06 February 2018
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Top lot was this Marklin Battleship Sankt Georg: an impressive 28 inches long, it fell slightly short of US$200,000.
The US auction scene saw out the old year with a bang: Bertoia’s US$2.6m Fall Signature Sale brought a host of goodies to the marketplace and there were some keenly anticipated lots.
The US auction scene saw out the old year with a bang: Bertoia’s US$2.6m Fall Signature Sale brought a host of goodies to the marketplace and there were some keenly anticipated lots.
Without a shadow of a doubt the big guns were those belonging to the Marklin Sankt Georg clockwork battleship - and what a sight it was. This tinplate model was over two feet long and boasted a wealth of intricate detail, the sort of thing that today is rarely found in toys. Complete with sailors and key and in amazingly good condition, the model begged the question of how much it must have cost around 100 years back. This time around, though, its value was more precise: spirited bidding propelled this lovely creation to US$192,000. Another early nautical toy, this time a 19 inch Gunthermann tin scull with an eight-man racing team, swept past its US$6,000-8,000 estimate to crossed the finish line at a remarkable US$18,000.
Over 30 Martin (of France) clockwork toys were also featured in the sale: all mint, they were the product of years of collecting and some were very rare indeed. A 1905 gymnast made US$16,800 whilst a 1900 Soldier fetched US$15,600 – and a Sandwich Man strolled off to realise US$13,200. This, though, was only half of the collection: the rest will go under the hammer this Spring.
As usual, there were several novelty banks in the sale, along with a variety of cast iron doorstops (yes, American tastes are a little different from those of the UK). Marklin cropped up again in the trains and accessories section: here, highlights included a delightful tinplate Churchbury Station, which sold for US$36,000 (estimated at
US$18,000-22,000), while an O gauge Schlitz Beer car was bid to $22,800 against an estimate of US$7,000-10,000.
It being the festive season, Santa was not omitted. There were ten Santas that stood 2 feet high or taller and the star was arguably the 20 inch Santa Claus candy container with its original felt robe and toy-filled basket on its back. Bidding was frantic for this slice of nostalgia and the hammer finally fell on US$12,000, which was more than double the high estimate.