Bertoia Auctions
2141 DeMarco Drive, Vineland, New Jersey 08360
856-692-1881
About Auction House
The most recognized name in the antique toy and bank auctions venue today is without question, Bertoia Auctions of Vineland, NJ. No other auction house has sold more toys in a span of twenty-plus auctioning years, and the numerous world record prices established at Bertoia’s is a signature trademark to a very distinguished campaign of auctioning expertise.Auction Previews & News
14 Results
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseExquisite Christmas, Halloween and other holiday antiques bring color and fun to Bertoia’s special December 13 auction
Featured: Christmas belsnickles, Dresdens & other ornaments, Halloween candy containers and veggie people, Easter chicks, patriotic antiques, and spectacular Noah’s Ark with rare flocked animals Erzgebirge Large Ark W/ Flocked Animals VINELAND, N.J. – Wishes will be granted for many collectors on December 13th when the Bertoia family opens its auction-gallery doors to a stunning array of holiday antiques, from museum-quality German Christmas treasures to whimsical jack-o’-lanterns and endearing Easter bunnies. While the original plan had been to incorporate holiday antiques into Bertoia’s November 22-23 Annual Fall Auction, the abundance of exceptional holiday consignments entrusted to Bertoia’s for that sale made it abundantly clear that the specialty category should have its own dedicated event. As a result, a Friday, December 13 date was chosen for a separate auction exclusively devoted to premium-quality holiday antiques. Once they view the bounteous selection of holiday collectibles that awaits them, auction guests will agree that too much of a good thing can be wonderful. The display rooms and showcases will be decked out in antique Christmas finery, with a fantastic assortment of German hand-painted belsnickles, figural candy containers, Santas in sleighs, charming Dresdens, shimmering glass ornaments, feather trees, games and playthings. A Victorian-era classic, Schoenhut’s larger version of their “Christmas Morning” moving picture combines all of the visual imagery associated with an old-fashioned family Christmas. Its mechanical action causes each of the characters around the candlelit tree to engage in various activities. A little boy plays his new drum, while his older brother rides a rocking horse and their sister cuddles her doll. Grandpa rocks the baby on his knee while Mother tends to tree ornaments, and even Santa plays a cameo role, popping up to peek through the window. Sized 7.75 inches by 13.5 inches and in excellent condition, this wonderful Christmas antique by a revered Philadelphia toy manufacturer is estimated at $6,000-$9,000. Nearly two dozen Christmas candy containers will cross the auction block, led by a gigantic blue-coat Santa with a fur beard. Standing 30 inches tall, the figure is laden with accessories, holding a feather tree in one hand, toting a…
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseBertoia’s Nov. 22-23 auction welcomes holiday season with pedigreed antique toys, trains and banks of superlative quality
Featured: Stunning Marklin Oceanliner Amerika, $80K-$120K; newly discovered Ives Cutter Sleigh with rare original figure, $50K-$100; Bill Becker’s Issmayer trains, Ron Sieling’s cast iron toys & trains The Marklin Oceanliner Amerika VINELAND, N.J. – No other collector-focused event embraces the arrival of the holiday season with as much spirit as Bertoia’s Annual Fall Auction, which will be held this year on November 22 and 23. Collectors know they can count on the Bertoia family’s final antique toy sale of the year to include rare and exquisite pieces from decades-old collections. The auction’s long list of featured collections is crowned by Ron Sieling’s ultra-rare Vindex and other cast-iron automotive toys; Bill Becker’s fine Issmayer trains and stations; cast-iron floor trains from the Rick Ralston and Cantey Johnson collections; and Bob and Dee Vicic’s still banks. Additionally, there are European tin, Lehmann and comic character toys; German boats, delightful penny toys, and the final offering of spelter banks from the Jim & Genia Willett collection. Blue-chip provenance underscores the impressive auction trove, which is backed by a who’s who of past owners that includes Donald Kaufman, Dick Ford, Fred MacAdam, Bill and Lillian Gottschalk; as well as other visionaries who were active during the golden era of toy collecting. The Ron Sieling collection reflects 50 years of careful acquisition and is