Destined for a US private collector’s shelf is this Tally Ho Carpenter coach, the sale’s top lot, widely considered the finest example known. Completely original, including all the removable figures, it serves as a great depiction of early coach transportation. Its rare, complete condition assured that it would surpass its $50/75,000 estimate to bring $120,000, the highest price in the sale.
Review by W.A. Demers; Photos Courtesy Bertoia Auctions
VINELAND, N.J. — On March 16, in a single-owner sale, Bertoia presented the world-class early American toy collection of Linda and the late Curtis Smith. This collection is recognized as one of the finest in quality and condition of pre-1900 American toys unrivaled with rarity and provenance from all the great early collectors.
“Curt and Linda Smith were prominent in the toy-collecting fraternity for decades,” said Michael Bertoia, president of Bertoia Auctions. “Both were active members of the Antique Toy Collectors of America and served on numerous committees over the years. Curt even served as the club’s president.”
The sale totaled $1,270,000, attracting 100 registered bidders, and out of 195 lots offered, only one failed to sell.
The Carpenter coach, the sale’s top lot, has been widely considered the finest example known, completely original, including all the removable figures, a great depiction of early coach transportation. It’s rare for these pieces, given their size and weight, to not have breaks and repairs and to turn up in this nice condition. Estimated $50/75,000, the 26-inch-long coach traveled to $120,000 and onto the shelf of a collector in the United States.
An Uncle Sam Perambulator, circa 1880, with Uncle Sam wearing his red and white striped pants and a blue jacket with long coattails(one coattail torn) pedaled its way to a final price of $90,000, a solid premium above its $60,000 high estimate, probably due to it possibly being one of only two examples of this early American clockwork toy in existence.
A patriot’s delight, an Uncle Sam Perambulator pedaled its way to a final price $90,000, a solid premium above its $60,000 high estimate. With one torn coattail, Uncle Sam wears his red and white striped pants and a blue jacket with long coattails. The extremely rare piece, circa 1880, may be one of only two examples of this early American clockwork toy in existence. Only recently it was pictured in Blair Whitton’s book American Clockwork Toys. Coming from the Barenholtz collection, the Curtis and Linda Smith collection’s 10-inch-high toy is a piece of historical Americana.
An Althof Bergmann Circus Roundabout with a 17-inch diameter surpassed its $30/50,000 estimate and stopped at $84,000. It is, catalog notes opine, “one of the finest early American clockwork toys to ever be found, to our knowledge this is the only known example and was discovered in Pennsylvania in the last couple decades, the size and imaginative design is breathtaking, even more impressive is how well preserved the toy has been maintained.” The toy’s action is a rotation from the central clockwork motor. Other than one inner white horse being reattached to the frame and two minor points at the frame being resoldered, this toy is in as found condition.”
Another Althof Bergmann toy landing among the top sellers was the Sheep Herder platform toy comprising the herder with staff, four sheep, a dog and a goat. The toy was made of hand-painted tin, measured 14 inches long and sold for $36,000 against an $8/12,000 estimate.
Another Althof Bergmann toy landing among the top sellers was the Sheep Herder platform toy comprising the herder with staff, four sheep, a dog and a goat. The toy sold for $36,000 against an $8/12,000 estimate.
Curtis Smith was a nuclear engineer by trade and especially loved firefighting pieces because of their wonderful detailing. A European horse-drawn fire pumper filled the bill. The large-scale German toy was museum worthy, exceptional detailing of a team of two painted wooden horses at front with composition fireman figure at the reins. The hand-painted tin fire engine with hand lever for pumping water even retained the original rubber fire hose. Estimated $15/25,000, the toy was bid-driven to $33,600.
The first lot across the block, a “Girl Pushing Hoop” by George Brown, circa 1890s, doubled its high estimate to finish at $30,000. The girl was a rare example, personifying Americana in toy design, depicting a William Goodwin girl with hand-painted composition head seemingly pushing a tin hoop toy with a balance Suffragette figure at the center. A clockwork mechanism at the center axle, and the toy’s varied size wheels, allowed a circular motion. With provenance of Blair Whitton to the Max Berry collection, the toy was deemed to be in pristine condition.
It would be hard to find a better example of a Pratt & Letchworth barouche than the one that crossed the block here. Circa 1890s, the toy had elegant styling with the driver in a high bench seat, drawn by a two-horse team, each wearing a white saddle. It also had provenance to the Max Berry collection and rose from a $7/10,000 expectation to command $21,600.
With Max Berry collection provenance, this Pratt & Letchworth barouche, circa 1890s, had elegant styling with the driver in a high bench seat, drawn by a two-horse team, each fitted with a white saddle. It rose from a $7/10,000 expectation to command $21,600.
Charming as they were desirable, eight Steiff velvet cat skittles were from Germany and wore collars that have a brass bell that would chime as the pins were struck with one of the two wooden balls included. They also surpassed their $4/6,000 estimate, ringing up $14,400.
Incredible paint condition on an early American tin toy characterized the magic of a Hull & Stafford train engine. Its star tinplate wheels were classic Hull & Stafford, and the toy had strong color and a lot of stenciling detail throughout. With original cowcatcher and a clockwork motor to drive the front wheels, it chugged to $12,000, ignoring its $2,5/4,500 estimate.
Then there was the large Merriam double horse-drawn express, which captured $11,400. The toy was wonderfully well preserved, an original early American tin toy with hand-painted stenciling to its red cart, an original white horse with a touch of red at saddle and black reins.
A large Merriam double horse-drawn express was wonderfully well preserved, an original early American tin toy with hand-painted stenciling to its red cart, an original white horse with a touch of red at saddle and black reins. It earned $11,400.
J&E Stevens Co was represented in the sale by a Halls Lilliput mechanical bank. It exhibited striking color, thanks to minimal wear from handling, so improved on its $4/6,000 estimate by bringing $10,800.
A small George Brown Steamboat Katie was hand-painted with a clockwork motor to drive its forward motion. The toy was complete and 100 percent authentic, according to catalog notes, and raised its original flag to $9,600.
Additional sale highlights included a US Hardware racing scull in its smallest incarnation, 9 inches long and on wheels to be used as a floor toy, with the oarsmen simulating rowing by moving back and forth as it rolls, $9,000; a Buchner horse-Drawn carriage, also at $9,000, an early tin toy featuring a tin carriage drawn by two wooden horses, four original composition seated passenger figures and coachman at the reins; and, for dog enthusiasts, a large German Dog With Puppies squeak toy, a deluxe plaything allowing the small brown dog to open his mouth when the squeaker is compressed. A paddle wagged at $5,100.
Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. Bertoia’s next sale is April 19-20, the firm’s annual spring auction, followed on May 18 with the private toy and bank collection of John and Adrianne Haley. For further information, www.bertoiaauctions.com or 856-692-1881.
