Up for auction: Walt Disney's will and the document that made 'Disney' a trademark

This week, fans celebrated what would have been Walt Disney's 115th birthday — and this Friday, they have the chance to stake a claim to some of the rarest items in Disney history.

An auction of historical Disney art, paraphernalia and documents will be held Friday at 11 a.m. The most notable items up for grabs are a signed will from Walt himself and the document that turned "Disney" into a trademark.

Walt Disney signed historical legal license for use of hIs name by Walt Disney Inc. page 1.

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Profiles In History

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"Disney, up until the early '50s, was basically beholden to other entities like RKO and different studios where his rights were tied up," Joe Maddalena, owner of collectibles auction house Profiles In History, told KPCC. "And in 1952, for the first time in his career, he got all of his rights back. He then transferred them to Walt Disney Enterprises, which basically went on to create Disneyland and become this multibillion-dollar empire, so it's probably one of the most important documents in Disney's career that we have." 

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How do documents like these end up on the auction block? Maddalena said that the items at Profiles In History's auctions often come from people that worked at a studio or that bought them at the studios.

"Because we're based here in Los Angeles, a lot of people work in the industry that are geographically close to us, so the material comes basically from the source," Maddalena said.

Disney memorabilia is particularly hot; Maddalena noted that it's one of the most collected brands in the world — particularly anything to do with the creation of the studio or the theme parks. Other Disney items up for auctions include Disneyland cast member costumes, props from the attractions and more.

Walt Disney signed Last Will and Testament page 1.

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Profiles In History

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The will up for auction is one Disney wrote in 1941 that would go on to be revised as Disney's fortunes rose after that.

"People don't realize that Disney had a lot of failures in his life — he'd been bankrupt a few times," Maddalena said. "He still in '41, he's struggling. The studio, it's still at a time where Disney could possibly go under. He's really battling to keep his brand alive, and so it's an interesting thing to see the transition from what was once a struggling enterprise to the most successful entertainment conglomerate ever made."

The will is expected to fetch between $40,000 and $60,000, while what Maddalena said they're calling the "Walt Disney brand empire genesis document" is set to go for between $60,000 and $80,000.

The auction includes hundreds of other animation-related items, including cels from "Yellow Submarine," hand-drawn Charles Schulz "Peanuts" strips and some appropriate-for-the-holidays Grinch animation cels and artwork.

"When I grew up, we didn't have cable TV or VHS. I mean, you waited all year to see these shows come along, so it was quite a thing to miss them, because you'd have to wait a year to see them again. So you're buying, really and truly, you're buying your nostalgia," Maddalena said.

Some of the items, Maddalena noted, are available in the $200 to $300 range, so if you're looking for a unique Christmas gift, you can pick up your auction paddle and check out the full catalog.