- Art Director: John DeCuir, Sr.
- Condition: Fair to Good (Historical Production Wear)
- Inclusions: Production Grid Markings, Lincoln Presentation Theme
Return & Handling PolicyDue to the historical significance and extreme fragility of vintage production vellum, this archive is sold strictly As-Is with no returns accepted. The lot will be archivally protected, heavily padded, fully insured, and shipped with signature tracking to guarantee a pristine handover to your collection.VIEW MORE HISTORICAL ANIMATION ART ON MY PROFILE!Looking to add more investment-grade animation history to your portfolio? Check out my other listings for exclusive access to many exciting pieces! Always willing to make a bundle deal for serious collectors.
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