represented in 300-400 lots of cast-iron automotive and tin toys plus another 40 lots of mechanical banks. Especially prized amongst the cast-iron vehicles are Sieling’s half-dozen original Vindex showroom samples with original paper tags, including a Henderson motorcycle with sidecar formerly owned by Dick Ford and Fred MacAdam. It is entered in the sale with an $8,000-$12,000 estimate. The factory-samples grouping is one of only two known complete sets of its type. As Sieling noted, “All are full-size toys that a Vindex salesman would have carried in a case. Vindex toys are very rare because the manufacturer was only in business for three years before the Depression put them out of business.” The cherished samples are flanked by dozens of other unplayed-with, mint-condition cast-iron vehicles. Horse-drawn cast-iron toys include Pratt &…
Auction Result, Press ReleaseCollectors worldwide cleared their calendars for Bertoia’s $2.5M sale of John and Adrianne Haley’s antique toy and bank collection
Marklin clockwork ‘Battleship France’ sailed to top of prices realized at $78,000; while a stunning Shepard Hardware ‘Uncle Sam’ mechanical bank more than doubled its high estimate at $72,000 Marklin (Germany) clockwork ‘Battleship France,’ circa 1902-1907, with numerous cannons, lifeboats and masts. Retains original wood box/crate in which it was found together with (included) museum-quality lead sailor figures in like-new condition. Book example featured on Page 200 in David Pressland’s ‘Great Book of Tin Toys.’ Near-mint condition. Sold at upper end of estimate for $78,000 VINELAND, N.J. – For 50+ years, starting in the 1970s, John and Adrienne Haley were the go-to source for Americans seeking high-quality European antique toys. The well-connected Yorkshire couple tracked down and shipped literally thousands of German, French and British antique toys and banks to grateful buyers across the Atlantic, where such pieces rarely turned up. Those acquisitions became prized holdings in what are now regarded as legendary collections. On May 18, Bertoia’s turned the tables and auctioned the toys and banks of most interest to the Haleys’ customers: John and Adrianne’s own private collection. The 340-lot sale – which literally needed no curation – confirmed what the hobby had always suspected – that John and Adrianne adhered to the same lofty standards when purchasing their own toys as the ones they resold to their most-particular customers. The auction totaled $2.5 million dollars, with many lots defying their pre-sale high estimates. A fleet of majestic German-made ships found the auction waters warm and welcoming. One of them, a circa 1902-1907 Marklin clockwork Battleship France, sailed to the top of prices realized. An imposing 25-inch-long craft with an exaggerated superstructure, numerous cannons, lifeboats and masts even retained its original Marklin wood box. The spectacular toy had been stored together with a supply of museum-quality lead sailor figures which conveyed as part of the auction lot. The imposing, near-mint vessel, which is featured on Page 200 of David Pressland’s classic Great Book of Tin Toys, reached the upper end of its estimate range, dropping anchor at $78,000. It was also a fair-weather day for a circa-1890s Ernst…
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseDozens of fine toy, bank and holiday collections brought variety and surprises to Bertoia’s Annual Spring Auction
Highlights of $1.67M sale included 3ft tall Easter display rabbit figure, $33,600; Stevens ‘National Bank’ with old-line provenance, $18,000; and 4-inch Father Christmas penny toy, $9,600 Store-display-size rabbit candy container. Height: 37in. Super-impressive modeling with glass eyes, whiskers. Pristine condition. Sold for more than seven times the high estimate at $33,600 VINELAND, N.J. – Bertoia’s Annual Spring Auction held April 19-20, 2024 offered bidders a wonderfully varied selection from collectors throughout the United States and abroad. Just over 1,000 lots were presented, with categories that included cast-iron mechanical banks, automotive and horse-drawn toys, pressed-steel and tether cars, European automotive and wind-up toys, trains, and aviation toys of every imaginable type. Additionally, there were rare spelter banks from the Jim and Genia Willett collection (Part II) plus holiday antiques, which climbed to dizzying prices. The top lot of the sale was a 37-inch-tall rabbit candy container that was quite likely intended for use as an Easter holiday store display. An impressively modeled piece with