With a high estimate of $35,000, this Francis, Field & Francis omnibus, one of only a handful to exist today, went to $68,321. The painted decorations on the side panels are amazing, the roof is highly and fancifully stenciled, and overall it is in very good condition.

Review By R. Scudder Smith, Photos Courtesy Morphy Auctions

DENVER, PENN. — On Friday, June 24 at 9 am, Morphy Auctions was off and running with a three-day sale that began with a Japanese tin friction Plymouth two-door sedan, 12 inches long, a 1961 model, that sold for $244, and ended on Sunday, June 26, with an Enterprise Memorial Money Box and mechanical bank in very good condition selling for $2,196, five times the high estimate.

Perhaps one of the rarest toys in Jack Herbert’s Collection is this Francis, Field & Francis side-wheeler, 10¼ inches long, circa 1850–60, in remarkable, all-original, excellent condition. This example has no cabin on the deck, just an oversized sailor, smoke stacks and railings, with the original American flag at the stern. It sold for $37,820, over the $25,000 high estimate. The catalog states “although petite in size, this is, without a doubt, one of the greatest American tin boats in existence.”

This sale, which brought in more than $1,483,000 for the three days, including buyer’s premium, included three one-person collections along with objects from individual consigners. The Jack Herbert Collection of Fine Transportation Toys, consisting of 363 lots, got the ball rolling for this sale and included cars, buses, ships, airplanes zeppelins and more collected over decades. Jack’s collection was displayed in his Greenwich Village home and was open to all with an interest in antique toys. He is also a well-known writer who did articles for Antique Toy World for 40 years.

On Saturday the James McComb Collection of Trains, 21 lots, was sold, including turn-of-the-century to World War II Bing and Marklin trains. To display his collection, he designed, in their Chicago apartment, a train conductor’s office and filled the walls with his finds. The trains were also an important part of Christmas, running on tracks that surrounded the tree. The Richard Zuercher Collection of Trains was also part of the Saturday sale, with 522 lots crossing the block. It all started at age 4 with a Christmas gift from his father, a Lionel 2359 Boston and Maine GP-9. He was an avid collector and a well-known member of the Train Collectors Association.

A scarce Japanese tin 1953 Packard Patrician auto, 16 inches long, made by Alps, Japan, black with chrome trim, went for $1,220, just over low estimate, and a prewar Japanese tin windup Pontiac sedan, 12 inches long, circa 1917, in excellent condition, brought $2,440, just under the high estimate. An English tin litho Macintosh’s candy container, 8 inches long, truck with coffee can-type back piece marked “The Baby Tin Toffee de Luxe.” It dates circa 1920s and brought $1,220, double the high estimate.

Lot 241, a Marklin 1st series battleship Connecticut, 29½ inches long, a clockwork toy from the early Twentieth Century, brought $18,300, just over the high estimate.

An Italian tin litho single-deck bus biscuit tin, 10¼ inches long, circa 1920s, a windup with passengers depicted in windows, sold over estimate for $2,318, and a scarce English tin litho windup charabanc bus, 11 inches long, made by Whitanco, England, circa 1920, with original headlamps, white rubber tires and tin litho driver, brought $2,318, just under the high estimate. Lot 134, a French flying boat toy (Le Lieutenant de Vaisseau), measuring 16¼ by 19½, litho windup, very good to excellent condition, went over the $5,000 high estimate, selling for $6,710.

Selling for just short of the high estimate at $3,965 was an early French clockwork Pinard twin-seat racing car, 16 inches long, hand painted in dark blue with red pinstriping. It has a side horn and white rubber tires. Several lots later, a German tin litho clockwork Carette Phaeton auto, 12½ inches long, circa 1905, Renault-type hood, two side lamps and rubber tires, went for $4,880, over the $4,000 high estimate. Another German car, a nifty tin litho Cameraman, 8½ inches long, circa 1920s, was marked “Movie Man” and “Nifty” on the front hood with the original lithographed driver and cameraman. In excellent condition, it brought $3,355, within estimate.

