The auction’s leading lot was this 27-inch-long Buddy L pressed steel water service truck; it sold for $18,000 ($3/4,000).
Review by Carly Timpson
WILLOUGHBY, OHIO — A lifelong private collection of vintage toy trucks, featuring desirable makers such as Tonka, Smith Miller, Cor Cor, Steelcraft, Marx, Hubley and Buddy L, was the focus of Milestone Auctions’ 1,000-lot New Year’s Two-Day Toy Truck Spectacular on January 10-11. Auctioneer Miles King reported that the sale realized an excess of $932,000, noting that it was a strong sale with interest reflecting market trends. “Participation was good — people are spending money, and people from all over the country were bidding. When you have good stuff, that’s what they’re looking for, and this was a really great collection.” He added, “I think the market is great. The Tonkas and stuff aren’t like the early pressed steel toys; there are some younger collectors for these trucks. Most of the lots are going to private collections.”
Bidders drove a pressed steel Buddy L water service truck to top-lot status, achieving $18,000 against an estimate of $3/4,000. King commented, “We try to be a little conservative with our estimates and predicted that some may go beyond their estimates but that was a really good price for this one. Its collectability and condition really contributed to its success.” This truck’s black, red and green paint was original and largely intact, as were the rubber tires, headlights, bumper and pull cord.
Other Buddy L trucks were in equally high demand, bringing the sale’s next two highest prices. A doored baggage truck, manufactured 1930-32, was complete with its cargo, two step ladders, bed chain, rubber tires, headlights and bumper. A red sign on its yellow bed read “Buddy ‘L’ / Baggage Line” and it rode off for $16,380, besting its $10,000 high estimate. Crossing the block just one lot later was a screen-side truck from 1932. Atop the black truck’s bed was a screen-side compartment with locking rear doors. Adding to this truck’s desirability in addition to its great condition and brass Buddy L lock was the unusual lighter green color of the screen side. These elements pushed the vehicle to $11,700.
With its cargo and ladders, this original Buddy L doored baggage truck, 1930-32, 27 inches long, brought $16,380 ($8/10,000).
Following the top trio of Buddy L trucks was another convoy: Tonka Toys. Topping the Tonka selection was a 1954 delivery truck with a Connecticut-shaped sign for “G. Fox & Co. / Hartford.” The blue truck was all original with “very nice paint and decals,” according to the catalog notes. The winning bid was delivered at $8,610, more than five times its high estimate. Bearing a private label for E. R. Schwartz (Lester Prairie, Minn.), a Tonka ramp hoist truck, number 640, was in new old stock, near mint condition and sold with its original box for $8,100.
Tonka trucks and boxed fleet sets led the auction’s second day, with a boxed 1956 Tonka trailer fleet set achieving the day’s highest price of $5,658. Model number B-206, this set was all original and in likely-never-played-with condition, as the original packaging insert was included within the box. It included a “Cargo King” truck and trailer, livestock truck and trailer, log trailer with logs and a few livestock animals. Another fleet set, the B-675-3 set, included a blue cab, red cab, grain hauler, steel hauler, carry-all trailer, livestock trailer and log carrier with logs. Identified as a scarce set in exceptional condition, the fleet was hauled off for $4,914.
More hauling was played out with a Viking pressed steel dump truck that brought $6,435, breaking the chain of Buddy L and Tonka that dominated the top five lots on day one. This dump truck, in all original paint, was cataloged as being rare due to its scarce green colors. Though the truck’s bumper was loose and it was missing its headlights, it was “a hard truck to find in any condition,” and bidders took it past its $3,000 high estimate.
In scarce green colors, this Viking pressed steel dump truck, 28 inches long, finished for $6,435 ($2/3,000).
Achieving $5,850 was a 100-percent factory original American National Packard coupe with hood ornament, license plate, Packard emblem, headlights and spotlight. The car’s paint was “still nice with patina,” and the catalog noted it was a “wonderful all-original example of a very rare pressed steel toy.” Another car also sold within the $5,000 range, though this one had a high estimate of just $1,500. This example was the Smith Miller Lincoln Capri, a model whose real-life counterpart was produced from 1952-59. The 16-inch-long toy version in this sale had a white body, blue roof and red interior and was in new old stock condition. It sold with its box for $5,031.
Another Smith Miller vehicle that rose beyond estimates was a searchlight truck that achieved $5,043 against a high estimate of $1,200. The red and silver model number 1-407 truck had a large, movable searchlight affixed to its bed. The light was branded “Hollywood / Film-Ad” and the truck’s doors read “Smith-Miller.” The new old stock truck was boxed with its original inserts and booklet, in near mint condition.
Up next, Milestone Auctions will conduct its Winter Extravaganza Toy Auction, with trucks, spaceships, robots and more, on February 7.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For more information, www.milestoneauctions.com or 440-527-8060.