riveting glass eyes, whiskers, and realistic molding to simulate fur, the fetching fellow in pristine condition leaped to a winning bid of $33,600, more than seven times the high estimate. Christmas collectors were in a competitive mood as well. A rare 17½-inch German candy container depicting the holiday gift-giver Belsnickel – traditionally known as a companion to St Nicholas – featured a glass icicle beard and was “dressed” in a hooded robe. An authentic example that glistened with mica “snow,” it was bid to $15,600 against an estimate of $8,000-$12,000. But if calculated by dollars per inch, there can be little doubt that the overall winner of the two-day event was a Meier (Germany) tin penny toy of Father Christmas pulling a sled. Atop the sled and traveling as its cargo was a metal “basket” with a removable lid from which a child could access candy. At a mere 4 inches long, this charming toy that originally would have sold for only one cent achieved an astonishing $9,600 at Bertoia’s against a strong pre-sale estimate of $3,000-$5,000. An array of cast-iron mechanical banks was led by a…
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseBertoia’s May 18 Signature Auction reserved exclusively for John and Adrianne Haley’s private collection of antique toys and banks
For 50+ years, the respected Yorkshire couple has been known to American toy collectors as the foremost source for European rarities VINELAND, N.J. – On May 18, Bertoia’s will auction the antique toy and bank collection of John and Adrienne Haley. Within the toy hobby, the Haley name is both immediately recognizable and respected by US buyers who, for decades, relied on the Yorkshire couple as their go-between in sourcing rare, high-quality European toys. Thanks to the Haleys’ 50+ years of networking efforts around Britain and on the Continent, untold numbers of German, French and British antique toys and banks have made their way across the Atlantic to become prized holdings in high-profile collections. Now it is John and Adrianne’s turn to share their own private collection with the world in a 340-lot auction whose collective quality and condition will dazzle even the most advanced toy enthusiasts. Marklin (Germany) Fire House with three hand-painted clockwork fire engines. Highly detailed. When activated, levers on side of building release trucks so they can speed away to an emergency call. Book example featured on Page 155 of David Pressland’s ‘Great Book of Tin Toys.’ Excellent condition. One of very few known. Estimate: $80,000-$120,000 The Haleys’ mechanical banks are mainly of cast iron and, over the years, were upgraded whenever the opportunity arose to do so. Some of the top mechanicals include the Germania Exchange (estimate $40,000-$60,000), Jonah on the Pedestal ($80,000-$120,000), and a Starkie cast-iron Robot bank ($10,000-$15,000). It is the only one known in cast iron; others of its type were made of aluminum. Other favorites include a Roller Skating bank $25,000-$45,000), Bow-ery bank ($20,000-$40,000), John Bull’s Money Box ($25,000-$40,000), Mikado ($60,000-$90,000), Chinaman in a Boat ($40,000-$70,000), and a fantastic Shepard Hardware Uncle Sam ($20,000-$30,000). The latter, a book example, is likely the finest of its type known to exist. A John Harper Hoopla bank, whose action involves a small dog jumping through a hoop held up by a clown, is scarcer than US variations, which are known as “Trick Dog.” In near-mint condition, it is estimated at $7,000-$10,000. A John Harper…
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseCurtis & Linda Smith’s exquisite antique toys exceeded loftiest expectations at Bertoia’s, closing at $1.27M
Many of the California couple’s rare and beautifully-preserved toys boasted provenance from legendary collectors of the hobby’s earliest days; some were important book examples Carpenter (American) cast-iron Tally Ho horse-drawn coach. All original, including the removable figures. Size: 26in long. Finest example known. Provenance: Curtis and Linda Smith collection, Bob and Jackie Stewart collection, Bernard Barenholtz collection. Finished as top lot of the sale at $120,000 against an estimate of $50,000-$75,000 VINELAND, N.J. – Part I of a remarkable collection of antique toys and banks amassed over half a century by the late Curtis Smith and his wife, Linda Smith, passed into the hands of a new generation of stewards on March 16, 2024 at Bertoia’s. Highly refined and exhibiting a level of condition and originality that was nothing short of breathtaking, the select assemblage was offered