Lodestar Auctions
Located in Chicagoland
Selling Antiques and Collectibles online since year 2000
Helping local antique dealers, collectors and estates bring their items to the web.
Upcoming Auctions from Lodestar Auctions
Toys! Slot Model & Promo Cars Trains & More
Lodestar Auctions is proud to present an extraordinary multi-category sale featuring one of the most diverse and historically rich collections of vintage model kits, promotional automobiles, slot cars, trains, toys, and hobby memorabilia to come to market this year. Spanning the 1940s through the 1990s, this auction offers an impressive cross-section of American and international hobby culture, showcasing rare store displays, unbuilt kits, early promotional models, and unique custom creations sought after by collectors worldwide. Model kit enthusiasts will find an exceptional selection of aircraft, automotive, military, and science-fiction kits from iconic makers including Revell, Aurora, AMT, Lindberg, Monogram, Pyro, Comet, Merit, Hawk, and Testors. Highlights include vintage store displays, sealed New Old Stock kits, early Famous Fighters series releases, WWII recognition models, and rare prototypes. The catalog features everything from classic warbirds and jet bombers to muscle cars, drag racers, hydroplanes, and space exploration subjects—many preserved with original artwork and packaging. Promotional model collectors will appreciate the strong lineup of 1950s–1970s dealer promos, including Pontiac, Buick, Ford, Rambler, Chrysler, and Corvette examples, along with unique pre-production prototypes and custom-built showpieces. These models represent an era when automakers used scale replicas to market new designs, making them prized artifacts of automotive history. Slot car enthusiasts will discover an outstanding assortment of 1/24, 1/32, and HO scale cars, motors, controllers, parts lots, and racing memorabilia. The sale includes Champion, Cox, Strombecker, Aurora AFX, TycoPro, Dynamic, and other classic brands, along with custom-built racers, dioramas, rare motors, armature winders, dynamometers, and complete track accessories. Whether you restore vintage racers or collect period-correct components, this auction offers exceptional opportunities. Train collectors will find a wide range of American Flyer, Lionel, Bachmann, and Rail King locomotives, freight cars, accessories, and boxed sets, including pre-war and post-war examples, O-gauge classics, HO scale sets, and rare station accessories. Many pieces are preserved in original boxes, making them ideal additions to both operating layouts and display collections. The auction also features an eclectic mix of vintage toys, tin litho vehicles, board games, engines, dioramas, playsets, and novelty items from makers such as Marx, Mattel, Ideal, Schuco, Bandai, Lido, Beton, Tri-ang, and others. From wind-up cars and battery-operated boats to cowboy sets, circus figures, miniature soldiers, and early science toys, the catalog celebrates decades of imaginative play and mechanical ingenuity. Rounding out the sale are numerous parts lots, restoration assortments, paint sets, controllers, tools, and hobby shop displays, offering builders and restorers a chance to acquire hard-to-find components no longer produced. With its remarkable breadth and depth, this auction is a rare opportunity for collectors across multiple disciplines to acquire scarce, well-preserved, and historically significant pieces. Lodestar Auctions invites you to explore the full catalog and discover the models, toys, trains, and collectibles that will become the next highlights of your collection.
Japanese Woodblock Print Art Auction
Lodestar Auctions proudly presents an exceptional sale dedicated to the art and legacy of Japanese woodblock printing, spanning more than three centuries of cultural expression. This remarkable collection brings together ukiyo-e masterpieces, Meiji-era works, shin-hanga gems, modern limited editions, and finely executed reproductions representing many of Japan’s most celebrated artists and schools. The catalog features an impressive range of original 19th-century prints by iconic masters including Utagawa Hiroshige, Utagawa Kunisada, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Toyohara Chikanobu, Hasegawa Sadanobu I, Yoshiiku, and Eisen. These works capture the elegance of kabuki actors, the drama of historical tales, the beauty of courtesans, and the poetic landscapes that define the ukiyo-e tradition. Several prints come from important series such as The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido, One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji, and Nogaku Zue, offering collectors rare opportunities to acquire historically significant compositions. The auction also includes a distinguished selection of shin-hanga and 20th-century works, featuring artists such as Tokuriki Tomikichiro, Kawano Kaoru, Katsuyuki Nishijima, Naoko Matsubara, Mitsumasa Anno, Hatsuko Gima, Masaharu Enomoto, and Hideo Kawahara. These prints highlight the revival of traditional techniques blended with modern sensibilities—serene temples, seasonal landscapes, expressive portraiture, and nature studies rendered with exceptional craftsmanship. Collectors of botanical and kacho-ga subjects will appreciate pieces by Imao Keinen, Kono Bairei, Tsuchiya Rakuzan, Yoshimoto Gesso, and Nomura Bunkyo, showcasing delicate birds, flowers, and natural scenes in vibrant color and refined detail. Folklore, mythology, and festival themes appear throughout the catalog, including depictions of Urashima Taro, firefly hunting, Shichi-Go-San celebrations, and Noh drama, offering a rich cross-section of Japanese cultural storytelling. The sale further includes beautifully executed reproductions and study prints after masters such as Utamaro, Harunobu, Koryusai, Kyosai, Shotei, and Hiroshige, ideal for collectors seeking classic imagery at accessible price points. Several framed works, triptychs, and limited editions add depth and variety to the offering. With its extraordinary breadth—from Edo-period originals to modern interpretations—this auction provides a rare opportunity for both seasoned collectors and new admirers of Japanese printmaking. Lodestar Auctions invites you to explore this diverse and carefully curated catalog and discover the artworks that resonate with your eye, your interests, and your appreciation for one of the world’s most enduring artistic traditions.Bidder Reviews for Lodestar Auctions (464)
4.7 out of 5.0 Stars
5 Star
91%(424)
4 Star
3%(14)
3 Star
2%(8)
2 Star
2%(7)
1 Star
2%(11)
8 Latest Top ReviewsSee All
GuyChicago, IL
Sep 22, 2026
Great auction item!
Received the lot today. Excellent description Well packaged, quick and reasonable shipping. Thank you.
HowardChicago, IL
Aug 24, 2026
Excellent Service
It is a treat working with this auction house. They are friendly and helpful and treat you like they value you as a customer.
TimFort Collins, CO
Aug 8, 2026
very different item. needs lots of cleaning/polishing
this item will fit in nicely with my silverware items
ChristopherYuma, AZ
Jul 21, 2026
Great Auction House!
Great items well packaged were sent. I had a question for the Auction House and Larry provided excellent and quick customer service. Will definitely utilize the honest Auction House again!
AndrewWadsworth, OH
Jun 22, 2026
Fantastic experience
First time buying with this house and I could not be any happier. The bidding was simple, paying was simple and the shipping was incredible as they do it in house, was very reasonable and arrived unbroken and as described. I will be following every auction they have it was such a great experience!
RichBristol, WI
Jun 22, 2026
DougChicago, IL
Jun 21, 2026
Excellent auction house
I have purchased 3 times from lodestar. Each transaction was seamless and perfect. Larry is extremely fair with shipping and outstanding with responsiveness. Bid and buy with confidence. Much appreciation for an amazing auction house.
SkyeMile End, AU
Jun 15, 2026
Fantastic Auction House
I've been acquiring from Lodestar for a couple of years and they are always fantastic to deal with.
Past Auctions from Lodestar Auctions
Record Auction Results for Lodestar Auctions
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