Ollie Johnston Estate Sale?
 

ESTATE SALE!!

LA CANADA Estate of Disney Animator Ollie J. Friday- Saturday, 8am-3pm. Antiques, Disney, railroad, train lamps, furniture, books, art work, paper, mill and lathe, tools. 748 Flintridge Avenue, (Highland Drive/ Harper).

Anyone up for a morning drive tomorrow?

Boy-- I've got to be at work tomorrow, but am I sorry I do! I would SOOOOOO love to go.

ETA: It actually starts at 8 and I don't have to be at work until 10. I'm sooooooo tempted to go. Not that I don't have a billion other things to do right now-- but, this is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of chance.

Hey, he's still alive, right?

He is still alive.

OMG I would so love to go to this! If you do end up going please tell me about it so I can live vicariously through you!

Take photos for us 9-5ers

I would love to go- I would be sad, because estate sales always make me sad, but what cool things he must have!

Well, we're going to go on an adventure tomorrow! It may or may not be true, but we're going to go find out.

It is sad, but I take heart in the fact that his stuff will be cherished by fans, and not pitched in a dumpster.

Ooh! NA, buy me a cool ashtray or something of his.

I'll pay you back.

Love the new avatar, GC! Does this mean I can call you "Mary" now? ;)

I'd pay for one of his pencils, with the eraser chewed off.

Anxiously awaiting a full report (and hope you see Ollie hanging around somewhere too and not just the estate sale people)

DP's coming over at 7:30 then we're off to pick up JW Bear. This may or may not turn out to be something good. But, it will be an adventure none the less.

The Lounge of Tomorrow proudly brings you another True Life Adventure!

ME ME ME!!!!! I WANT TO GO!!!! I WANT TO GO!!!!!!

Oh wait. Damn.

Damn.
Damn damn damn.

Buy me some art. You know what I like.

Damn.

Please post a description of what you find. I'll be driving down tonight/tomorrow morning and could possibly fit in a side trip if it is worthwhile.

We got there about 9:30ish. We knew we were in the right place when we saw the miniature train tracks cutting accross the front lawn and driveway. There was a line to get in (they were only letting a few people at a time in). While we were standing there, I remarked that the house reminded me of Cliff May's early work. It's a gorgeous, low-slung ranch house.

Once we got inside, we found most of the really good stuff had gone early. But there still was tons of stuff. Lots of books (which they were asking far too much for), artwork, Disney stuff, train related stuff, and knick-knacks. I bought a few things. Lisa & DP made some interesting finds (which I will let them tell you about).

In the back yard were more miniature train tracks... and to one side of the house: the holy of holies... his workshop/studio. A spur line of the tracks ran through the wall and under the workbench.

While I was standing out on the back patio, I struck up a conversation with a man who knows the Johnston family. We were talking about the house, and he confirmed that it was indeed designed by Cliff May! Ollie and Cliff were friends. That was icing on the cake for me, as I'm a huge fan of his architecture. We lamented that, in all likelihood, whoever buys the property will tear the house down to build some god-awful McMansion. The house, though large for its day (1947), is too small and unfashionable for the neighborhood it's in. If it happens, it will be a sad day.

Do you think any photography would be allowed?

We took pictures. No one stopped us. :cool:

Are you going to post any? I would love to see!

Here you go. I took them with my cellphone, so the quality isn't the best.

The front of the house:


The entrance, with people waiting in line:


The back patio area. The workshop & studio is in the backgound:


Here's the interior of the workshop & studio:


The family room/breakfast nook area:




The living/dining room:


The fireplace in the living/dining room - it's huge! About 3' x 5':

What he said ^^^^^^!!!

Boy, I confess it, I'm jealous as all get out, but glad there is photographic evidence of the day! Happy for all of you who went and conquered!

Aw damn! I love the house!

Is there still stuff for parusal/purchase early tomorrow morning?

There was still a lot of stuff when we left. Most of the Disney collectibles were gone.

Here are the few photos I took, and then I'll be uploading shots of my treasures this evening. :)



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

Awesome - just awesome...

Wait until you see photos of our treasures.

I'll just say this - one of my purchases was a few of his paintbrushes and a well-used set of watercolor paint tins. :D

Treasures!
 

Well, here are my scores for the day, with the really cool stuff towards the bottom -

Office Chair


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


Wicker Fish Box


Wooden Flying Toy


Train Toy


Mickey Scarf


Smee Bone China Statue (1" tall)


LOTR Paperback Books (Had to get Ken 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 -

GAH! I just got home from a very long but satisfying day. i have quite a few pics to post, but it's not going to happen until tomorrow night - earliest.