at a 195-lot boutique auction that totaled $1,270,000 inclusive of buyer’s premium. As had been predicted by Bertoia Auctions’ president, Michael Bertoia, the top lot of the single-owner Signature Sale was a large and impressive Carpenter (American) cast-iron Tally Ho horse-drawn coach. All original, including its removable, often-missing figures, the dashing 26-inch-long vehicle was described by Bertoia as “the finest of all known examples.” Prior to joining the Smith collection, it held pride of place in the Bob and Jackie Stewart collection, and the Bernard Barenholtz collection. It sold at Bertoia’s for $120,000 against a pre-sale estimate of $50,000-$75,000. Unapologetically patriotic, a circa-1880 Uncle Sam clockwork velocipede had been researched by Bertoia’s and was determined to be one of only two surviving examples. The Uncle Sam figure that is central to the toy was dressed in its original cloth jacket and “American Flag” striped pants. Considered an American classic by those in toy-collecting circles, it is pictured in two esteemed reference books: American Clockwork Toys by Blair Whitton and American Tin Toys by Bernard Barenholtz. It was owned, consecutively, by each of the authors before passing to the Smith collection. Its bidding run at Bertoia’s ended at $90,000 against an estimate of $40,000-$60,000. At the auction preview, one of the most popular and…
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseTake a dip into dozens of top-tier toy & bank collections at Bertoia’s April 19-20 auction
Featured: Cast-iron & spelter banks, American and European tin toys and trains; horse-drawn, pressed steel, comic character, aeronautical and space toys; Schoenhuts, toy soldiers, penny toys, cap guns Rare, early J & E Stevens (American) cast-iron ‘National Bank’ mechanical bank. Retains original interior cardboard figure (not visible in this photo). Provenance: FW Weider to Bill Norman to Stan Sax collections. Estimate: $7,000-$10,000 VINELAND, N.J. – One of the most enjoyable aspects of the toy hobby is visiting and discovering the hidden treasures in friends’ collections. The only downside is that you’re likely to see a toy you’d love to own but can’t, because it’s not for sale. And that’s the premise that underscores Bertoia’s Annual Spring Auction – sourcing and curating a wonderfully varied selection of high-quality pieces from collectors throughout the United States and beyond. This year’s Spring Auction, comprising approximately 1,200 wide-ranging lots, will take place April 19-20 at Bertoia’s New Jersey gallery, with all forms of remote bidding available, including live via the Internet. The sale list includes a heady selection of spelter and cast-iron mechanical banks, cast-iron automotive and horse-drawn toys, animated cap guns; pressed-steel and tether cars, European automotive and wind-up toys, American, European and floor trains; plus aviation toys of every imaginable type. Additionally, there are tinplate comic character toys, Japanese robots and space toys, soldiers and European figures; and a small but choice array of holiday antiques. Even seasoned collectors of spelter banks were amazed at what was available to them in Part 1 of the Jim and Genia Willett collection (Bertoia’s, Nov. 17-18, 2023). The couple had spent decades amassing their whimsical, ornately detailed banks, all of which rated very highly for condition. Now Bertoia’s will unveil Part 2 of the Willetts’ holdings. In the April sale, expect to see whimsical animal figures, buildings and people as the banks’ subjects, all on par with the high grades seen in Part 1. The outstanding array of cast-iron mechanical banks is highlighted by a rare National bank, an ever-popular Trick Dog bank, patented by Hubley in 1888; a Hoopla bank, and a football-themed J&E…
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseBertoia’s March 16 auction devoted to historic antique toy collection of Curtis and Linda Smith
