$2.2 Million Toy Sale At Bertoia Auctions

VINELAND, N.J.

:"A Toy Feast," a pre-Thanksgiving auction conducted by Bertoia Auctions, literally turned into a feast for toy buyers as they gobbled up item after item in the 2,500-lot auction. The sale, which took place in three sessions, November 18-20, was one of the most active sales ever conducted by the auction house, according to principal Jeanne Bertoia.

"We did $2.2 million over the three sessions," stated Bertoia after the auction. "We had a worldwide attendance with more lots than ever selling to buyers overseas, and every major player in every category participated from either the floor or the telephones," she said. The auction house also reported a record number of absentee bids and stiff Internet competition. Foreign buyers from more than a dozen countries successfully bid more than 250 items, with pieces going to Australia, Malta, Brazil and all throughout Europe.

"Every category was strong," said Bertoia of the auction that began with 650 lots of still and mechanical banks, cast iron automobile toys and a selection of doorstops. It continued with more than 1,000 lots of banks, early tin toys, Disney and European cars, boats and tin toys. Sunday's session saw record prices among the holiday items, Christmas ornaments, teddy bears, dolls and the 235 lots of trains consigned from the collection of Bernard Kuehnle.

The auction got off to a quick start with a small group of still banks setting the tone for the day as they hammered down well above estimates at $275. Other still banks included a 1893 World's Fair souvenir globe safe bank that also sold well above estimates at $13,200. A rare cast iron American ambulance bank in white paint was another of the top lots as it garnered $12,100. An apple bank in pristine paint went out at $4,400, as did an eagle on globe bank.

The top lot of the first session came as a rare German Exchange bank with a ram seated atop the barrel bringing $17,600. Other mechanicals that did well included a magician bank at $8,800, a nodding head dog bank $8,675, calamity at $3,225 and four banks each bringing $4,400 including acrobat, Boy Scout, lion and hunter and a rare tin mechanical bulldog bank.

The top lot of the auction came from an impressive selection of automatons with Pierrot Serenading the Moon more than doubling estimates as it sold for $33,000. An automaton of a clown playing an mandolin sold for $9,900 and a musical piece known as "Nargileh Smoker" sold for $5,050.

"This is the best collection of doorstops that we have ever offered," commented Bertoia. More than 150 were offered with an extremely rare Bradley and Hubbard turkey being served up just a couple days prior to Thanksgiving. "This one almost never comes up," she said, "and the paint is exceptional." Estimated at $2,5/3,500, Bertoia thought it might do as well as $5,000. Bidding on the lot was fast and furious with it exceeding all expectations as it sold for a record price paid at auction for the form at $9,075.

A Bradley and Hubbard rabbit doorstop, also in near mint condition also elicited a flurry of bids with it selling at $4,225. Another rare offering from the group was a large vase of black-eyed Susan flowers in mint original paint that sold for a record price paid at auction for $7,150.

Motor vehicle toys were offered in a large variety and ranged from farm equipment to heavy equipment, from sports car to limousine, and from panel truck to utility trucks. Leading the group of automobiles was a large Marklin limo that was cataloged as being the "Finest made by Marklin." The lot, termed a very desirable find, had been professionally restored and it sold for $24,200. An early clockwork mechanism cab by Le Jouet Francais did well selling at $9,900, a Bing double Phaeton brought $9,350 and a Carette limo in white paint sold at $9,350.

Trucks did well with a rare Arcade "White" dump truck in red paint selling at nearly four times the estimate. "The consignor is a 93-year-old man," commented Rich Bertoia, "He was going to sell it at a yard sale for $50, but his 80-year-old neighbor thought it might be worth more so he drove him down here to see if we were interested in it." The truck was in mint condition and the old-timer related that his father had worked for White and had been presented the truck. '"It went up on the shelf and never came off,' was what he told us, I told him he had just hit a home run," said Bertoia.

Estimated at $4/6,000, bidding on the lot was intense with it bouncing back and forth between the telephones, the Internet and a host of determined buyers in the gallery. In the end the lot hammered down at a record price paid at auction for the form of $23,100.

