News story of the month: Musical doll reaches high note (18-Feb-11)

The New Year got off to an interesting start for Wallis & Wallis with a very varied set of lots on offer in its Toy & Model Sale at Lewes, Sussex, on Monday 10th January.

The top price of the day was a hammer price of £1,800 paid for a French Musical Mechanical Doll, produced in the last quarter of the 19th century in the style of the Parisian makers Jumeau.

Standing on a tin felt-covered plinth, the doll measured 38cm high, with the clockwork mechanism contained in the base. The doll’s action has her pouring tea from her right hand to two cups on a tray held in her left hand. There is music and her finely sculptured bisque head moves with the action. The doll is traditionally dressed in an embroidered blouse and skirt with full length top coat.

Included in the sale was a strong selection of Dinky Toys with the penultimate lot of the day making it to the four-figure mark. £1,000 was the hammer price for a rare Dinky Supertoys Foden Flat Truck With Chains (905). This represented the second type with a mid blue cab, chassis and wheels, and light grey flatbed body with chain posts. Complete with its original chain, it came in a blue and white striped box. The box had minor wear and a split to the lid though the vehicle was mint.

Also creating interest was a Dinky Supertoys Guy Van (514) in dark blue Lyons Swiss Rolls livery, with mid-blue wheels and opening rear doors, which sold for £500. The box had some wear and pen markings, and there was some pitting to the cab and body roof, the latter was also highly polished.

A good example of the Dinky Toys Jaguar XK120 Coupe (157) with white body, fawn wheels and the correct white spot box sold for £250. There was some minor wear and creasing to the box, but the vehicle was in excellent condition apart from slight rusting to the base.

An unusual version of the Dinky Toys Austin Devon saloon (152) with deep yellow upper body and mid blue lower body (the reverse of a standard production model) with yellow wheels, found a new owner at £210. It came with a reproduction box which illustrated the normal colour variant. The vehicle had a standard base with original rivets and was in excellent condition apart from a few small chips and some minor details added to the rear number.

The Dublo Dinky series continues to generate interest amongst some collectors and there were two versions of the same vehicle offered in this sale. This was the Royal Mail Van (068), both examples being a mint boxed Morris Minor van in red livery with ‘Royal Mail’ legend and Royal crest applied to the sides. A version with grey treaded wheels/tyres in mint condition reached £75, while a rarer later issue with black treaded wheels/tyres went on to make £120.

This auction story was first published in the March isssue of Collectors Gazette. To see which issues of Collectors Gazette are available to buy online, click here.