Milestone’s April 9 auction features prized collection of rare Popeye toys

Linemar Japan battery-operated Popeye and Olive Oyl Tank, 11 inches, with extremely rare original box. Very clean and bright, by far the finest example known. Excellent/Near Mint. Estimate $30,000-$40,000

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio – That swaggering, wisecracking cartoon sailor Popeye has been depicted on countless toys and memorabilia since first appearing in the Thimble Theatre comic strip in 1929. With his spinach-powered superhuman strength, he was an immediate hit with readers of all ages, gaining an even higher level of visibility in his own cartoon series that launched in 1933. Ever since his debut, Popeye – with his girlfriend Olive Oyl and their motley crew of sidekicks in tow – has been an entertaining figure in the public’s consciousness, and vintage toys designed with Popeye’s image have only continued to rise in popularity and price.

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Milestone’s big Winter Antique Toy Spectacular slated for Jan. 29

I.Y. Metal Toys (Japan), tin friction Harley-Davidson motorcycle, 15in, all original and super clean with rich, true colors. Estimate $3,000-$4,000

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio – Antique and vintage toys played a major role in Milestone Auctions’ success in 2021. Their October 2nd toy event rocketed to $768,000, a house record for the suburban Cleveland, Ohio, company. Milestone is on track to keep that positive momentum going in 2022 with an 867-lot Winter Antique Toy Spectacular on January 29, which offers absentee or Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.

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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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European antique toys ruled the playing field at Milestone’s June 26 auction

Late-19th-century German tin clockwork ‘Woman Blowing Bubbles,’ in working order, sold for $9,900 against an estimate of $1,000-$1,500

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio – Even the best-connected toy buyers in Europe surely would have been surprised by the contents of the Margaret and Joel Weissman antique toy collection, which was offered by Milestone Auctions on June 26. The couple’s beautiful assemblage of German, French and English toys included examples of clockwork and hand-painted toys; automobiles, boats, airplanes, go-rounds and penny toys that are seldom seen on either side of the Atlantic. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.

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