Rare bus raises the roof at Vectis

The Vectis Specialist sale held recently opened with over 100 lots from The East Yorkshire Collection (Part 1), and featured a range of models including Norev, Minichamps and Autoart. The sale continued with specialist and general toys, which had in excess of 100 lots of tinplate and plastic, among which was an impressive collection of model ships and boats.

A rarity was the Wallwork (UK) cast iron Double Decker Bus in green and cream, bearing the Hants & Dorset logo. This had originally been produced as a promotional model. Apart from some chipping and replacement tyres, this was an impressive model at over 12 inches long.It was also the first that Vectis had ever offered. Estimated at £600-£800, the bus finally sold for an astonishing £1,800.

One of the greatest exponents of the detailed miniature, Autoart, is much more well known to collectors and its 1/12th scale rendering of the Nissan GTR (finished in silver) didn’t hang about. Mint (as you’d expect), it was boxed and sped off to reach £264, a little under double its estimate. Meanwhile on the shipping front, an American made Dumas Brooklyn Steam Tug Boat was a live steam, kit-built model of a New York Harbour tug. Comprising a vacuum formed plastic hull and superstructure, it was fitted with a wooden deck. A gas-fired, in-line, twin cylinder oscillating engine provided the power and its estimate of £200-£400 was easily passed, selling for £504.

Some readers will know that Playcraft was a sister company to Mettoy and in the 1950s, it paved the way for Corgi. A rare Electric Highways Road System (No.1 Set) in HO/OO scale, fetched £312, way over the £30 top estimate. It comprised a yellow and blue Chevrolet Sedan 3103, a yellow Ford Lorry 3301, track, controllers, accessories and an instruction booklet.

Elsewhere, a Tri-ang/Lines Bros. Carter Paterson Wooden Morris Van, dating from the 1920s, was another unusual lot. At 19 inches long, it comprised a mixture of wood and steel. Some rusting to the bright plated parts was noted, as was general paint wear, but otherwise the model was complete and in good overall condition. Estimated at £400-£500, it sold for just short of £800.

Lastly, any railway enthusiast would have coveted the model of Stephenson’s Rocket. Beautifully constructed (although unpowered) in 2½ inch gauge, this model of the famous locomotive was formed in copper, brass, steel and wood, and was possibly scratch built by an engineer. Moving wheels and motion, with an opening firebox door and pivoted safety valve arm with detachable weight, were all lovely features. Complete with wooden plinth, track and an etched name plate, this evocative 18” pioneer was near mint and was thought to be worth a paltry £15-£30. Too many collectors were interested on the day, though, and it finally went for a creditable £204.