Morphy’s Toys And General Collectibles Auction

Merges Antique And Vintage Classics

Pop-Culture Categories Also To Be Featured In Big Aug. 2 And 3 Auction

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 Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 2 and 3, when Morphy’s presents its summer offering of Toys and General Collectibles featuring both classic toys and pop-culture favorites: vintage sports cards, comic books and early video games.

“We wanted to offer variety in this sale, something to please everyone, and to include collectibles categories that are in high demand and still growing,” said Tommy Sage, head of

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C-07/28 vintage sports cards, rack packs, wax packs and boxes; and cello packs and boxes represent some of the alltime greatest professional baseball, football, basketball and hockey players and teams. An unopened BBCEauthenticated Topps NHL Hockey wax box from 1971 contains 24 packs of 10 cards each. There is a good possibility that the cards might include gem-mint examples of Ken Dryden’s rookie card or cards for Hall of Famers like Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe or Bobby Hull.

Another exciting prospect is the unopened 1956 Topps Baseball 1-Cent wax pack, PSA that potentially includes cards for Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Sandy Koufax, Duke Snider, Hank Aaron and other legends of the sport. Only one other pack of its type has ever received a higher PSA grade than Morphy’s example.

Additionally, there are television and film-related wax boxes, including a 1975 appears to be all original, and has a working coin mechanism. Robot and space toy collectors, as well as vending machine aficionados, all know how rare this machine is.

The 1956 Topps Baseball one-cent wax pack, PSA authenticated and graded 8, unopened, potentially includes

Topps “Planet of the Apes,” 1978 “Battlestar Galactica,” and 1980 Topps “Creature Feature.” Each of the three boxes has been BBCE-graded, contains 36 packs and is estimated at $500-$1,000. A 1985 Topps “Masters of the Universe” 36-pack wax box carries a $750-$1,500 estimate.

Comic book fans might find some unexpected treasures in this sale, like Marvel Comics’ “Amazing Spider-Man #194,” published in 1979. CGCgraded 9.8, this book presents beautifully and is estimated at $3,000-$6,000.

From the world of sci-fi comes a scarce 1950s gumball-dispensing robot. Made in Italy, this coveted toy stands 55.5 inches tall,

Another fantastic design is the early replica of Gort, the robot from the 1951 film “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” A towering figure at approximately 8 feet tall, the Gort consigned to Morphy’s was purchased in 1996 from Fred Barton Productions, the firm that also made the “laser-eyed” Gort seen in the film. Sage, mentioned the auction example, came from the estate of a Pennsylvania collector.

“It was the most highly prized piece in his collection. Because he had kept the original sales receipt, we were able to locate the manufacturer in Los Angeles. I was pleased to be able to speak with Fred Barton, himself, who told me the Gort in our auction is one of the earliest ones he made, and that there are only a few of them like it,” stated Sage. The receipt will accompanythe Gort figure when it joins its new owner. The estimate is $6,000$12,000.

Nearly 100 lots of dolls, dollhouses and furniture, and stuffed animals have been cataloged. The antique dolls are led by a near-mint 28inch Jumeau Triste or “Longface Jumeau” with a pressed bisque head. Its body is original and stamped “JUMEAU MEDAILLE D’OR PARIS.” The star of the vintage doll section is a sought-after 1959 first-issue brunette #1 “Barbie” with its original box, stand and complete set of accessories.

Hundreds of tin, pressedsteel, and cast-iron vehicles will cross the auction including American, European and German productions. Morphy’s is the place to go for all-original cast-iron mechanical banks, like the J & E Stevens “Two Frogs” bank to be offered on day one. A stunning specimen in nearmint-plus condition, it’s in fine working order and ready to “leap” to its next destination. A special treat for Marklin 1 gauge train collectors is the rare ca. 1906 handpainted clockwork swing bridge. Measuring 23 inches long, it appears to be all original, has two of its four original lamps, and is in working order. Currently assessed as VG-Excellent, it could achieve a higher grade with a proper cleaning, according to Sage.

Over 220 antique and vintage marbles will be in the

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