50-year collection includes pre-1900 American tin clockwork toys, many boxed; plus early cast-iron toys, mechanical banks, Marklin and other German toys, with provenance from pioneer toy collectors Carpenter (American) cast-iron Tally Ho horse-drawn coach. All original, including the removable figures. Size: 26in long. Finest example known. Provenance: Curtis and Linda Smith collection, The Stewart Collection. Estimate: $50,000-$75,000 VINELAND, N.J. – Antique toy collectors dream of being able to board a time machine to travel back to the 1970s and ’80s when the now-legendary toy shows and auctions took place. There would be quite a waiting list for a journey of that type, but since that won’t be happening anytime soon, there’s an alternative to consider. Some of the finest toys from those landmark events of 50 years ago are held in one breathtaking collection that was loved and displayed for decades by Linda Smith and her late husband Curtis Smith, and will be offered in a single-owner auction on March 16 at Bertoia’s. “Curt and Linda Smith were prominent in the toy-collecting fraternity for decades,” said Michael Bertoia, president of Bertoia Auctions. “Both were active members of the Antique Toy Collectors of America (ATCA) and served on numerous committees over the years. Curt even served as the club’s president.” By profession, Curt was a nuclear engineer, while Linda worked in the legal field as a writer of sentencing investigation reports for superior court cases. Like most California-based collectors of the 1970s, which is when the Smiths began their toy odyssey, they felt isolated in their pursuit, Bertoia said. “They had no idea there was a growing community of enthusiasts eager to connect with other collectors, but thanks to a chance encounter with one of the leading lights of the hobby, they got tapped into a national, and eventually global, network of likeminded people.” The Smiths’ decades-long collecting adventure would take them to now-historic East Coast and European auctions, shows and markets where they acquired pieces with provenance from such fabled pioneers of the antique toy hobby as Louis Hertz, Bernard Barenholtz, Athel Spilhaus, Covert Hegarty, Leon Perelman, and many more.…
Auction Result, Press ReleaseDivide and conquer: Bertoia’s smash two-part series offering toys on Nov. 17-18 and holiday antiques on Dec. 1 drew raves from the hobby and totaled $2.645M
No-holds-barred bidding drove 5-figure prices across numerous categories, from exotic space toys to seldom-seen Santas VINELAND, N.J. – In the bustling days leading up to their final sale of the year, Bertoia Auctions faced an unusual problem – if you can call it a problem at all. More than 1,000 outstanding consignments of American and European toys and banks were in the process of being evaluated and photographed, while many hundreds of dazzling Christmas, Halloween and other holiday antiques waited in the wings to receive their own star treatment. After a studious assessment, it occurred to Bertoia’s president, Michael Bertoia, that the best way to proceed might be to host two separate events, each with its own distinct focus, and with a two-week break in between. It was decided that the November 17-18 Annual Fall Auction would showcase magnificent toys and banks, while the December 1st sale would feature holiday treasures of all types. This arrangement, a first for Bertoia’s, ended up drawing rave reviews from bidders, who reveled in the convivial “collectors convention” atmosphere at the firm’s New Jersey gallery. When all was said and done, the toy and bank sale closed the books at $1.8 million and the holiday specialty sale chalked up $845,000, for a grand total of $2,645,000. Linemar friction-powered Space Explorer rover, near-mint with very crisp box. Sold for $30,000 against an estimate of $1,200-$1,800 The opening session on November 17th validated the ongoing interest in vintage Japanese robots and space toys, with estimate-defying prices paid for super-clean examples with rare boxes. The group was led by a Linemar friction-powered Space Explorer rover in near-mint condition with a crisp, clean box. It rose to the stratosphere, commanding $30,000 against an estimate of $1,200-$1,800. A boxed Aoshin (ASC) Tremendous Mike robot in pristine to near-mint condition sold for $16,800 against an estimate of $7,000-$10,000; while a boxed Nomura battery-operated Space Patrol Car was bid to $15,600 against an estimate of $7,000-$10,000. The cast iron category encompassed rare, high-condition toys of many forms. The room lit up when a Hubley red and mustard-colored cast-iron Fire Engine House…
Auction ResultSanta Claus Is Coming to Town: Bertoia Auctions’ December 2023 Holiday Sale
