Ollie Johnston Estate Sale!

[Disneyphile]

Well, I spent the morning with Not Afraid and JWBear on a trek to the Ollie Johnston estate sale in La Canada. Ollie is now living up north with family, no longer able to live by himself, so the estate is now being liquidated. It was a bit of a sad experience, because it was like watching the life of a great man be carried away, even to some people who don't even know who he is or the history behind their purchases.

Here are a few cellphone photos I took around the home, mainly showing the track where Ollie and Frank once drove their trains.



Just outside the window, you can see the trestle bridge for the train.






They had some incredible items, priced from just 50 cents to $2,000+. My main goal was to find pieces that I personally found inspiring and sentimental, especially to decorate my new office at home. Here are my treasures (the really cool stuff towards the bottom, just to keep you in suspense) -

Office Chair


Broken Donald Statue (It was part of Ollie's collection, and it was cheap, and I like it.)


Wicker Fish Box


Wooden Flying Toy


Train Toy


Mickey Scarf


Smee Bone China Statue (1" tall)


LOTR Paperback Books (Had to get the hubby a present!)


Ollie's Brushes and Watercolors


And this is one of my fave pieces. It's a little handmade rock sculpture, with a handwritten personal joke glued to it.



Seeing as my father is now an "old man" himself, recently retired, and loves to tinker in his workshop, I bought him a few mementos from Ollie's workshop for creative inspiration -






I intend on displaying the paintbrushes in a cup underneath a bell jar on my new desk, so that they may inspire creativity when I most need it. In addition, the flying toy will hang overhead, the paint trays on the desk, while sitting in the office chair.

[Cousin Orville]

Is the sale on for the weekend? I rode his train once years ago. It was pretty magical.

[Disneyphile]

Originally Posted by Cousin Orville

Is the sale on for the weekend? I rode his train once years ago. It was pretty magical.

It ends tomorrow at 3pm, I believe. A lot of the train stuff sold today.

[Alchimedes]

Love the Paintbrushes and watercolors. A master's tools. Lasseter already has the big engine that Mr Johnston had.

[BlueSkyDriveBy]

Originally Posted by Disneyphile

And this is one of my fave pieces. It's a little handmade rock sculpture, with a handwritten personal joke glued to it.

Too funny!

Seeing as how most everyone screws up John Lasseter's name as well, I wonder if in the far off distant future, a similar item with a similar joke will be offered during his estate sale? How ironic that would be, since John acquired Ollie's train a few years ago, the Marie E, for his Sonoma County estate.

[Melonballer]

oh man, I wish I could have gone to that. Nice mementos

[mikeland]

Very cool!

[Xharryb]

Wow! What excellent peices of inspiration!

[Cmash95]

who better to inspire creativity than a master!!! thanks for the pictures and I love the joke. I didn't know he was still alive.

[disneytim]

Wow DP, you got some real treasures. I'm glad Ollie's possessions made their way to a true Disney fan. I hope the other items in his house did as well.

It's kind of a bittersweet feeling though, isn't it?

[ragrobyn]

Thanks for posting this! I got so excited when I saw the paints and brushes!!!!!

[Not Afraid]

I got a few really cool things as well. However, I haven't taken any pics of them yet and I have yet to upload my photos from the day. The house is classic mid-century modern by a very famous architect (JW Bear is a HUGE fan). It was a wonderful experience and I'm so glad I was tipped off about it on Thursday night. What an adventure!

Oh, and my butt now resides on Ollie's classic oak desk chair.

[DOOM BGI]

Thanks for the thread. It's just so interesting. I have a friend who used to work for many years at the Vons supermarket in La Canada. She said that Ollie Johnston used to come in all the time and was the nicest man ever, just always so friendly. It is so sad to think he cannot live on his own anymore. When he passes it will truly be the end of an era.

Waiting for those pics, NA! I might have been interested in going to this not too long ago, but I think my collecting days are over... in fact I'm now trying to get rid of all my stuff, not gather anymore! Looks like you guys got some real treasures, though. The real prize is that house! I hope whoever buys it will restore it to its mid-century glory, and not take out those precious train tracks! Maybe even Walt himself has been a visitor in decades past.

[Hilsbro]

I was supposed to go....I just didn't know when it was..........great pics

[Yendorb]

[quote=Disneyphile;1763249]




/quote]

These are animation peg hole reinforcements. You would put them on to keep the paper tight against the peg hole. Just what you would expect an old animator to use as stickers.