Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2025 i Collectors Gazette

Brimming with prestigious collections, Bertoia’s Signature Toy Auction topped US$2m, with strong prices reported across all categories. Quality was a key theme here: a late 19th century Althof Bergmann Santa in a Goat Sleigh had been deemed one of the finest pieces of American clockwork tinplate ever produced. When last seen at auction, it was considered the best of known examples; and against an estimate of US$70,000-140,000, the bell toy was bid to an impressive US$96,000. Also by Althof Bergmann, the only known complete, all-original example of a Fire Patrol Wagon sold for US$20,400. As for boats… a clockwork version of the Civil War boat the USS Monitor made around 1870 realised US$34,800, while an impressive 1890s Jean Schoenner live steampowered ironclad ship, some 34½ inches long, reflected the style…

The last Trains, Planes and Automobiles sale focussed on tinplate and pressed steel toys, but was not confined to homegrown products. A Bandai friction-drive 1961 Cadillac, in black with just a little rust on the chromed parts, made Aus$460, while a Duperite plastic clockwork Streamlined Racing Car, also in black and with attached key, was taken to Aus$240. From the UK was a Mettoy tinplate clockwork Racing Car with driver, in two-tone blue; tested and working it made Aus$220; and a Meccano Aeroplane Constructor Kit No. 2, a Seaplane registered "G-EVTX", in blue and white, which appeared complete, with its parts still tied to the card. The winning bid here was Aus$650. Elsewhere, a US Wyandotte tinplate Woodie Station Wagon, bearing the legend "Toytown Estate", in tan and yellow, showed…

Japanese tinplate toys certainly thinned out the wallets at the recent Milestone auction. Topping the bill was a rare and coveted Yonezawa Atom Jet 58 Racer. Friction-powered and all original, including its tailfin, tyres and hubcaps, it came with its original paper label box and was bid to US$47,970. A battery-operated Yonezawa Jupiter Robot with original box marched along to achieve US$43,290; while a boxed Mighty Atom (Astroboy) riding his motorcycle sped past its US$3,000-5,000 estimate to halt at US$25,830. A 7¾ inch Yoshiya wind-up Sparky Robot was in demand for its unusual colour (chocolate brown with red, white and black accents): in working order and in excellent condition, it realised US$9,600. A flawless Marx battery-operated remote-control Yeti The Abominable Snowman was all original and complete, and appeared never to…

This month’s mystery year was full of interesting inventions. For starters, the world’s first smartphone, the IBM Simon, went on sale. It’s hard to imagine that they never used to exist… It was also the year that the first high-brightness blue LED was perfected, an invention that would earn the researchers a Nobel Prize some years later. And, believe it or not, it was also the year that the QR code was invented: Japanese company Denso came up with the groundbreaking graphic that is used everywhere today. World events? In the wake of decades of Apartheid, South Africa witnessed its first black President take office, when Nelson Mandela was sworn in. The North American Free Trade Agreement (or NAFTA) went into operation, NAFTA being a treaty between the US, Canada…

We pick up the trail in October 1967 and meet with cross eyed lions, green hornets, roving cameramen and racing cyclists. RACING SET VW BREAKDOWN AND COOPER-MASERATI ON TRAILER, GIFT SET 6 • October 1967, 189,000 + 1969 sales A nice set for the race fans, be it from existing models that were pimped up a little. The original VW Breakdown Truck (No.490) was resprayed white, with labels of the Corgi Race Club added and the original yellow trailer (No.156) widened to accommodate the Cooper-Maserati and painted red with checker plate tracks. The driver is our all-too-familiar friend with his white racing overall, blue helmet and silver goggles. All packed in a special type box with a flap that can be folded on top, making it a showcase. DAKTARI SET,…

Bmovement had made its way into western mainstream culture. It’s futuristic design sensibility influenced the look of everything from toasters to steam trains. It wasn’t long before the automotive industry picked up the gauntlet and followed suit. The Pierce-Arrow Motor Company produced their striking ‘Silver Arrow’ cars, although revolutionary in styling terms, they only amounted to a handful of vehicles. However, it was Chrysler who brought Art Deco to mass breaking Airflow. It’s ironic that the Airflow was considered a sales failure at the time… although a streamlined pram may have been acceptable, a car may have been deemed to be too much! If adults were somewhat hesitant about embracing these futuristic designs, then their offspring certainly were not. Every news stand, radio serial and Saturday morning cinema featured the…

Toy fairs are a maledominated affair. By their very nature, they have to be so and the items sold at fairs cater for mostly male customers… they sell mostly ‘boy’s toys’. There have, of course, always been other fairs which cater more for women – craft and cookery fairs spring to mind – but I’m married to a toy collector, so my married life has revolved around toy fairs. When they first started, 50 odd years ago, the main items for sale were toy cars (by Dinky, Spot-On, Corgi, Matchbox etc.), clockwork toys (by Schuco, Lehmann, Hornby, etc.), toy trains (by Hornby, Trix, Bassett-Lowke, etc.), various slotracing toys, Meccano, Bayko, lead figures, books about railways/cars/figures and various accessories suitable for model railway layouts. Occasionally there would be the odd stall…