Santa Claus is definitely the talk of the town these days! This seasonal ambassador was brought to life as we know him today by Thomas Nast in 1863. Today, fine antiques in Santa's image, or featuring it, are in high demand by collectors from every corner of the globe. Bertoia Auctions’ December 1, 2023 Holiday Sale featured over 100 Santa Claus-themed antiques and rarities. Here are a few highlights from this exciting event to put you in a holly-jolly state of mind. All prices noted include the auction house's 25% buyer's premium. Lot #0195, a Santa candy container, was estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 and sold for $18,750. Image courtesy of Bertoia Auctions. Christmas candy containers were a popular category in this festive sale, with several generating five-figure results. Lot #0195, a supersized Santa candy container, was estimated at USD 3,000 to $5,000 and traded hands at $18,750. This 31.5-inch tall, full-bodied Santa figure was standing and wearing a traditional Santa suit including a matching red coat and hat trimmed in white, a big black belt, and chunky black boots. His well painted face came to life with prominent white eyebrows, big blue eyes, and a fuzzy beard and sideburns. He held a small green Christmas tree in one hand; it was decorated with ornaments and a candle made from glass. Candy containers– literally novelty packaging for sweets of all sorts– "officially" debuted in 1876. That year, two examples, one in the form of Independence Hall in Philadelphia and the other as the Liberty Bell, were offered at the Centennial Exposition. This event celebrated the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolution, so these forms were a perfect tie-in. Once the candy was removed from its elaborate packaging, candy containers were often repurposed as toys, souvenirs, ornaments, or other decorative items. Over time, Santa Claus became a popular theme for candy container manufacturers, given his beloved status as a Christmas ambassador. One can only imagine how much candy this nearly yard-tall example held when he left the factory a century (or more!) ago. Lot #0013, a clockwork Santa…
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseBertoia’s welcomes 2023 holiday season with festive Nov. 17-18 Annual Fall Auction of fine antique toys, banks and figural doorstops from important collections
Featured: Cast-iron mechanical, still and spelter banks; sensational European tinplate, nautical & automotive toys; horse-drawn toys, robots, Bob Davis’ aviation toys VINELAND, N.J. – Antique toy collectors won’t have to wait till December for their holiday gifts to arrive. All of their Christmas wishes will come true this month at Bertoia’s festive Annual Fall Sale. The 2023 edition, slated for November 17-18, features a dizzying array of exquisite European and American toys, as well as mechanical, still and spelter banks from premier collections. Early German airplane with two figures, 11in wingspan. Excellent condition for age. Provenance: Bob Davis aviation toy collection. Estimate: $2,500-$4,500 European toys will take their turn in the spotlight, with all forms of transportation ready to roll – on land, sea or in the air. A large grouping of early German boats includes a fabulous Marklin paddle wheeler, a near-mint Marklin battleship, an enormous Radiguet gunboat, and several other awe-inspiring vessels. Grand automobiles, including limousines by Marklin, Carette and Gunthermann, will line up alongside race cars by Distler and Tippco. A great-looking 1895 Bing fire engine adds even more charm to the blue-chip Continental fleet. A luxe assortment of lithographed tinplate toys includes a dozen motorcycles from KiCo, M&K (Muller & Kadeder) and Fischer, as well as boxed Lehmann ’cycles. Other Lehmann toy highlights are led by a coveted Primus roller-skater, a Berolina auto, and Ampol Artic explorer. The latter two toys are accompanied by their very rare original boxes. Other tinplate toys include comic character-themed figures, a Vielmetter Clown Artist with 6 cams, a boxed Distler Porter, and a Fleischmann Deep Sea Diver. An abundance of penny toys will be on hand to tempt the many collectors who never tire of the diminutive tin whimseys that were sold on European street corners well over a century ago. A select grouping of Japanese robots and other toys will roll across the auction block, including a stellar ASC Tremendous Mike with its crisp original box, a sought-after Nomura Walking Batman, and a boxed Bandai Atom/Astro Boy. Among the Japanese automotive toys to be auctioned are several race cars,…
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseBertoia’s May 11-12 auction slated as hybrid event merging cataloged gallery session on Day 1 with online-only sale on Day 2
