: Legend says that Bluebeard, the notorious pirate, was attacked by
the Jersey Devil, a creature that was supposedly sighted near
this New Jersey town. But on April 2 and 3, not even another such
sighting would have prevented patrons from acquiring the
"pirates' trove" of high-caliber and highly collectible toys,
doorstops, banks and dolls comprising Bertoia's 1,486-lot sale.
The top lot of this sale was a $23,100 Calamity bank, a bit of
irony since with more than $1 million in sales (and worldwide
interest), the auction was a resounding success. Patented in 1904
and made by the J&E Stevens Co., the Calamity football bank
had a charging fullback flanked by two tackles. With a preauction
high estimate of $12,000, the action started with a left bid of
$5,000, but then the competition quickly shifted to the floor. A
New Jersey collector seated in the back of the gallery with his
bid of $23,100 won the vintage bank. A regular at Bertoia sales,
he counts this bank as lucky number 38 in his growing collection,
and said that he did not arrive at the sale with the intention of
making the purchase.
Unusual? Perhaps for some auction houses, but not for Bertoia,
according to owner Jeanne Bertoia. "We have so many repeat
customers who know us. They have a high level of confidence in
buying from us. They know our reputation in accurately describing
each lot and for accurately conditioning [i.e. good, very good,
mint] each item in the sale, so they feel comfortable bidding
telephone, absentee or over the Internet. There are no surprises
- only pleasant surprises - when they receive their item."
Bertoia added, "We are respected in the toy world. We have a good
team and an excellent group of consultants. In this business, you
have to be careful about repairs and the repainting of a toy."
Another J&E Stevens sports-related bank that was noted by
auctioneer Tim Luke as receiving "a lot of interest" during the
preview was a Dark Town Battery in pristine condition. Patented
in 1888, the bank stole home at $8,250.
Continuing the parade of J&E Stevens banks was a Home bank
(patented 1872). This was a no dormer windows version in
excellent condition, which went to a phone bidder for $5,775.
Topping the doorstops category was a rare Hubley uniformed
bugler which sold for $12,100.
Other banks that fared well included a Hold the Fort Bank
with five holes that fetched $3,850. A Clown on Globe bank probably
meant the world to its winning bidder at $4,125. A rare cast iron
alphabet still bank - it looked like a prototype of a Rubik's Cube
- left the hall for $3,025. A rare, mid-Nineteenth Century Sandwich
glass still bank brought $4,950.
The piece de resistance of the toy portion of the auction
was a cast iron Four Seat Brake (circa 1890) by Pratt &
Letchworth. The black open coach with yellow trim and eight
original figures, pulled by a team of four horses, started at
$9,000. It went to a West Coast Internet bidder for $22,000. The
underbidder related that he had owned this same toy approximately
13 years ago and was hoping to buy it back again.
Other toys also garnered attention on the second day of sales at
Bertoia. For example, an extraordinarily rare cast iron road
sweeper started at $4,000, but then "cleaned up" at $6,875 to the
floor. A P&H steam shovel brought almost as much with its
winning bid of $6,600. A Hubley "America" airplane, with a
17-inch wingspan, two pilots in an open cockpit and three
propellers, flew out of the gallery for $3,575. Back on the
ground, an Arcade Buick sedan (circa 1927) in near mint
condition, brought $3,300, and an oversized dray wagon by Weller
and Crosby (circa 1890) sold for the same money. A Hubley
Calliope in a desirable orange painted version realized $4,400.
It was appropriate that a rare Keystone circus truck, circa 1932,
had written on it "The World's Greatest Circus," since it came
very close to being the greatest sale of the auction. Measuring
261/4 inches long, the steel Packard model opened to six animal
cages and still had one of its original animals behind bars.
Considered to be in very good to excellent condition, it had a
preauction estimate of $7/9,000. A successful Midwest phone
bidder acquired it for $20,900.
Another item that sold during the first part of the sale was a
very rare Hubley bugler doorstop, 121/2 inches high, in pristine
condition. It sold to a New York private collector on the phone
for $12,100. A Highlands lighthouse doorstop reached its
"high-water" mark at $4,125 - significantly above the high
estimate of $1,800. Another favorite was a rare Black-eyed Susans
doorstop. At 173/4 inches tall, the largest of the florals made
by Hubley, it sprouted to a selling price of $4,125.
Also selling the first day of the sale was an early Cadillac
pedal car - predating Caddy's elongated fins - with wooden
running boards and stenciled radiator, measuring 36 inches long,
which cruised out of the gallery at $6,050. A boxed example of a
Ramblin Mickey Mouse (copyright 1934, Disney Enterprises) was
another highly sought-after toy. This Japanese celluloid Mickey,
activated by a clockwork mechanism, sold for $6,600. A circa 1959
Japanese Giant Sonic Robot (along with its tattered box), lived
up to its name by bringing a colossal $6,050. Standing 111/2
inches tall, a Japanese Thunder Robot brought $4,125, while
achieving the same price, a German Mickey Mouse organ grinder,
copyright 1931, went off the block. A blue-green Buddy "L" coach,
copyright 1927, with 22 individual seats and in very good
condition, fetched $5,500.
Also included in the sale was an important grouping of dolls from
the 30-year collection of the late Alberta Darby from Maryland.
Auctioneer Andy Ourant mentioned, during the doll portion of the
sale that several of these beauties were photographed for the
Coleman book, The Collector's Encyclopedia of Dolls.
A cast-iron Four Seat Brake, circa 1800, by Pratt &
Letchworth, went to a West Coast Internet bidder for $22,000.
The top lot in the doll category was a 101/2-inch Bru Brevete
Bebe (Bru Jne & Cie, Paris) with a bisque swivel head on a
bisque shoulder plate and a kid body with bisque lower arms. It
opened at $5,000 and sold to an Internet bidder for $16,500.
Additional French favorites included a Jumeau long face Triste
Bebe that exchanged collections at $13,200. Bringing $9,900 was a
23-inch tall portrait Jumeau French fashion doll, circa 1870. A
12-inch-tall Steiner "A" Bebe, circa 1880s, left the gallery at
$5,500.
There are times when having wide hips can be a plus. An early
"wide hips" model German Kathy Kruse doll with its original
outfit and wrist tag sold for $12,100. A rare, 26-inch-tall
Martha Chase "Mammy" brought $8,800. A 19-inch Izannah Walker
doll that had lost its left hand and toes made $9,250. Twin
Philadelphia babies realized $7,150. A 21-inch Beecher baby in
excellent condition sold for $5,500, along with a letter of
provenance. With a preauction high estimate of $2,200, a 40-inch
K*R/Simon &Halbig doll reached $6,050.
Surprisingly, a child's wagon made by the Paris Mfg. Co., South
Paris, Maine, with a preauction estimate of $150-$200, sold for
$2,200.
Prices reported include a 10 percent buyer's premium.
