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Bonhams Announces 1st Online "World of Anime" Auction
posted on by Kim Morrissy
Bonhams will hold its first major online auction for anime, called "The World of Anime," from January 24 to February 2. It will include over 150 lots, including from beloved titles like Astro Boy, Sailor Moon, and Pokémon. The sale will be led by a cel (pictured top-right) featuring the eponymous heroine of Kiki's Delivery Service, estimated at US$15,000-25,000.
Additional production cel highlights include:
- A scene from My Neighbor Totoro featuring the characters Satsuki Kusakabe, Mei Kusakabe, and Granny featuring hand-painted background art by Nizo Yamamoto. Estimated at $10,000-15,000.
- Son Goku at Super Saiyan 3 from Dragon Ball Z. Estimated at $5,000-7,000.
- Pikachu in motion from Pokémon. Estimated at $2,500-3,500.
In addition to the sale, there will be an online seminar titled "Inside the World of Anime" on January 25. Speakers include Erica Friedman, Dr. Darren Ashmore, Dr. Susan Napier, Helen McCarthy, and Helen Hall. It will cover the history of anime, shifts in international markets, collector trends, and preservation tips. Registration is open through Zoom.
Heritage held two "Art of Anime and Everything Cool" auctions in 2021. The first auction in June sold more than US$2.1 million overall. The sale boasted sell-through rates of 100% by value and 99.8% by lots sold. It included 928 lots and was the first auction held by a major U.S. auction house to focus on anime art materials.
Source: Press Release
