Some More Beautiful Cast Iron Cars

Thursday, April 3, 2014
               (Sunny but cool)

Some More Beautiful Cast Iron Cars

When warmer weather and  the spring season begins,  you can start to see more activity in the action marketplace.  Bertoia Auctions is having their second auction of the new year, scheduled for  May 10. It's called the Spring Toy Break auction. People like to get out was the warmer weather approaches. Of course, if you live in the warmer parts of the world, you may not know what snow and more snow, and very cold temperatures are. At least up here, it looks like it may not snow anymore-finally!

Please click here to view the fine items up for auction at Bertoia Auctions

Many of the auction companies are settling into their newer version of their auction presentations. The older versions are still available. The basic difference is in how the items are presented.  In the older version, the images are presented on a single page, along with the description of the item. With the newer version, the images are presented separately and are viewed one at a time for each of the images provided per listing. Also, a double-click of you mouse allows you to view a magnified version of the item against a complete back window. You can always press the escape key to return to the descriptions.

I haven't seen this particular A.C. Williams model sedan before. It's one of those take apart cast iron cars from the 1930's (estimated). Most of the cast iron toy companies made similar versions of this type of toy. With it, you could dismantle the upper body and lower chassis,and exchange parts. YOu could for example change this perhaps into a convertible or even a truck.

Here's another cast iron toy that I've never seen before. It appears to look like a take apart, but without a description, and no catalogue, I can be 100% sure. I also assume that it may not be tat rare as the estimated price range (low and high) and the starting price are relatively low .

 Here' yet another race car that I haven't seem until recently. If you look closely there are 2 passengers in the car. At one time in the sport of racing, there were 2 people in the car - an assistant and the driver.

 And yet another "treasure" that I've never seen until recently. It looks like the cars that would appear in very old comic books of the 1930's.

I have seen the Vindex, but I still presented it for today. Iy's very rare, and has a much higher starting bidding price than most of the other cars. I never tire of  this toy.

I once bought and resold a Hubley racer with a similar  hood that could open. The above sedan has been  restored and had some replacement parts.However, even that will not deter collectors from bidding on this fine toy. It too has a very high starting price, and is quite rare.

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you should know what this car is and who makes it. It's a Hubley Airflow, but this one is a larger sized one with electric (battery lights).  This one is in superior condition, and it too has a high staring bidding price.  The Chrysler "real" Airflow is beautiful, but unfortunately did not sell well in the marketplace of the 1930's. Sadly it was discontinued. If you do a search for Chrysler Airflow, you will see a very beautiful car. Many of the cast iron toy companies made the Airflow, and for sold more of these "toys" that Chrysler sold their "real" car.

You have to check out this Bertoia auction because there are just so many fine toys to see. I'll be posting more in the coming weeks with the many different  classifications of toys. There are an amazing amount of pull toy bell toys that I also haven't seen before!

Thanks for dropping by,

and as always,have a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be,

Stacey.

My e-mail address is toysearcher@gmail.com

More New Discoveries from a Future Auction

Wednesday, September 10, 2013

More New Discoveries

   The Internet has changed how many businesses operate, and one of these is the auction business. People all over the world can now see what is for sale at most auctions, and bid either on the Internet or by telephone. You have to register, and provide information in order to be able to bid. The specific area of antique toys is no different. If you venture forth to Liveauctioneers (there are several other sites), you can see future auctions from all auctioneers up to several months in advance.  The Bertoia Auctions items that I am presenting today are from the November 8-10, 2013 auction, which is titled  "Christmas Wishes". Because it is planned for November, you will not see it yet on Liveauctionners, but can now find it on Bertoia Auctions Website . You can click on the below Bertoia's logo to redirect to their fine website.

Please click here to redirect to Bertoia Auctions excellent website

  Bertoia Auctions is an outstanding auction house that specializes in antique toys. Like all of my other blogs, I am able to use their photographs for my blogs. I also do not get paid from anyone to write about them or their auctions, so I a write what I honestly and freely. Bertoia auctions is a family run business.

