Morphy’s Aug. 2-3 auction merges classic toys with pop culture memorabilia

BBCE-authenticated, unopened 1971 Topps NHL Hockey wax box containing 24 packs of 10 cards each, with a likelihood of gem-mint examples of Ken Dryden’s rookie card, or cards for HOFers like Orr, Howe and Hull included in the selection. Estimate $12,000-$24,000

DENVER, Pa. – Morphy’s spring toy auction, which took in $3.1 million, made headlines worldwide with its phenomenal single-owner collection of factory-boxed Star Wars figures and a sports card selection that included an $873,300 Topps baseball wax-pack brick. No other event in Morphy’s 20-year history could top that one for the amount of social media buzz or the number of pre-sale inquiries from prospective bidders. The fun will resume on August 2-3, when Morphy’s presents its summer offering of Toys & General Collectibles featuring both classic toys and pop-culture favorites: vintage sports cards, comic books and early video games. Bid absentee or live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.

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Jasper52 presents Americana, Folk Art, and Outsider Art, May 4

Circa-1850 all-cotton American Pot of Flowers quilt, estimated at $4,000-$5,000
Circa-1850 all-cotton American Pot of Flowers quilt, estimated at $4,000-$5,000
Circa-1850 all-cotton American Pot of Flowers quilt, estimated at $4,000-$5,000

NEW YORK – On Thursday, May 4, starting at 6 pm Eastern time, Jasper52 will offer a sale of Americana, Folk Art, and Outsider Art. As always, the auction is curated by Clifford Wallach, an expert in tramp art, folk art and Americana. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Antique toy & bank collections ready to frolic at Bertoia’s, Mar. 24-25

 

Ives Uncle Sam clockwork perambulator. Based upon their research, Bertoia’s believes it is one of only two known examples, the other being the one depicted in Blair Whitton’s book. Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime buying opportunity. Estimate $20,000-$40,000

VINELAND, N.J. – Say hello to spring with the most anticipated auction of the season: Bertoia’s March 24-25 Signature Sale featuring two blockbuster collections and many additional high-end toy consignments. Rows of gleaming showcases at Bertoia’s New Jersey gallery are filled to capacity with exceptional mechanical banks and bell toys from the Rudd Trowbridge collection, and Phil and Joan Steel’s wonderful collection of French Martins and other tin windups. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

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Star Wars and sports cards land in the winners circle at Morphy’s smash $3.1M auction

Unopened 1952 Topps baseball brick of eight factory-sealed 5-cent wax packs, with each pack containing five cards. Extraordinarily rare and most likely from Topps’ first series. Authenticated by Steve Hart, owner of Baseball Card Exchange. Sold above high estimate for $873,300 to a private collector

DENVER, Pa.- Star Wars fans and diehard sports buffs called the shots at Morphy Auctions’ February 1-3, 2023 auction, which attracted head-spinning prices and closed the books at nearly $3.1 million. The sale featured both a phenomenal single-owner collection of early Star Wars action figures and a vintage sports card selection that included one of the most sought-after treasures of the “unopened” realm: an intact 1952 Topps baseball wax-pack “brick” that sold for a staggering $873,300. Absentee and Internet live bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.

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Clown train, Santa car toys roll to victory at Bertoia

Tippco lithographed tin Santa car, 12in long. Ex Curtis and Linda Smith collection. Sold to a US buyer for a record-setting $60,000 against an estimate of $12,000-$18,000. Image courtesy of Bertoia Auctions
Very rare and important Marklin Fidelitas clown train, 37in long, complete with all original paint. Provenance: UK collection where it has resided for the past half-century. Sold within estimate for $84,000. Image courtesy of Bertoia Auctions

Very rare and important Marklin Fidelitas clown train, 37in long, complete with all original paint. Provenance: UK collection where it has resided for the past half-century. Sold within estimate for $84,000. Image courtesy of Bertoia Auctions

VINELAND, N.J. – Bertoia Auctions concluded a memorable year of high-profile events with a $2.7 million sale of toys, banks and Christmas antiques held on November 17-18 at their New Jersey gallery. The 1,179-lot selection presented on November 17-18 was steeped in toy-collecting history, with an abundance of exquisite, well-provenanced pieces coming from the lifetime collections of Bob Brady, Jack White, and Curtis and Linda Smith.