Corgi Toys 226 Morris Mini Minor, rare promotional issue “Jensens” - blue body, red interior, silver trim and spun hubs. Original labels may have been applied later. Excellent (although does have storage stains on bonnet, roof and boot) still a bright example of a hard to find model in a excellent plus (CRISP) blue and yellow carded picture box with collectors club folded leaflet Sold for £280, Vectis Auctions, May. Dinky Toys 472 Austin Van “Raleigh Cycles”, dark green body, yellow rigid hubs and silver trim. Excellent plus in a fair to good yellow and red carded picture box (one inner flap is missing) displays well. Sold for £90, Vectis Auctions, May. French Dinky Toys 570A Peugeot J7 Van “Autoroutes”, orange body, grey interior, silver trim, red roof light, and concave…

CORGI MODEL CLUB THE BEATLES YELLOW SUBMARINE Scale: 1/36 Price: £39.99 Ref: 803 Based on the cartoon submarine from the Yellow Submarine film, this model has surprise figures hidden under hatches that flip open by pushing side buttons. www.corgimodelclub.com WSI MODELS SCANIA 3 SERIES TORPEDO 6X2 TRACTOR Scale: 1/50 Price: €109 Ref: 04-2228 A smart looking tractor from the ‘Premium Line’. Finished in black it really does hit the mark, packed with small details that stand out. A must have! www.wsi-models.com WIKING FENDT 726 VARIO TRACTOR Scale: 1/32 Price: £119.95 Ref: 7872 Wiking’s latest Fendt 700 series tractor features dual crop wheels and is supplied with both North America and European signage. www.wiking.de OTTOMOBILE FIAT PUNTO EVO ABARTH ESSEESSE Price: £120.99 Ref: OT460 UV1 Scale: 1/18 A sleek and clean…

Mattel has unveiled the first-ever product line under its new Mattel Brick Shop™ label. In partnership with Hot Wheels®, the new collection features seven highly detailed building sets, now available for global pre-sale and hitting retail stores this summer. This launch represents a significant evolution for Hot Wheels enthusiasts. The sets combine classic Hot Wheels design with customisable building experiences, incorporating real metal parts and accurate vehicle detailing. Each set includes a matching 1/64 scale diecast car - exclusively available through Mattel Brick Shop. “Hot Wheels has fuelled the passion of car enthusiasts for generations,” said Roberto Stanichi, Executive VP at Mattel. “Now, with Mattel Brick Shop, we’re offering an entirely new way to experience that passion through buildable, collectible vehicles that stay true to their legendary roots.” The debut…

How many Chief Mechanical Engineers does it take to change a light bulb? The answer is just one, but first they'll run a stress analysis on the ladder, design a more efficient light bulb, and then delegate the actual job to an apprentice. But there’s one locomotive designer who embodies the opposite of that rather stretched analogy. Robert A Riddles worked for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) and then the Ministry of Supply during WWII. After the war, he became the Member for Mechanical and Electrical Engineering on the British Railways Executive, and went on to play a key role in the design of British Railways standard locomotives after nationalisation in 1948. SPEAKING IN RIDDLES The military has always been at the forefront of technological innovation. Think internet,…

There are three words that send chills down the spine of any teacher who’s ever endured playground duty. They’re three tiny little words (two of which are in fact the same word), none more than four letters, yet they strike fear into the hearts of dinner ladies worldwide: got…got… NEED! Forget worrying about dealers hanging round the school gates, this is true childhood addiction, and like every wildly successful narcotic, it comes in a seemingly innocuous form: small rectangular stickers. Originating from the Italian city of Modena in 1960, the adhesive empire began when newsagent Giuseppe Panini came across a collection of football player ‘figurine da collezione’ (to use the proper term for our Italian readers; ‘collectible picture cards with glue on the back’ for the rest of us) that…

When the real car was introduced at the Paris Motor Show in October 1955, it was considered to be advanced, both in terms of the technology and aerodynamic shape. Known also as ‘Déesse’ (French for goddess), it was produced for twenty years until 1975, almost reaching 1.5 million sales. Such an elegant motorcar was certain to be emulated by a number of toy makers. Corgi released an early version of the Citroën DS19 as model No.210 in 1957. It was issued in yellow with a red roof no interior or suspension and with a silver or grey diecast base. Many of the toys at this time had tinplate bases but this was one of the first to have a diecast base in order to accommodate a flywheel motor. This particular…

It never fails to surprise me how much nostalgia there is for foodstuffs from the past. I’m certainly not immune to this myself having more than one or two old biscuit and toffee tins lurking amongst my collection of old stuff. Whenever something regarding 1970s sweets is posted on Facebook, it nearly always elicits warmth and affection…and I’m hooked. An hour can go by as I hopelessly scroll through everyone’s yesterdays, ending on a Banjo bar at only 10p. Then again, why would I not? These things, like our youth, come and go and like us are never really the same again. Robert Opie who is the founder of the Museum of Brands in London recognised this, hence his amazing collection. It isn’t all rose-tinted food nostalgia though; I still…

