Historic WWII Militaria Debut Highlighted Alongside Rare Japanese Robots At Bertoia’s Collectors Sale

Featured: Boxed near-mint Masudaya ‘Gang of Five’ Radicon Robot; scarce and highly desirable boxed Horikawa Fork Lift Robot; Cold War-era Martin-Baker aircraft ejection seat, WWII apparel & headgear

VINELAND, N.J. – For the first time ever – on Friday, October 23rd – Bertoia’s will auction a selection of historic militaria, featuring primarily World War II material with the addition of select World War I items. The Collectors Sale includes American, German, British, Italian and other European artifacts, with helmets and headgear, field equipment and instruments, badges and insignia, banners, personal effects and more. 

Complementing the militaria is an appealing selection of period toy soldiers and automobiles, along with a wonderful assortment of Japanese tin robots and space toys. In all, 425 rare and highly collectible lots will cross the auction block. Bertoia Auctions extends a special thank you to militaria consultant Joel Bohy for sharing his knowledge and expertise in the research and cataloging of this collection.

Headlining the sale – and fresh off its discovery in Mexico – is a remarkable boxed Masudaya (Japan) battery-operated Radicon Robot, complete with colorful original box, remote control and accessories. The 14½-inch-tall toy from Masudaya’s mid-20th-century “Gang of Five” robot lineup is in near-mint condition, appearing to be unplayed with and exceptionally clean. It would be difficult to imagine a robot collector at any level who wouldn’t jump at the chance to acquire this appealing toy. The pre-sale estimate is $8,000-$14,000.

A scarce and highly desirable Horikawa (Japan) boxed Fork Lift Robot, combining the classic tinplate robot form with an unusually elaborate working forklift mechanism, is one of the more distinctive and visually impressive robots of the period. The 11½-inch-tall toy is in very good condition and displays well. It should change hands for $2,500-$3,500.

Just in time for Halloween, a battery-operated Marx (Japan) Whistling Spooky Kooky Tree includes a replica box for display purposes. This is the scarcer version, lithographed with vines and mushrooms. It stands 14 inches tall, has a clean battery box, and is in overall pristine condition. This classic toy is expected to bring $1,000-$1,600.

A vintage Martin-Baker aircraft ejection seat, likely dating to the early Cold War era, boasts riveted metal construction, with seat and back cushions, harness assemblies and associated fittings. The side panel retains the characteristic “DANGER DO NOT PULL” red handle plate and face-screen safety-pin stowage. These markings and the style of construction are consistent with early Martin-Baker ejector seats of the 1950s. Impressive at 54 inches tall, this very heavy military aviation relic is in very good to excellent condition. It has an estimate of $1,200-$2,000.

From the WWII era, a US Navy M1 gunner’s helmet, identified to the USS Ward (APD-16), the ship that famously fired the first American shots of the Pacific War and sank a Japanese midget submarine outside Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, carries an estimate of $1,000-$1,600. The helmet features a hand-painted naval eagle, rating chevrons and two Japanese rising-sun flags. The USS Ward was converted to a high-speed transport APD-16 ship and saw extensive Pacific combat, earning nine battle stars before being sunk by a kamikaze three years later, on December 7, 1944. The helmet retains its extensive original painted identification and combat markings, while the interior components remain substantially intact.

Two circa-1920s/’30s Italian Royal-era colonial pith helmets helmets will be auctioned as one lot. The duo consists of a Royal Carabinieri example in light khaki cloth with the characteristic silver flaming grenade insignia over a red, white and green national cockade; and a second helmet bearing a crowned Savoy eagle insignia. The latter item is accompanied by period tinted sand goggles. Both helmets retain their interior leather sweatbands and cloth linings. Lot estimate: $500-$900

A German WWII Waffen-SS M43 field cap in field-gray wool, displaying a machine-woven SS Eagle insignia to the left side and a skull insignia to the front, is in very good to excellent condition. The cap has a two-button fold-down ear and neck flap with cloth-lined interior. It should knock down $400-$800

Manufactured by Junghans, a German WWII Kriegsmarine ship (or instrument) clock has a strong and legible black dial with Arabic numerals and hands, a subsidiary seconds register, and prominent naval Eagle-over-swastika marking. The reverse movement cover bears the Junghans star trademark and J30E caliber designation. Junghans records cited by specialist sources indicate the J30E movement was introduced in 1940, and surviving examples are documented in several Kriegsmarine clock configurations. The one up for bid, 3 inches in diameter, has original-looking luminous elements and is in excellent condition. The estimate is $400-$700.

A heavy brown leather coat retaining its original interior label reading “Made of Genuine Horsehide  Front Quarter,” a material prized for its durability and frequently encountered in mid-20th-century motorcycle and aviation-style outerwear, is accompanied by a period-style helmet and goggles. It is in very good to excellent condition and features a full zipper closure, four front pockets and dark mouton-style collar. One lucky bidder should claim it as his own for $300-$500.

Two Italian Navy uniforms, comprising a dark blue officer’s frock coat with gilt naval buttons, gold-bullion epaulets and sleeve rank stripes; and a post-WWII double-breasted Navy uniform with matching trousers, ribbon bars, badges and frogman/diver insignia to the left sleeve, are both in very good to excellent condition, showing only light age and service wear. The pair will be sold together as a single lot estimated at $250-$450.

The October 23 Collectors Sale will be held live in Bertoia’s gallery, at 2141 DeMarco Drive, Vineland, NJ 08360, starting at 10AM ET. Preview by appointment only during the week prior to the auction. Remote bidding options include absentee, phone, or live online via Bertoia Live, LiveAuctioneers or Invaluable. 

For additional information on any item, to leave an absentee bid, schedule a private-preview appointment, or reserve a telephone line for bidding, call 856-692-1881 or email [email protected]. Online: www.bertoiaauctions.com.