Featured: Hubley Packard Straight Eight sedan, many fine Arcade vehicles & taxi banks; mechanical banks & doorstops; Sturditoy & Kingsbury collections; coin-ops, antique advertising, toy soldiers & more VINELAND, N.J. – Bertoia’s has a springtime treat in store for toy, bank and antique advertising collectors on Thursday and Friday, May 11-12. The Bertoia family will be hosting a 1,000-lot hybrid event that opens with a day-long cataloged gallery auction, followed the next day by a full slate of new discoveries presented in the Bertoia Basics online-only format collectors love. Bertoia’s president and principal auctioneer Michael Bertoia will open the first lot to bidding at 10 am Eastern time on both days. Bidders may also participate in the Thursday sale by phone, absentee or live online. Arcade flat-top Yellow Cab bank, cast iron with rubber wheels, 7.5in long. Estimate $2,500-$3,500 The May 11 session is noteworthy for the consistently high quality seen across its many categories. It includes Part II of a private collection of cast-iron automotive and motorcycle toys Bertoia’s introduced in March. “The collection contains one superior example after another, with rarity and impeccable provenance backing the great majority,” said Michael Bertoia. The cast-iron automotive grouping is anchored by a Hubley Packard Straight Eight sedan, $7,000-$10,000; an Arcade White Bekins moving van, $5,000-$7,500; an Arcade White shovel-nose gasoline truck, $3,000-$5,000; and a Dent wrecker truck, $3,000-$5,000. An International panel van, $2,000-$3,000; and a Parmelee Yellow Cab, $1,500-$2,500, round out the Arcade motor pool. The sale also features the second installment of figural cast-iron doorstops from a lifelong collection. There are around 70 doorstops in total, each a testament to its selective owner, who focused on rarity and condition as the non-negotiables before making each acquisition. Doorstops include a 1933 Popeye in pristine condition, $800-$1,200; a near-mint Parrot on Stump, $600-$900; a pristine George Washington, $500-$750; and a Grandpa Rabbit, $400-$700; to name but a few. The cast iron section is further enhanced by a small sampling of mechanical banks from the Phil and Joan Steel collection. They include several by J.&E. Stevens, including Chief Big Moon, $1,200-$1,800; and a…
Auction Industry, Press ReleaseRudd Trowbridge’s mechanical banks & bell toys, and Phil and Joan Steel’s tin windups are prestigious headliners at Bertoia’s March 24-25 Signature Sale
Highlights: Super-rare Uncle Sam clockwork perambulator, extensive collection of Martin toys, Chimpanzee bank, attic-fresh Voltamp Interurban trolley, European tin racers, top-tier cast iron VINELAND, N.J. – Say hello to spring with the most anticipated auction of the season: Bertoia’s March 24-25 Signature Sale featuring two blockbuster collections and many additional high-end toy consignments. Rows of gleaming showcases at Bertoia’s New Jersey gallery are filled to capacity with exceptional mechanical banks and bell toys from the Rudd Trowbridge collection, and Phil and Joan Steel’s wonderful collection of French Martins and other tin windups. Ives Uncle Sam clockwork perambulator. Based upon their research, Bertoia’s believes it is one of only two known examples, the other being the one depicted in Blair Whitton’s book. Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime buying opportunity. Estimate $20,000-$40,000 The renowned Rudd Trowbridge collection includes several mechanical banks that are considered “must-haves” but which are seldom seen in such outstanding all-original condition. No apologies are required for the pristine circa-1880 Kyser & Rex Chimpanzee bank estimated at $25,000-$35,000. The same goes for four J & E Stevens favorites. Both a Girl Skipping Rope and a boxed, football-themed Calamity bank (insignificant glue repair to box lid) are estimated at $25,000-$35,000 each. Two other J & E Stevens beauties, a whimsical Professor Pug Frog and a Panorama bank, boast all-original paint and fine condition. Each comes to auction with a $15,000-$25,000 estimate. A pristine Shepard Hardware Uncle Sam mechanical bank, with only minor wear at the character’s hand from coin use, has a $10,000-$15,000 estimate. While on the subject of America’s most identifiable national figure, Uncle Sam will take the spotlight at Bertoia’s not only in the form of a coveted mechanical bank but also as the highest-estimated early American toy: a folky Ives Uncle Sam clockwork perambulator. Bertoia Auctions’ president, Michael Bertoia, described it as “a once-in-a-lifetime find,” adding that the toy was recently discovered in a wooden crate within an upstate New York real estate tax sale. “The crate of early toys had evidently been left untouched for decades, and to our knowledge, the perambulator we will be auctioning is one…
