LONE JACK, MO. – Soulis Auctions offered the iron shooting gallery target collection of Richard and Valerie Tucker on September 26, many of which were illustrated in the couple’s 2014 book Step Right Up! Classic American Target and Arcade Forms.

The sale was led by the only “Clown” light-up gallery target known by the William Mangels Company, which sold for $35,200. Soulis says he believes it to be an auction record for any single shooting gallery target.

The auction house wrote, “The monumental size and complexity are that of a centerpiece target anchoring a shooting gallery display. While conveyors may have had multiples of the same figure, there would only be one large light-up target like this, thus the rarity. The fixed iron mechanical box with cover would contain porcelain light sockets and bulbs, it’s fronted by the thick iron silhouette figure of a clown with attached spectacles, cap and collar. As originally constructed, light bulbs would blink in the eyes when a bullseye shot activated a sensor.”

The target was also illustrated in Frank Maresca and Roger Ricco’s American Vernacular.

A review on the sale will appear in a future issue.