COLLECTED WORKS

LIVE STEAM MODELS

ive steam models – that’s to say miniature steam-powered engines that operate on the same principles as full-size ones – have a history as long and as varied as that of their large-scale cousins.

Far from being toys, the original live steam models were made for practical purposes, explains Kegan Harrison, expert in charge of Toys and Collectables at Tennants Auctioneers. Such is the case with the model of Robert Stephenson’s 1830 locomotive ‘Planet’ which sold for £3,000 at Tennants’ Leyburn auction room in 2020. Some such early models, which are now very rare, were made as pre-production prototypes prior to construction of the full-scale locomotive. Others were made as salesman’s samples. “The railway industry was the dot-com boom of its time,” says Kegan. “Railway companies were setting up everywhere, often – as with the Stockton and Darlington railway – operating very short stretches of line. So there were plenty of potential clients to pitch to with the aid of models like these.”

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exploring antiques and collectables

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1. 8¼" gauge live steam model of Robert Stephenson’s 1830 locomotive ‘Planet’. Sold for £3,000. 2. Scratch-built live steam model boat ‘Dirk’. Sold for £950.

3. Alyn Foundry RLE hopper engine. Sold for £380.

4. Bing live steam horse-drawn fire engine, hand-painted in red and black. Sold for £3,500. 5. Maxwell Hemmens live steam traction engine ‘Messenger’. Sold for £850. 6. Brass live steam 4¼" gauge 2-2-2 ‘dribbler’ locomotive. Sold for £350.

All models illustrated here sold by Tennants.

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FROM TOOLS TO TOYS

“Nobody knows exactly when and where the first live steam toy was made, but producing them was initially a cottage industry. The local blacksmith, for example, might make one or two in his spare time. Small companies would pop up for a few years before vanishing, but no records were kept.”

The brass ‘dribbler’ locomotive sold at Tennants last winter is typical of these early steam toys. It was probably made around 1870, possibly in Scotland or Birmingham where there were several makers. They are known as ‘dribblers’ because their cylinders had an unfortunate tendency to leak, leaving a damp trail behind them.

“Considering their age,” says Kegan, “these early toy locomotives are surprisingly affordable.” The majority of collectors focus on models of locos from the ‘golden age of steam’, although when exactly this ‘golden age’ began and ended is a matter of lively discussion amongst enthusiasts. Most would probably agree that it reached its peak in the 1920s and 1930s.

From the late 1800s onwards, the top end of the live steam toy trade came to be dominated by German companies like Märklin (founded 1859) and Bing (1863 to 1933). Their products were very much toys for the children of well-to-do families, although Bing gradually moved down towards the middle and lower end of the market. Despite having a few condition issues, the Bing live steam horse-drawn fire engine shown here made a very respectable £3,500 at auction in winter 2020. “For a collector of German live steam models this is a really good piece,” says Kegan. “The subject is an unusual one but Bing were doing what toy makers have always done – making models of whatever seems ‘cool’ at the time.”

ALL CHANGE

“Live steam models became increasingly elaborate and expensive, building to a crescendo in 1939,” says Kegan. “Post-war, though, the quality dropped right down again as manufacturers turned towards making lower quality but more affordable toys.”

Readers who grew up in the 1960s or early 1970s may well be familiar with Midlandsbased toy manufacturer Mamod, who produced a range of products including – from 1965 to 1976 – stationary engines designed for use with Meccano sets.

By the time the 20th century drew to a close, however, children had turned to other kinds of toys. Modern live steam models such as the Maxwell Hemmens and Alyn models shown here are the exclusive preserve of technicallyminded adults.

“These adult collectables are made in small numbers and to very high standards,” says Kegan. “They are often sold as kits, and assembling them is a skill in itself.

“To create a scratch-built model such as the lovely steam-powered boat illustrated here you have to be something of an engineer, and to know what you’re doing. This will have been built using components from a number of different sources, and the quality is superb. An item of this kind is basically a one-off, so if two bidders take a shine to a particular model it can fetch a substantial sum at auction.” For more information about Tennants Auctioneers, or to arrange a valuation, visit tennants.co.uk or call 01969 623780.

“Live steam models became increasingly elaborate and expensive, building to a crescendo in 1939.”