Auction Result, Press ReleaseBertoia’s wraps stellar year with $2.7M November auction of toys and Christmas antiques from prestigious collections
1,600-lot sale featuring rarities from Bob Brady, Jack White, and Curtis and Linda Smith collections was led by a Marklin Fidelitas that sold for $84,000 VINELAND, N.J. – Bertoia Auctions concluded a memorable year of high-profile events with a $2.7 million sale of toys, banks and Christmas antiques held on November 17-18 at their New Jersey gallery. The 1,179-lot selection presented on November 17-18 was steeped in toy-collecting history, with an abundance of exquisite, well-provenanced pieces coming from the lifetime collections of Bob Brady, Jack White, and Curtis and Linda Smith. Tippco lithographed tin Santa car, 12in long. Ex Curtis and Linda Smith collection. Sold to a US buyer for a record-setting $60,000 against an estimate of $12,000-$18,000 “The interest was tremendous. The number of bidders who signed up for this sale surpassed that of many of our past auctions,” said Michael Bertoia, president and principal auctioneer at Bertoia Auctions. “There was a lot of international participation, including from countries where we had not seen bidders come from before, like Russia, Thailand and even Ukraine.” Regardless, the majority of the auction’s contents went to US bidders in the room or on the phones, with additional successful buyers competing via the Internet. A very rare and iconic tin toy, a Marklin Fidelitas clown train, topped the list of prices realized during the busy two-day event. The 37-inch-long convoy of clowns riding in early vehicles was complete with all original paint – an astonishing level of perfection for a toy so rare that even the most advanced European toy collectors have never actually seen one in person. The Fidelitas came from a British consignor who had received it as a child but was never very fond of it. Because it was not chosen for display in her bedroom, the toy was stored away and forgotten for the next 50 years, only to resurface after a clearing-out of the family home’s cellar. At auction, it more than redeemed itself by landing a within-estimate price of $84,000. The magical Marklin name pulled in the big bids once again when a canopied O-gauge trolley crossed…
- Auction Result
2022 Christmas Sale Highlights
Auctions held throughout 2022 generated some breathtaking results for Christmas-related antiques, novelties, artwork, and other finds that bridged (or defied) conventional categories. In keeping with Auction Daily's annual December tradition of spotlighting holiday-themed superstar results, here are five extraordinary lots that prove Christmas rarities continue to top many collectors' wish lists– all year 'round! All sale prices noted include the auction house's buyer's premium. Tippco Santa Claus Driving Auto sold for $62,500. Image courtesy of Bertoia Auctions. Our first 2022 Christmas sale highlight is the wheel-deal. Santa Claus is best known for traveling by sleigh, but apparently he has a driver's license as well. Bertoia Auctions of Vineland, NJ sold lot #69, a Tippco Santa Claus Driving Auto, for USD 62,500 during its November 17, 2022 event. This extremely rare German-made wind-up toy carried a presale estimate of $12,000 to $18,000 and generated 28 bids. It measured 12 inches long, was in pristine to near mint condition, and was decorated with playful images of early-20th-century toys, including dolls, Teddy bears, elephants, a train, and even a zephyr. Tippco featured this Santa Claus vehicle in its catalog from 1925 to 1935 in a number of different versions, including one that had a full-fledged, rotating Christmas tree on its rear. Tippco, or Tipp & Co., was a prolific toy manufacturer (c. 1912 - 1971) located in the prewar "toy mecca" of Europe– Nuremberg, Germany. Fine Tippco items hold enormous interest with collectors today; on March 11, 2022, Bertoia sold a Tippco Mickey and Minnie Mouse Motorcycle from 1932 for a whopping $231,250! This appealing cross collectible had a presale estimate of $25,000 to $45,000 and generated 52 bids. Sand art in a bottle by Andrew Clemens (American, 1857-1894) sold for $277,200. Image courtesy of Bonhams Skinner. Our second Christmas sale highlight is literally sand-tastic. During its November 18, 2022 sale, Bonhams Skinner of Boston, MA sold lot #172, an impressive sand picture in a bottle by Andrew Clemens (American, 1857 - 1894) for $277,200. It was estimated at $150,000 to $250,000 and generated 12 bids. The work from 1887 was housed in…
