Animation Art Auctions Are Moving Into the Mainstream — and Propstore Is Testing the Market
Propstore is preparing to open a new lane in the collectibles market. The London-based house’s first standalone animation art auction, scheduled for July 8–9, is expected to generate $1 million, with the sale divided between Western animation on the first day and anime on the second.
The lineup reflects how broad the category has become. Disney concept paintings for Fantasia are estimated at $11,800–$23,700 each, while a hand-painted cel from Dragon Ball Z is expected to bring more than $19,000. Other works on offer include material from Alice in Wonderland, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Pokémon, underscoring the range of franchises now drawing serious collector attention.
The top lot is an original cel from The Simpsons episode “Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder” from 1999, estimated at $33,000–$66,000. The work features Homer, Lenny, and Carl in a panoramic bowling scene, and Russell Singler, Propstore’s animation art expert, said it stands out because of both its scale and its rarity. Hand-painted backgrounds were used only during the first 13 seasons of the series.
“These setups are not going to be found now,” Singler said, adding that the studio is careful about what reaches the market. “We’re entering that period where Simpsons artifacts are almost museum material.”
His comments point to a larger shift in the field. Disney has long dominated animation art collecting, but demand is widening as buyers age into the market and seek the titles that shaped their own viewing habits. Singler described current demand as “very strong,” noting that collectors increasingly want works that feel personal as well as culturally legible.
Recent auction results support that view. Heritage Auctions set a record in 2025 with a $5.19 million sale of Disney animated artworks, and Christie’s sold a Sailor Moon drawing by Japanese animator Ito Ikuko for $88,900 in March, or 18 times its low estimate.
Propstore’s highlights will be on view at Borough Yards, Stoney Street, London, from July 2–5. The sale arrives as animation art, once treated as a specialist niche, begins to look more like a durable segment of the broader collectibles market.