The Sunday session led off with a collection of marbles, including lot 1747, an onionskin swirl, 21/8 inches in diameter, with alternating colors including yellow, orange, blue-green, blue, red and turquoise. This extremely rare marble had an $8,000–12,000 estimate and sold for $9,150.

Among the nice selection of boats was lot 270, a paper on wood City of New York ocean liner, 39 inches long, made by Bliss, circa 1895. The catalog notes that “this is one of the nicest, most attractive paper on wood boats made” and it brought $6,100 against a $4,000 high estimate. Selling for $2,440, twice the high estimate, was a Chein tin litho oversized Hercules concrete mixer, 16½ inches long, Mack front push toy and the cement mixer part turns by chain-driven action. It was in excellent condition and could use a cleaning.

Bringing $7,930, above the $6,000 high estimate, was a German tin litho clockwork Ebo limousine toy car, 13½ inches long, with the original three-dimensional lithographed driver. This is the deluxe version with roof rack and opening doors.

This is the second largest Steiff Minnie Mouse, measuring 15½ inches tall. She is primarily made from black and white velvet, her eyes are glued on, and she retains her original black whiskers. She is wearing white cotton bloomers, an orange hat with a flower and her original calico skirt has faded to tan. This item was produced from 1932 through 1936 and it sold for just under the high estimate at $3,660.

A prewar Japanese tin litho windup ball toss toy, 12¼ inches long, was complete except for the ball, but still went well over the $800 high estimate, realizing $3,600. It was in excellent with very colorful litho. A Japanese battery op gang of five radicon robots, 10 inches tall, complete with the original antenna and remote, excellent condition, sold just under the high estimate for $5,400. A bid of $7,930, above the $4,500 high estimate, took a rare pressed steel Buddy L tug boat, 28 inches long, circa 1928–29, in the original green and gray paint. It also retains partial Buddy L decals on both sides.

A highlight among the Steiff pieces was lot 921, a very rare studio parrot with all IDs, life sized, measuring 20 inches without the tail and 33 inches with. His oversized feet are made from felt and he is out of a New England collection. He sold for twice the high estimate at $3,050. Selling within estimate at $4,270 was a French Jumeau doll in pink hat, 12½ inches tall, with large blue paperweight eyes, finely painted facial features, and in very fine plus condition.

Among the lots in the James McComb Collection of Trains was were two gauge Bing GR. Central Railway coaches for Bassett Lowke Co., 1904–09, that realized $4,270, well exceeding $1,200 high estimate. Selling for $1,830 was a lot of three, a Lionel brass No. 54 and two passenger cars, No. 18, in excellent condition, and a Lionel No. 2341 original Jersey Central locomotive, with box, brought $1,342.

Another toys and dolls sale at Morphy Auction is set for September 24–25.

For additional information, www.morphyauctions.com or 877-968-8880.

This rare Japanese friction tin 1962 Chrysler Imperial in blue, 15¼ inches long, by the Asahi Toy Company, is in very good to excellent condition and sold within estimate at $ 5,795.

This scarce prewar Japanese tin Macon zeppelin toy, 15½ inches long, marked Macon on both sides with the original propeller, is in very good condition and sold for $ 1,342, just over the high estimate.

This tin military airplane has a 16¼ wingspan and dates circa 1930s. The windup plane with camouflage was made by Masudaya, Japan, well exceeded the $ 2,500 high estimate to bring $ 11,590. It was in very good to excellent condition.

Selling for $ 5,190, over the $ 4,000 high estimate, was this very rare English Wells Biscuit tin lorry, 11½ inches long. It retains the original lithographed driver and advertises J. Lyons Chocolate & Toffee.

Lot 128, the exceptional early French clockwork train, 33 inches long, circa late 1800s, went for $ 18,300, just under the high estimate. This example is one of the finest hand painted trains made by any of the numerous global toy makers of the late 1800s.

This English Crawford’s single-deck bus biscuit tin in very good condition realized $ 3,050, over the $ 1,800 high estimate. It is 10½ inches long, dates circa 1925 and includes the original box.