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Bertoia Auctions wraps Schroeder toy collection series at $5.7M

Kyser & Rex (Philadelphia) Roller Skating cast-iron mechanical bank, excellent condition retaining bright original paint colors. Sold for $24,000
Kyser & Rex (Philadelphia) Roller Skating cast-iron mechanical bank, excellent condition retaining bright original paint colors. Sold for $24,000
Kyser & Rex (Philadelphia) Roller Skating cast-iron mechanical bank, excellent condition retaining bright original paint colors. Sold for $24,000

VINELAND, N.J. – After the toy community had the excitement of bidding on treasures from the 60-year Aaron and Abby Schroeder collection in March and September 2021, only one question lingered: was there more? Indeed, there was. With a heady $5.7 million subtotal from last year’s events as its foundation, the third and final installment put the exclamation point on the series. On October 14th, Bertoia’s presented “Abby’s Attic Finds,” a 500-lot discovery selection that added another $550,000 to boost the grand total to $6.25 million.

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Robots and space guns were unstoppable at Morphy’s $1.5M toy auction

From Masudaya’s (Japan) famed Gang of Five robot series, a circa-1960 Machine Man Robot accompanied by original graphic box with inserts. One of very few known examples, it was discovered in the attic of the original owner’s home. Sold near the top of its estimate range for $84,000

DENVER, Pa. – It was playday but it was also payday for those hoping to acquire rare robots and space guns at Morphy’s August 9-10 Toys & Collectibles Auction. The sale took in $1.5 million, with big-ticket items that included a boxed Machine Man Robot, a whimsical Electroman Robot, and an Italian robot-man gumball machine that prompted ferocious bidding before landing at six times its high estimate. Absentee and Internet live bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.

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Bertoia’s to auction top model’s phenomenal antique toy collection, March 11-12

Boxed Lehmann (Germany) ‘Mandarin’ wind-up toy. Estimate $4,000-$7,000

VINELAND, N.J. – On March 11 and 12, Bertoia’s will auction, without reserve, the Monique Knowlton antique toy collection, a spectacular assemblage of comic character, German automotive, American toys, and out-of-this-world Japanese robots and space toys. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

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Rare Marx prototypes claim top honors at Milestone’s $500K toy auction

The top lot of the sale was a Marx prototype Speedboy 4 motorcycle with a soldier driver, ‘AMMO’ box, and spring-loaded cannon for shooting projectiles. Sold for $16,800 against an estimate of $6,000-$9,000

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio – There’s no great mystery as to why vintage toys are so popular with collectors. They’re colorful, they’re fun, and they invariably prompt the comment so familiar to auctioneers and toy dealers: “Wow! I had one of those when I was a kid!” One of Milestone Auctions’ specialties is antique and vintage toys, and the nostalgia factor that drives today’s prices for clean, crisp vintage toys is something they witness at each of their sales, including their January 29 Winter Antique Toy Spectacular that took in just under half a million dollars.

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Bertoia’s presents fine European & American toys, holiday antiques Nov. 18-19

VINELAND, N.J. – On November 18-19, family-owned Bertoia Auctions will conclude a record-setting year with the 2021 edition of every toy collector’s favorite event: their Annual Fall Sale, with absentee and Internet live bidding available through LiveAuctioneers. Always a beautiful presentation, the Fall Sale is reserved for genuinely exceptional toys and holiday antiques sourced from many high-quality collections. In the past, the Fall Sale has been described by the media as “a rare opportunity to purchase from the top shelves of dozens of high-end collectors.”

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