Wint Johnson’s rare German Schucos and pre-war tin planes consistently defied pre-sale estimates at Milestone’s Aug. 24 Premier Toy Auction

Schuco Felix the Cat perfume had the scent of success, selling for nine times its high estimate at $4,674; while a French Hispano-Suiza 900 seaplane dominated the aviation group at $9,225

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio – A phenomenal legacy collection of German Schuco toys and fine pre-WWII airplanes joined forces to conquer the top 10 at Milestone’s August 24 Premier Toy Auction. While most of the Schucos are now en route to successful bidders across the pond in Germany, France and other Continental destinations, the majority of the airplanes – mostly of European manufacture – will remain on US soil. All of the toys entered in the 639-lot auction came from the estate collection of Minnesotan and lifelong toy enthusiast Winton “Wint” Johnson (1937-2022). 

According to Milestone Auctions’ co-owner Miles King, online participants kept their bidding cards close to their vests. “They must have all had the same strategy in mind, because they seemed to appear all at once to view the catalog and leave bids in the hour before the sale began,” he said. “We knew that probably every major Schuco collector would be interested in Wint’s collection – there was just no way they were going to miss the opportunity – but we had no idea how strong the interest would be in his vintage airplanes, which were in beautiful condition.”

Nearly 300 lots of Schucos were offered at the live gallery sale, each an outstanding original example. Johnson was known to buy regularly at shows, auctions, online and through a global network of like-minded toy aficionados. He would upgrade whenever possible and sell his duplicates, but he never parted with anything from his core collection, which contained only the rarest and best Schuco toys and prototypes. 

The top seller amongst the Schucos was a 5-inch-tall Felix the Cat perfume in excellent, all-original condition with a “ball-bearing” nose, red kerchief and nicely-painted facial features. Against an estimate of $300-$500, it sold for a remarkable $4,674. Other novelties included three Schuco figural compacts: a scarce Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, $1,023; a patterned humpback tortoise, $1,023; and a French bulldog, $906. All were in original condition, retained their mirrors, and had been individually estimated at $300-$500.

Collectors are always on the lookout for early Schuco tin windup vehicles with drivers. Examples of two of the best were featured in Milestone’s sale. The first, known simply as Race Car with Driver, paired a lithographed tin racer with a helmeted and goggled driver dressed in a jaunty felt jacket and scarf. Estimated at $1,500-$2,500, it crossed the finish line at $3,936. Following closely behind was a Schuco mohair and felt monkey driving a tin car. This coveted antique, estimated at $1,000-$1,500, rolled to a stop at $3,813. 

The array of Schucos also included approximately two dozen “Yes No” toys, so named because of a design feature that allows the figure’s head to move up and down or side to side, indicating “yes” or “no.” Leading the menagerie of colorful Yes No animals was a 12-inch-long parrot in all-original condition with the colors of its plush mohair “feathers” still vibrant and fresh-looking. Against an estimate of $400-$600, the jungle avian was airborne all the way to $2,952.

A rare opportunity presented itself in the form of a 10½-inch pierrot-style clown from Schuco’s 1914 Automato series. In outstanding all-original condition, with a working windup mechanism, the appealing entertainer in a pointed hat and ruff-collared jacket was bid well beyond the high estimate to capture $2,583.

Huddled on the auction runway, Wint Johnson’s rare pre-war airplanes – mostly of German and French origin – were cleared for takeoff one by one, and take off they did! “We know now that Wint had great foresight in the aviation toys he acquired,” Miles King said. “By profession, he was a mechanical engineer. His knowledge of mechanical systems no doubt fueled his interest in airplanes whose design must have seemed avant-garde at the time of their release.”

Leading the category was an impressive 19-inch French tin-windup Hispano-Suiza “900” seaplane finished in red, yellow and French blue with lithographed window panes. An all-original example, it sold for $9,225 against an estimate of $400-$600. Another high flier was a scarce, all-original 17½-inch Fleischmann tin windup pontoon seaplane, which landed at $7,072 against an estimate of $2,000-$3,000.

An all-original Gunthermann 20-inch lithographed tin windup “1212” airplane with a set of added float pontoons presented handsomely with a color palette of cream with red and black. It rose to $2,952 against an estimate of $600-$800. 

Japanese planes found favor, as well. A very unusual tin bi-wing friction seaplane with a 16-inch wingspan exhibited the distinctive green and red shades typical of Japanese toys of the 1930s. it was smooth sailing for this beauty, which commanded a selling price of $4,674 against an estimate of $300-$500. Another Japanese rarity, a 13-inch tin windup Zero seaplane in all-original condition was accompanied by a photocopy of the toy’s original Japanese-language box art. It was bid to $3,698, more than seven times the high estimate.

The late Wint Johnson grew up on lakes and collected many types of antiques related to boating. His nautical-toy collection included not only tin windup and battery-operated outboard, racing and speed boats, but also dozens of manufactured toy replicas of outboard motors, many with their original pictorial boxes. At auction, the latter specialty was led by a great-looking vintage store display made by K&O Models Inc., with five attached battery-operated miniature outboard motors. The display’s selection included representations of Mercury 8, Gale 35, Buccaneer, Mercury, and Green Outboard motors. Entered with an estimate of $2,000-$3,000, it hit its top speed at $5,760.

To discuss consigning a collection or single item to a future Milestone toy auction, please call Miles King at 440-527-8060 or email [email protected]. All enquiries are kept strictly confidential and there is never an obligation to consign. Online: www.milestoneauctions.com