Tinplate models sell well at auction for Bonhams

Bonhams’ Collectors Sale at Oxford on Wednesday 8th February produced a wonderful range of toys with some strong selections in the tinplate, toy figures, diecast vehicles and racing car sections.

Among the tinplate toys section three consecutive lots of Lehmann – a Tut Tut Automobile (490), a Li La Hansom Cab (520) and a Kadi (723) – each sold for £625 (all prices quoted are inclusive of buyer’s premium) but were pipped by the following lot, a Heavy Swell (525) figure, which reached £813.

There was a good choice of Scalextric racing cars on offer with fair prices to match. While several lots consisted of a number of vehicles, a single C71 Auto Union (1936) in original box raced up to £563.

In the diecast section a very mixed lot of Dinky cars, trucks and a bus made £875. Six splendid boxed Dinky Saloon Cars – a Triumph 1800 (151), an Austin Devon (152), a Hillman Minx (154), a Riley (158), a Morris Oxford (159) and an Austin Somerset (161) – made £813.

Not to be outdone, five classic Corgi Saloon Cars – a Ford Consul (200), an Austin Cambridge (201), a Morris Cowley (202), a Vauxhall Velox (203) and a Rover 90 (204) – sold for £625.

A set of eight Heyde 70mm scale Racehorses with Jockeys was a real winner at £1,063 while a Britains Racing Colours set came in at a favourable price of £600. Off the track, a set of 30 Graham Farish Coronation Figures by Russell Gammage sold for £500.

A Britains Set 1511 Mounted Police (36 figures), Set 460 Officers of the Gordon Highlanders (99), and Set 8 4th Hussars all sold at £475 each.

PICTURED A single Scalextric C71 Auto Union car (1936) fetched £563.

This auction story was first published in the April 2012 issue of Collectors Gazette. To see which issues of Collectors Gazette are available to buy online, click here.