This early French open Landau automobile, 10½ inches long, circa 1900, sold for $ 18,300, over the $ 10,000 high estimate. It is finished with deep red sides, gilt trim and black highlighting, black fenders with gilt trim and solid spoked lead wheels realistically painted with cream tires and red spokes.

A Hubley Packard, 11½ inches long, is always a favorite and this one, with all red repainted and the doors and hood appear to have been replaced, still went for $ 5,185 against a $ 3,000 high estimate.

Early in the Saturday session of the three-day auction, lot 826, a nine-piece all-original Steiff skittle assortment, the tallest piece 9¾ inches, museum quality and on wooden plinths with IDs, sold within estimate for $ 11,590. This set, designed for the European market, consists of eight begging, unjointed animals on wooden skittles and one short pile plush bear king pin dressed in a red felt top coat and crown. This skittles assortment appeared in the Steiff line from 1902 through 1916 only and is, unquestionable, the finest all-original and complete of early Steiff skittles to come to auction in memory.

Lot 31, an incredibly rare Steiff turkey with IDs, 30 inches tall and 30 inches wide, standing position, was produced in 1967 and came in this size only. It brought $ 5,185, more than doubling the $ 2,000 high estimate.

Measuring 17½ inches tall, this Steiner Gigoteur Bebe is all original with light blue paperweight eyes and finely painted facial details. It sold just a hair over the high estimate at $ 2,074.

This character doll with molded and painted features, a 23-inch example of the K&R 114 “Gretchen,” is dressed in a 1910-style sailor-type costume and sold within estimate for $ 2,196.

From the James McComb Collection of Trains is lot 1098, lot of 2: gauge 1 Bing for Bassett Lowke Secr., circa 1913–21, originally clockwork converted to electric. In very good to excellent condition, it sold for $ 4,270, over the $ 3,000 high estimate.

Bringing $ 3,050, a little better than twice the high estimate, was this Lionel No. 400E nickel trim Blue Comet set in very good to excellent condition. The set is complete and all original.

This Lionel No. 2234W Santa Fe boxed set, complete and in excellent condition, sold for $ 1,037, just over the high estimate.

The Sunday session led off with a collection of marbles, including lot 1747, an onionskin swirl, 2 1/8 inches in diameter, with alternating colors including yellow, orange, blue-green, blue, red and turquoise. This extremely rare marble had an $ 8,000–12,000 estimate and sold for $ 9,150.

Selling for $ 5,795, almost three times the high estimate, was lot 1804, a single pontil semiopaque Lighting Bolt marble, approximately 1 5/8 inches in diameter. It has an almost opaque white base with a green lightning bolt on one side and a three-color lightning bolt of yellow, red and green on the other.

Among the assortment of doorstops, a cast iron cat on pedestal was a standout, selling for $ 3,660, leaving the $ 1,750 high estimate in the litter box. It is a three-part casting and is the example pictured in John and Nancy Smith’s The Doorstop Book: The Encyclopedia of Doorstop Collecting.

A selection of both still and mechanical banks brought the auction to a close, and among the stills was the cast iron Two-Faced Devil, 4½ inches tall, in good condition. One face showed more wear than the other and the piece brought $ 1,037, above the $ 800 high estimate.

Among the mechanical banks was Kyser & Rex Lion & Monkey, 9½ by 8½ inches, in excellent condition with the original trap. It brought $ 3,050, almost twice the high estimate.

One of the most popular mechanical banks in the sale was lot 2090, Shepard Hardware’s Circus Bank, that realized $ 5,490 ($ 1,500–2,000) in very good to excellent condition. It is 8½ inches in diameter.

A bid of $ 4,575 took the J&E Stevens’ Lion Hunter Bank ($ 2,500–3,500) in excellent condition, but missing the trap.

Selling below the low estimate at $ 13,420 was J&E Stevens’ Calamity mechanical bank, overall excellent condition, and in near mint condition. It measures 7½ inches long.