Increasingly, older hand held games and consoles, as well as PCs, are creeping into the toy auction world. British Toy Auctions’ last sale included a boxed Sega Mega Drive II with games of 1994 vintage. Did I say vintage? Well, it was three decades back… The console and its accessories were in excellent condition, came with an instruction book and were all housed within a very good box. An extra controller and joy sticks were present; games included James Pond 3, The Ottifants and Street Racer. The winning bid was £280 plus premium. For LEGO lovers, a built up 1/8 scale Porsche 911 GT3 RS in vibrant orange was an eyeful. Near mint, albeit slightly dusty from display, it came with the original fitted box and with instruction booklet. Some…

Vectis had the rare honour of auctioning a Corgi James Bond 2CV recently, although this was no ordinary 2CV issue. Gold plated, and one of just 12 models manufactured, the Citroen was pretty much mint, with an exemplary box. Also included was the original paperwork and a round shop sign. It made £3,185. Also selling well was an extremely rare, free standing Corgi card shop counter display, dating from the 1950s. Reading "The New Super Realistic Scale Models", it was finished in light blue (thus similar to early boxes), with a white flash and black and red writing. This was bid to £918. Elsewhere, £1,837 was the winning bid on some Matchbox original artwork by Doug Post. Produced for the 1/72 scale kit No. PK401, the Heinkel He115, it was…

Kits. Like it or not, they’re an underlying thread when it comes to collecting. I’m not talking here about the classic, assemble-yourown-from-a-bag-of-parts kit, the one that required judicious application of scalpel, sundry files, glue and a lot of patience. No, I’m referring to the toys that lent themselves to being created, then disassembled, and then recreated differently. We’ve all experienced these to some degree: think Lego, arguably the most significant of them all; Bayko (if dwellings were your thing); Airfix’s fiddly Betta Bilda; Meccano; Stickle Brix and even, if you’re old enough, Lotts or Anchor Brick playsets. Agreed, most of the above were aimed at the construction toy recipient but occasionally, just occasionally, a diecast manufacturer saw fit to dip a toe in the water. Probably the most well-known proponent…

The development of Matchbox Major Packs allowed Lesney Toys to break into new territory and produce a range of models that would not have been possible to include in the normal Matchbox 1-75 Matchbox Series due to size and scale. Not all parents could afford to buy Major Packs however. I always remember them as “Birthday Toys” – a bit more expensive than the standard 1-75 series but with much more WOW factor. I’ll never forget the day way back in late August of 1959 when a little parcel arrived on our doorstep containing a splendid Mighty Antar Tank Transporter and Mark III Centurion Tank. It was a gift from my uncle and aunt and that wonderful toy made it a Birthday to remember. The Major Pack range began in…

Last year, a friend of mine was remodelling her house, and changed the heating system from a hot air system (pretty common in certain types of properties) to modern central heating. As they removed the insides of the system, leaving gaping holes in the walls, they made a surprising discovery – a handful of base set Pokemon cards. We can only guess that they were originally stored in the loft and at some stage, either installation or removal, they fell through from an unknown cubby hole, but the story is a variation on a typical one. After the absolute craze of Pokemon cards, most people had at least a few – and now, as we reminisce on the fact we should have kept our shiny Charizard – many of us…

Item: Shackleton David Brown Trackmaster Condition: very good for its age, clockwork motor in working order, chimney is bent Sold for: £775.22 (13 bids) Item: Disney Toy Story Signature Collection Buzz Lightyear Condition: good with original certificate of authenticity and cardboard accessories Sold for: £853.18 (42 bids) Item: Matchbox K-22 Dodge Charger Condition: mint and boxed with rare factory error, no interior packing Sold for: £260.72 (1 bid) Item: LEGO Castle Crusaders King’s Mountain Fortress 6081 Condition: in original packaging and majority of bricks in unopened bags, with instructions Sold for: £753 (15 bids) Item: Mebetoys Lancia Flavia Condition: mint in original outer box Sold for: £373.92 (20 bids) Item: Corgi No.28 Carrimore Car Transporter with tractor and cars Condition: previously owned with signs of age wear and use Sold…

Hi folks! It’s funny howyour buying instincts change during a lifetime of toy collecting. I had to have a little chuckle to myself the other day when I felt quite pleased having picked up a couple of old Husky Toy commercials for a couple of quid each at a recent boot sale. I remember Husky Toys as the cheaper end of the diecast world, and which were mainly sold in Woolworths shops back in the mid 1960s…I didn’t like them that much. They were made by Mettoy Playcraft Ltd in Swansea but never seemed to have the same quality as Matchbox and to be honest I never really liked the blister packs they were sold in either! These days however I have grown to like some of those old Husky…