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Sleeping Beauty Castle Gilt Spire and Weathervane.

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Disneyana Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
Sleeping Beauty Castle Gilt Spire and Weathervane.
SOLD
Winning Bid Undisclosed
This item SOLD at 2021 May 23 @ 12:43UTC-7 : PDT/MST
All items are sold as is. Contact Van Eaton Galleries for condition reports and shipping information. 21% Buyer's Premium for all lots.
(Disneyland, c.1960s-80s) A remarkable original weathervane from a spire atop Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle. Composed entirely of metal, the weathervane arms are attached to a pointed spire that runs through the hollow conical spire cap. A very stylized monogram "D" is joined to the upper and lower arms of the vane, so that the emblem would appear as a "D" regardless of which direction it was viewed from. The bottom arm extends into an arrow, which indicates the direction of the wind. The spire post is threaded at the bottom and includes nuts and bolt hardware for attachment to the castle. The piece is coated in a mix of both metallic gold paint and actual gold leaf. During construction of the park, Walt insisted the precious metal be used to embellish the spires of the castle in order to lend the structure a cinematic sparkle. According to legend, when the more pragmatic and money-conscious Roy Disney found out about his brother's extravagance, he refused to speak to Walt for a month. This weathervane was previously installed on the castle's second-tallest tower, atop the larger of the double turrets. Here it was viewed by millions of park guests as they ventured into the inner regions of the park during Walt's era. Measuring 42"x17.5" and 4" deep, the piece is in good condition with some paint loss, oxidation, and weathering from outdoor use. Since the park opened in 1955, Sleeping Beauty Castle has been the primary symbol of Disneyland, its glimmering spires heralding a world of immaculately constructed fantasy. So too, this gold leaf coated spire cap and weathervane are emblematic of Walt's singular commitment to an artistic vision that made the park experience possible.