As thoughts turn to Christmas, toys and childhood excitement often unleash glorious waves of nostalgia.
The playthings we hankered after, letters to Santa, the joy of tearing wrappings off mysterious gifts. These are among the reasons why the auction toy market is so strong. Nostalgia is a powerful emotion and maybe, just maybe, a touch of childhood innocence remains within us forever.
Perhaps we never really grow up. Not completely. But juvenile joy can be a good thing. The fact that we so-called grown-ups can tune into childhood delight from decades ago is a therapeutic way to create a vibrant collectors’ market, one that’s rather wonderful.
Whether a collector or not, you can’t help but be fascinated, and sometimes surprised, by the variety and quality of toy and models that come to auction. They’re found in dusty lofts, cupboards and sometimes garden sheds. Often the latter double up as man caves to house precious model railways or quirky collectibles.
Wherever they’re found one thing remains the same – they’re in strong demand at auction. To give you some idea, in Hansons Auctioneers’ Autumn Derby Toy and Model Auction the hammer fell at £1,250 for a John Fowler & Co Roundhouse 0-6-0 black tank locomotive. It’s easy to see why. As well as being a joy to the eye, it celebrates steam train history.
Models are hotly contested. Another example to soar to success – reaching £1,050 – was a detailed, scratch-built, 1/12 scale model of a gypsy caravan. Made by Lance and Julie Stapley, the colourful creation in ravishing red, green and yellow boasted a fully-furnished interior and horse. Its original receipt was dated 1994 making it at least 30 years old, hence rarity comes into play. Works by the Stapleys mark Romany heritage.
The hammer also fell at £1,000 for lot 175, a boxed Roundhouse, Leek & Manifold 2-6-4 locomotive, 32mm gauge. In splendid red and black livery, it was sold complete with boiler certificate.
Among my favourite lots to excel, hammering at £900, was a century-old lithographed tinplate penny toy Ferris Wheel. Made in Germany by Meier in circa 1910, it emerged from a major single-owner collection amassed over 50 years by award-winning British toy designer Patrick Rylands.
He collected anything and everything that took his eye and, thanks to the day job, was inspired to seek out antique toys. Perhaps this gem delighted a child at Christmas more than 100 years ago, and deservedly so.
Patrick’s eye for childhood-inspired antique treasures also led to the success of lot 256 which achieved £800. Bidders were enamoured by three early 20th century, German lithographed tinplate penny toys – a running man, a jester doing a handstand and a Meier-made boy on a hobby-horse.
Today these penny delights are worthy of ornamental display in any home. I particularly liked the circa 1910 hobby-horse boy in his blue sailor suit with red ‘paper’ hat and gold trumpet.
Such vintage originals are rare but perhaps you have some old Dinky toys tucked away? Depending on age and scarcity they can sell extremely well. In the Derby sale a pre-Second World War example pushed nostalgia into rocket-mode. A boxed Dinky Toys Tramcar Trade Box, Reference No. 27, contained three ‘Drink Delicious Ovaltine Every Day’ tramcars and three ‘Marmite Definitely Does You Good’ buses. Plus there was an additional Marmite bus missing its back wheels. The latter didn’t deter bidders who contested the lot to £800.
Derby’s near neighbour, the Staffordshire brewing town of Burton, has been producing the yeasty spread that is Marmite since 1902. It was invented in the late 19th century by Justus von Liebig, a German scientist who discovered that leftover brewers’ yeast could be concentrated and consumed. We also have European friends to thank for Ovaltine. It was developed in 1904 by chemist Albert Wander (1867–1950), in Bern, Switzerland, where it is also known by its original name, Ovomaltine, from ovum, Latin for ‘egg’, and malt, originally its key ingredients. It’s rather nice to know these two store cupboard staples have been honoured in Dinky form.
Other top toy lots included a collection of Denys Fisher Doctor Who figures boasting a Tardis, Tom Baker, Cyberman and Dalek, £670; two sought-after Sasha dolls, £640; a Barrett Engineering LMS Royal Scot locomotive kit, £560, and 10 assorted vintage Action Man figures plus accessories, clothing, and motorcycle. Together they achieved £420.
It just goes to show, if you have vintage gems from childhood Christmases or birthdays gathering dust, they might earn you a pretty penny today.
Toy auction entries invited
Entries are invited for Hansons’ December Toys, Models and Railwayana Auction. For advice or a free valuation, please contact David Wilson-Turner: [email protected] or call 01283 733988.