A Ford wrecker by Vindex was also listed as being in near mint condition and it also shot past estimates on its way to a selling price of $7,150. An Arcade panel van in green paint did well at $4,675, a Wyman's moving van by Arcade brought $4,400 and a Guntherman fire truck sold for $4,125.

Heavy and farm equipment cast iron toys included a Vindex steam shovel in pristine condition that hammered down at $12,100. Other Vindex toys included a selection of farm implements with a Case combine selling at $6,600, two hay loaders included a John Deere that brought $6,050 while a Case realized $5,500 and a rare John Deere Van Brunt drill sold for $4,400.

Airplanes included a Lockheed with 93/4-inch wingspan in silver paint that brought $8,250 and a zeppelin by Marklin realized $4,125. Motorcycles were popular with a cast Kilgore cop on bike shooting past the $1/1,200 estimates to sell at $5,500, while a tin litho Hodge Traffic cycle with clockwork mechanism also more than doubled estimates at $4,950.

Paper litho items did well with a Bliss "Golden Gate Special" train selling for $7,150, while a "Pansy" stage coach brought $6,600.

"We have a great selection of Disney," commented Rich Bertoia prior to the sale as he pointed out several rare and exceptional examples. Leading the group was a Minnie Mouse the Nanny pushing a baby Felix around in a pram that had been made, circa 1930, by Spanish maker Rogelio Sanchez. Bidding on the rare toy was brisk with it selling at $20,900. An unusual Minnie and Felix sparker toy with action that had each of the articulated figure alternately bending forward to light their cigars sold for $12,100, while a sparker of Mickey opening a picnic basket brought $8,250. Also sold was a Minnie clockwork depicting her carrying Felix in a cage that went out at $7,700.

A large selection of dolls and bears were offered with a rare pair of Steiff dancing bears topping the list at $20,900. A Lenci pressed felt doll of Rudolph Valentino dressed as a Sheik went out at $12,100, a Lenci pressed felt "Lady of the Garden" doll brought $4,125, as did a Lenci Pierrot doll.

Marklin ships commanded a great deal of interest with a Jolanda yacht selling for $14,300, a large ocean liner brought $11,000 and a Loreli paddle wheeler sold above estimates at $9,900.

Dresden Christmas ornaments attracted a huge amount of attention, with a record price paid at auction realized as a hand crafted, stamped and painted paper train and mountain tunnel ornament sold for $11,000. Other serious prices for Dresden ornaments included a fur-man scull boat ornament selling at $6,000, while a Dresden stable ornament brought $5,500.

The train collection of Bernard Kuehnle was offered at the tail end of the sale, although enthusiasm remained high throughout the session. Kuehnle, pronounced keenly, had an impressive collection with more original box trains than most collectors see in a lifetime. Each of the items was marked with a price tag from Kuehnle's lumberyard that read "Say it Keenly." Bidding on the Kuehnle items was brisk with lot after lot exceeding estimates. The top lot of the session came as a scale locomotive and tender built in the late 1800s by J. Butcher was offered. The scaled model of the steam 4-4-0 locomotive was exquisite with excellent attention to detail in both construction and paint seen. The rare piece was actively bid with it selling for $12,100.

An Ives No. 1 gauge inboard passenger set with locomotive, tender and three cars did well selling for $11,000, while an Ives clockwork locomotive and tender, series 17, was knocked down at $10,450. Other lots included an Ives electric passenger set with box that brought $9,350, a small Ives litho tin trolley $8,250 and an American Flyer standard gauge President set that went out at $7,700.

Other items from the Kuehnle collection included an Ives O gauge inboard frames passenger set with locomotive, tender, a baggage car and two passenger cars that brought $8,800. An American Flyer cast iron O gauge "6.N.R." passenger set shot past estimates to bring $5,225, a Hafner O gauge passenger set sold at five times the estimate bringing $4,950 and a an American Flyer O gauge passenger set and an early Ives O gauge set with box each brought $4,675.

Prices include the ten percent buyer's premium charged. For information contact Bertoia Auctions, 2141 DeMarco Drive, Vineland NJ 08360, call 856-692-1881 or www.bertoiaauctions.com.