As for treasures, I only bought a few things. One is the oak office chair of Ollie's that is in this pic JW Bear posted (center):


I also got a very small Dumbo sculpture, a hand made frog garden ornament (made with train wheels for eyes) and a bag of Ollie's bow ties. I'll post pics soon.

If you have the chance, go. It a great house and filled with memories.

OH EM GEE, Disneyphile! What the Christ?!?

art paint supplies from Ollie Johnston! Oh My God! And that gorgeous office chair! And a ton of Disney-related items of HIS.


And, have I said Oh My God yet? Ollie Johnston's copies of Lord of the Rings from the 60's!!!! Hahahahahahahahahaha! Oh em gee, oh em gee, oh em gee!

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:


:snap:


:iSm: = :eek:



So ... which items will you be bringing swankcamping?

Part of me is thrilled that you all got to go, see and purchase some of Ollie's estate, but another part of me is just sad. He's the last of the Nine, and this has to be hard on him. I'll bet he would be happy knowing that such great people who really care about his art will be caretakers of his artifacts. In the end, it's not about how much stuff you have but the impact you make on this world.

Thanks for sharing your day's adventure and pics!:cheers:

I'd be damn glad if, though my efforts and talent and associations and lifeswork, my accumulated stuff would be worth a fortune to sell off when I'm old ... to aid in a comfortable retirement or to add to an inheritance.

You can't take it with you! It would be wonderful to know it was going to people who'd really appreciate it. Even the ebay turnaround purchases will eventually end up in fan hands.



And I think it's wonderful that all you folks went down there today. What an awesome and fun Disney fan thing to do ... and for some of you to come away with wonderful things and Ollie Johnston momentos is marvelous.

Oh, I totally agree with you iSm, but the part of me that hates this end-of-life stuff is cringing. If I lived down there I would have been at that sale in a heartbeat.

I hope someone can save the house. It was custom designed for Ollie, and it's also part of his legacy.

I was trying to suggest getting a group of people together to buy the house for use as a commune or retreat, but we'd need a lot of people, because that house has to be worth a lot.

I wish someone would as well. If I had the money I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

You mean.... the LoT commune? :cool:

OMG! It's meant to be! Someone talk to the heirs, maybe they'd recognize the love we all have and give us a good deal. (Ok, we're still young and poor, but you guys would let us visit right?)

I'm on my way out the door. I couldn't make it for sale opening, so I suspect that the pickings will be kind of slim, but I'm not going for the shopping, particularly. I'm going for the experience, and the chance to see my favorite animator's beloved home. If anybody wants to meet me there, I'll should be there at 8.

Thanks for posting the pictures. I'm glad you got to go. :) You can buy me a drink when I see you next for giving you the tip. ;)

I seriously considered getting up at god awful early this morning and making a run up. But Maddy's having three girls over for a sleepover tonight and the house is a disaster. Just not enough time. Ratz.

Congratulations on all your treasures.

OK, yeah, I'm full of ****. While it was great to have the experience and visit his home, I didn't leave empty-handed whatsoever.

Taking a hint from Teresa, I bought Ollie's oil pastels...


Then I took advantage of the stacks of old Disney storyboards. I bought one three-panel as a favor for my sister-in-law to give to my brother (it's a color test done in watercolor and marker)...


And then for Tom and myself, I bought an original storyboard from Pinocchio, featuring Jiminy's bubble filling with water...


It wasn't so expensive, really-- and though we're socking away every penny for Italy next month, it was stuff we just couldn't refuse.

Wow, I love the storyboards! I'm glad that at least some of his stuff is finding the treasured homes it belongs in.

Thanks for posting the pics.

What was the name of the estate sale company again?

Found it - I emailed them to see if there are any drawings left. Looks like they clean the place out when the sale is over, so hopefully....?

http://www.harperappraisals.com/index.html

I was wondering when something from the sale would show up on eBay.

I guess no one jumped at the lamp at the sale. It was the same price. You can see his train wallpaper on the wall behind the lamp.

I'm resurrecting this ancient thread to report that I finally used one of the cookie cutters I bought that day! (I had taken pictures and forgot until this evening.)

Behold!

And sadly, I have discovered that, indeed, the house has been demolished and replaced by an ugly mcmansion. Bastard! May they rot in hell!

McMansion?

Demolish a Cliff May for something new? Idiots.