06 February 2018
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This unusual Flash Gordon space rifle certainly attracted the bids.
The first Warwick and Warwick Diecast, Model Soldiers and Toys auction of 2018 took place on 24 January.
The first Warwick and Warwick Diecast, Model Soldiers and Toys auction of 2018 took place on 24 January.
In the named toys section an unusual Dux 1950s Astroman, in plastic, and with battery operation, once again proved that sci-fi and robots are always in vogue. This rather attractive fellow realised £276. On a similar note, Flash Gordon also cropped up at the event. Not too much merchandise belonging to this futuristic space hero ever seems to end up in auction but the King Features Syndicate (made in Hong Kong) 1979 Flash Gordon Stun Gun achieved a creditable £132.
There were plenty of model figurines and model soldiers offered in the Warwick & Warwick sale. Highlights of these included a Britains Boy Scouts Encampments (No.162), which sold for £690 and an example of the Britains Mammoth Circus (set No.2054), which had bidders on their (ringside) seats: this lot realised £264. Finally, a very rare C.E.T. & Co. Charterhouse Sand Bag Encampment achieved an impressive £690.
Moving on to the diecast section, it was slippery going for the Corgi 1965 Monte Carlo Rally Gift Set (No.38). This is a highly popular trio (albeit not really rare) and its reputation probably rests on the imaginative snowy backdrop illustration on the base card. This lovely example sold for a whopping £720.
An example of Corgi’s Man from UNCLE Thrush Buster chase car achieved £204 and still on crime fighting, an Avengers gift set No.40, with the impeccable John Steed and feisty Emma Peel models, realised £348. We end on the Dinky section, where a Rushton-Bucyrus Excavator (item No.975) achieved £192.
The same day saw the auction house’s first railway sale. There were all scales present, including 3.5 inch gauge and G gauge, all the way down to the popular HO/OO and smaller varieties. Pride of place was arguably taken by the 3½ inch gauge LMS 7550 black tank locomotive: although by an unknown manufacturer, it nonetheless realised £870. A good example of the every-popular Roundhouse G gauge, this time a 0-6-0 William locomotive and tender, achieved a healthy £1,200. In terms of O gauge, one highlight was the Bassett-Lowke LMS Stanier Mogul 2-6-0 black 2945 locomotive and tender, which realised £372.