DENVER, Penn. — Toys and banks of a century ago joined contemporary pop-culture classics at the head of the Toys & Collectibles sale held February 14-16 at Morphy Auctions. Complete results are available at LiveAuctioneers.
The leading lot of the sale was a group of five scarce Spanish carded Star Wars figures from Kenner’s Empire Strikes Back series. “The more unusual, the better collectors like them,” said Tommy Sage Jr., head of Morphy’s toy division. “That includes any Star Wars figures that are of foreign manufacture.” The lot consisted of the characters Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Denjar, and two favorites identified by their Spanish names: ‘Luke Caminacielos’ (Luke Skywalker) and ‘Erredos-de-Dos’ (R2-D2). All of the figures were in VG condition and sealed in plastic on their original cards. The group lot was bid to $11,000 ($13,530 with buyer’s premium), more than 22 times its high estimate of $600.
Of the individual figures offered, the one attracting the most interest was a 1979 Kenner Star Wars Boba Fett 21 Back-C action figure in mint condition, encapsulated in a new-style case. The silent and mysterious Mandalorian bounty hunter Boba Fett is one of the most captivating of all the characters in the vast Star Wars universe. AFA graded 80, the figure offered by Morphy’s sold for a strong $6,500 ($7,995 with buyer’s premium).
Another outer space dweller, an Alps battery-operated Missile Robot, strode across the auction block in outstanding – possibly unused – condition. The 15in missile-shooting robot came with its original pictorial box and factory cardboard inserts. Against a $3,000-$6,000 estimate, the lot commanded $9,500 ($11,685 with buyer’s premium).
A bona fide antique that is very seldom seen in the marketplace was the tin mechanical bank known as ‘Man in the Garden.’ Produced by Gerbruder Bing (Germany), it depicts a charming scene of a gentleman in his garden, wearing a proper apron and hat and carrying a watering can as he tends to his flowers. Estimated at $4,000-$7,000, it was bid to $9,000 ($10,800 with buyer’s premium).
The toy train category was led by a prewar Lionel O gauge Mickey Mouse Circus Train set with accessories, including all 12 of the original tickets, a windup key, and a brochure. In excellent condition, this extremely desirable train and comic character crossover toy with a staggering array of small pieces had even managed to retain its original pictorial box marked Walt Disney Enterprises 1935. Against an estimate of $4,000-$8,000, it chugged its way to an even loftier $8,750 ($10,765 with buyer’s premium).
