Kraftland

For a long time, walking through Richard Kraft's house in Los Angeles was like walking through an amusement park. The original Dumbo car in the living room, the Submarine Voyage Sea Serpent by the pool. Or the tennis court in the background filled with original ride vehicles from Disney. Not to mention the original Disneyland boats, ticket booths, and signage that sat in storage for years. But after decades of riding the thrill of ultra collecting, Kraft decided it was time to clean house and sell the collection. All 10,000 piece of it.

Kraft started collecting Disney artifacts shortly after his brother, David, died from complications from Crohn's disease in his early 30's. Kraft was in a fog of grief when he found himself driving to Disneyland. It was a place that their parents would take them when David was well enough and money was good. Walking down Main Street and following the path of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride — the first ride he and his brother always went on as kids —Kraft felt connected to his brother again. He bought his first Disney collectibles at an auction soon after that first visit.

But Kraft admits, he doesn't understand the meaning of limits. Once he started collecting, he wanted to become the top Disney collector. His grief became the fuel for his already competitive spirit as he spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on original Disneyland pieces. It soon became intertwined with his identity, something all his friends and colleagues associated him with — the eccentric, nutso Disney collector.

In 2008, when his first child left for college, Kraft walked around the house packed with all this stuff and felt a chill. This bizarre monument of a home felt creepy — the glory days of nostalgia were over. Now, he was an empty nester with Dumbo.

So, in August of 2018, Kraft brought all the pieces together for the first and only time, transforming an old Sports Authority location in Sherman Oaks, California into "Kraftland." All the pieces were refurbished and grouped into themes, much like how the attractions at Disneyland are laid out. The exhibit ran for a month and was followed by a multi-day auction. Kraft says it felt like shedding a skin.

Here is a selection of photographs from the exhibit and auction. [Copyright 2019 NPR]