PHILADELPHIA, PENN. - A rare Marklin Circus train led the way at
Noel Barrett's auction of "The Ward Kimball Toy and Train
Collection," this past Saturday, November 20, selling for an
accumulative price of $100,100. Kimball, a renown animator from
Walt Disney Studios who worked on such films as Snow White
and Pinocchio, began collecting toys and trains more than
60 years ago. Record prices were routinely established throughout
the sale with the auction grossing just under $2.5 million
against a high presale estimate of $1.75 million.
The Circus train, sold in four separate lots, included a brass
gauge I American Outline live steam brass locomotive and tender
selling at $11,000, a Moving Van car and wagon $12,100, a
Hagenbeck's Menagerie car and wagon $36,300, and a Circus
Oriental car and wagon at $40,700.
The top price for an individual lot was set when a Marklin live
steam battleship Boston and a Rock and Graner Nachfolgar
painted tin railway station with separate "downside" platform
each sold at $71,500. Two other single lot train sets also
brought $71,500 including a Marklin Presidential train set, and a
Marklin American Eagle passenger set in gauge II.
The highest price for the day for an individual train car was
established when an early Lionel crane car brought $46,200. Early
tin toys were lead by a Stevens and Brown New York omnibus at
$52,800. A complete review will appear in a future issue.
-DSS
