By Victoria Winslow

SPRING CITY, PENN. — The Hendersonville, N.C., Antique Toy Museum collection of Don and Shirley Roth was offered at auction at Ron Rhoads December 12. Hundreds of toys from a variety of categories such as circus and carnival, trains and train accessories, boats, comic toys, automobiles, airplanes and floor toys crossed the block, with bidders from over a dozen countries participating online, in-house, on the phone or through left bids.

The top lot of the auction was a Bing tin wind-up trolley with clockwork mechanism that achieved $4,907.

Transportation-related items did particularly well. Among trams and trolleys, an early European tin litho windup trolley in working condition more than doubled its high estimate to finish at $968, selling to an Internet buyer. Another interesting windup trolley by S. Gunthermann, Germany, a double deck model with bell, circa 1919, likewise exceeded expectations to achieve $847. There was a lot of interest in a German Bing tin windup trolley that featured a clockwork mechanism with forward/reverse and stop/start options. Competition for the Bing piece started with an absentee bid over high estimate and concluded with the toy selling online for $907.

The trains in the museum collection ranged in age from 1887 to 1942 and included American Flyer, Lionel, Hornby, Hafner, Ives, Meccano, Bing and Karl Bub. An antique 1887 Engine and Coach Ismayer with its original box was among the top sellers, going to $968. The lot came with a note stating that “This model train set was presented to Miss Luckham on her second birthday, 1887” and was not used or removed from its box until 1957. A Lionel steam passenger set with three cars in bold red and black colors did well at $605 and a prewar Lionel Blue Streak Passenger set realized $574.

An Ismayer engine and coach in original box drew competing bids to $968.

An unusual Conestoga Corp., Bethlehem, Penn., two-car racer gravity toy, model TCR with central elevator, lithographed and painted tin, drew numerous competing bids to finish at $786. It was in good plus condition with minor play wear to the paint, a few small dents to the base and came with one car. Also notable, was a Walbert Ferry Boat #26 circa 1920 pressed steel and litho tint with great graphics of passengers at each end which sailed past its $200/300 estimate to $847.

All prices reported include buyer’s premium. For further information, 610-385-4818 or www.ronrhoads-auction.com.