Robots and space toys dominated high-end array at Milestone auction

Masudaya (Japan) 15in battery-operated Target Robot from the famed Gang of Five series. All original toy with correct dart gun and two darts. Accompanied by original box. Sold for $34,440 against an estimate of $20,000-$25,000

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio – Many hundreds of absentee bids were already on the books by the time Milestone Auctions’ co-owner and principal auctioneer Miles King stepped up to the podium to officially open the Ohio company’s May 27 Spring Premier Toy Auction. The 835-lot event, which featured virtually every popular category in the antique-toy realm, was on many a collector’s radar and had been closely monitored online, especially after word got out about a stellar collection of rare Japanese robots and space toys featured in the sale.

Continue reading

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.

Continue reading