COMPLIMENTARY COPY
Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
VOL. 43, NO. 42 FRIDAY OCTOBER 19, 2012
Toys, Dolls, And Sports Memorabilia Played Well In Recent Sale Convoy, a toy that inspired the later brakes at $8,400. Also finishing ith 2,750 aucAt the September 13 to 15 well in the money tion lots from attempt Transformer production known as auction, Morphy’s presented part Ultra Magnus. Estimated at $600 to were three which to to take him $1,000, it muscled its way to a win- I of the 40-year Jack Matthews desirable choose, coldown. collection comprising more than lectors of antique The second J. ning bid of $10,800. Not far 2,000 scarce composition figures toys, banks, dolls and & E. Stevens bank of the O.M. Hausser behind it from sports memorabilia felt note was the firm’s 1880 was a (Elastolin, Pfeiffer) and Lineol like Christmas had already Chimpanzee bank, m i n t - companies. A scarce Hausser arrived September 13 to 15 at named for the chimb o x e d eight-wheeled armored car with Morphy’s Denver, Pennsylvania panzee character in P o p y electric lights, Panzer driver and gallery. “human” clothing, G A - 5 0 even its original Morse Code unit “We offered a great variety seated at a desk before D a i k u stowed in the rear compartment and excellent quality in virtually an open bank ledger, with Maryu, found favor with collectors, who every category in the sale. There “pencil” in hand. The red which bid it to $6,600. were a lot of happy buyers, some and green domed bank’s The Matthews collection also was of whom had traveled long disunusual action suggests included a 14-inch-long Hausser tances to attend,” said Morphy the chimp - or ape, as half-track Zugmachine. The Auctions CEO Dan Morphy. some scholars have most desirable of all Several major collections described it Elastolin tinplate vehianchored the three-day sale, is cles, the clockwork which realized $2.76 million, meant to toy with electric lights inclusive of 20 percent buyer’s repreand a cloth top also premium. The Al Winick colsent a came equipped with an lection of 100 fine mechanical b a n k original jack and a host banks was described by Morphy t e l l e r. of helmeted German as “the best mechanical bank When a coin soldier figures. It surcollection to come to auction is put into the passed its $1,000 to since the world-record bank’s slot, the $1,500 estimate to Steckbeck sale of 2007.” chimp’s head Roller Skating Bank - Kyser & Rex “Roller Skating” secure a $4,500 price. More than 100 bidders nods forcast-iron mechanical bank, $84,000. The Friday session turned out to bid in person ward while Morphy Auctions image. included 150 antique and during the bank portion of his right the event. arm and hand move never marketed outside Japan. vintage holiday lots, primarily The Winick banks cerdown onto the ledger, With its particularly rare blue mis- Christmas and Halloween pieces. tainly lived up to as though to enter the siles and original packaging, it had A fine 22-inch Santa candy conMorphy’s assessment, amount of a deposit. no problem reaching $10,200 tainer with composition face and with a rare blue variant of A bell rings as the against an estimate of $4,000 to hands, and rabbit-fur beard, came complete with a basket of toys, fir Kyser & Rex’s circa-1886 coin drops into the $6,000. A Lancia Stratos sprig and small American Flag. “Mikado” mechanical J. & E. Stevens “Calamity” cast-iron mechanical bank, bank. The Chimpanzee bank claiming top-lot hon$38,400. Morphy Auctions image. bank in Morphy’s sale “Marlborojack” made by Takara Estimated at $2,000 to $3,000, it ors at $198,000. A beautiwas estimated at $20,000 to was the precursor to the realized $5,100. Every classification in the ful example in near-mint condi- mechanical bank productions by J. $30,000 but attracted multiple bid- Transformer toy known as tion, the cast-iron depiction of a & E. Stevens, the legendary ders who pushed the rare money- “Wheeljack.” In near-mint-plus sale had its own knowledgeable condition with original box, the following. Doll aficionados commagician performing a sleight-of- Connecticut company founded in box to $37,200. hand shell game trick had been 1843 that produced 84 different The third Stevens bank, called Japanese rarity sped past its $2,000 peted vigorously for a circle dot estimated at $100,000 to bank designs. They also manufac- “Shoot the Chute,” was designed to $3,000 estimate to apply the Bru bebe with bisque socket head, blue papertured cast-iron hardware, hammers by Charles Bailey and $150,000. weight eyes and With crossover appeal to and simple iron toys, such as cap patented in 1906. Two original kid body. black Americana collectors, an pistols. popular comic characters Dressed in a blueAn example of J. & E. Stevens’ of the early 20th century, 1880 “Freedman’s Bank” was in gray satin dress with 1905 football-theme Buster Brown and Tige, enviable near-mint condition and circa matching hat, the “Calamity” bank in near-mint con- are an integral part of came with provenance from blond beauty both the Tudor and Steckbeck dition was entered in Morphy’s this bank’s operation. reached the midpoint sale. It Seated in a carnival-ride collections. of its estimate range c r o s s e d car, Buster and Tige slide It cashed at $10,200. the goal down a long chute, conout at $138,000, Other highlights line at cluding their journey at comfortably included a Buddy $ 3 8 , 4 0 0 . ground level by tumbling within its “L” pressed steel $125,000 to head over heels out of Huckster wagon, the $150,000 estithe car. Morphy’s largest and rarest of mate achieved a $49,200 price the company’s for the example in their flivver series, sale. $16,800; and an There was extremely rare 1934 keen interest in Quaker cereal adverEd Sandford’s tisement featuring collection of baseball legend pristine Japanese Babe Ruth, $4,200. die-cast robots. Morphy’s has a Several bidders full slate of auctions even made the trip Armored Car planned for the fall all the way from Italy Hausser eight-wheeled armored and winter months. to Pennsylvania to precar, 12 inches long, electric lights, Learn more by visitview and pursue prized $6,600. Morphy Auctions image. ing www.morConsidered a staple pieces from the collecphyauctions.com. To in any top-class mechanical bank tion. Most of the robots contact Morphy’s, range. collection, its action involves three were made in the 1960s call (717) 335-3435 Other Kyser & Rex cast-iron collegiate football players - a run- by companies whose or e-mail mechanical banks that finished in ning fullback in a Yale uniform, designs are now very serena@morphyaucthe top 10 included a Merry-Go- who cradles a football in his right rare and collectible, e.g., tions.com. Round, ex Steckbeck collection, arm, and two defensive tackles Popy, Clover, Takara and $126,000; and Roller Skating dressed in Harvard’s colors. When Bandai. More bank depicting an old-fashioned a coin is inserted and the lever is Highlights Fetching the highest Babe Ruth extremely rare 1934 Quaker cereal advertisement skating rink with skaters, tripped, the tackles converge on the price was Takara’s On featuring baseball legend Babe Ruth, $4,200. $84,000. runner from both sides in an Diaclone Big-Powered Page 2 Morphy Auctions image.
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