  Jeanne Bertoia is the owner of the business, started with her late husbund Bill. Jeanne is collector and dealer of antique toys, and is the President of the  Antique Toy Collectors Club of America. If you ever watch any of the many antique shows on TV, you may even seen her there discussing toys with collectors. 

  Bill Bertoia is Jeanne's brother-in-law and is the auction cataloguer and auction coordinator. I have had the pleasure of speaking with Bill when I first asked for permission to write about Bertoia and to use their fabulous database of antique toys. Like Jeanne, he's very knowledgeable about toys, and has written several books on the subject. I've even come across his book "Antique Motor Cycles" being cited when certain antique toy motorcycles are presented for sale on other websites.

Michael Bertoia is Jeanne's son and Bill's nephew. His passion for toys strted as a young child, and after graduating university with a B.A. in Business Administration, he joined Bertoia Auctions. He's the one who has used the new technologies such as software programs for the graphic design and their catalogues and advertising. He also represents Bertoia Auctions by travelling to antique shows both in the USA and Europe. I bought a Bertoia catalogue once and its well designed and of course, the written descriptions and the photographs are excellent. 

Bertoia Auctions has two of these toys for sale. This is the one in better condition, although the figures (people)are replacements. The rear passengers are quite small,so I had to look at the other listing of this toy. That's how the 2 people are in the other car!  

Compositiomn is a very important element to photography, and this is how I was attracted to this toy. Repetition of forms or shapes (circles, triangles, lines) are all important design elements to a good photograph.

The  ornate design of the gold-coloured hose reel caught my attention here. The rear fireman also caught my attention, as well as the 3 horses. In these old  fire wagons, 2,3 or 4 reams of horses can pull such wagons.

Of course, what would an auction titled  "Christmas Wishes" be without a Christmas toy!

Antique toy companies would often have name brands on a certain run of their toys. I checked by searching for Hathaway bread, and came up with some Hathaway signs on Liveauctioneers. My first search using the words "Hathaway Bakery" came with with Warren Buffet's company Berkshire Hathaway.

Once again, the design and compositional elements attracted my attention to this item. I don't know if it's a toy (the written description says so), or a model, but  it's beautiful. The contrast of the straight and curved pumping handles with the circular wheels  gets your attention. As well, the handles remind me of galloping horses or a grasshopper's legs.

The cupola at the top of the steamboat, and the anchor caught my attention for this toy. Also, this is a relatively big pull toy.

I couldn't be 100&% sure if I never wrote or presented this item. However 2 things attracted my attention to it. One is the curved S-shaped repeating line on the side of the hood cover, and the other is the one-piece nickel-plated tow at the back of the truck. Anod of course, the name "LaSalle". There are not too many toys modelled on the Lasalle,and I don't think I've ever seen a LaSalle truck.  Do me a favour, and do a search for Tootsietoy Grahams and Tootsietoy LaSalles on the Bertoia Auctions Website (under Past auctions". You will be in for a pleasant surprise!

The name "Parmalee" (never heard it before),and the actual toy (never saw it before) caught my attention here.

Just like the small-proportioned people in the first car photo caught my attention, so it is with the very large-proportioned yellow boom at the end of this wrecker. Also the open cab design (no roof) caught my attention as well. 

If you're new to looking at old and antique toys, just redirect yourself to Bertoia Auctions by clicking on the sentence under their logo. There are lots and lots of toys there for you to see. Just be sure that you don't spend too much time there, especially if you have chores to do around the house, or you're at work!

Thanks for dropping by to visit,

and have a great part of the day or night,

whereer you may be.

Stacey 

(toysearcher@gmail.com)

Some Restored Toys

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Some Restored Toys

   When I bought and sold old toys on E-Bay, I figured that one way to make money was to buy toys in poor condition and repair and restore them. That didn't work out as well as I thought, but it certainly was a learning experience. By the time you figure out the labour and materials, and replacement parts, your market needs to incorporate that in the final selling price.

   I did sell most of my restored toys, and sold others to clear inventory. There's one still in the house somewhere, but I can't find it! Not everyone wants to buy a "restored" toy, especially "purist" collectors. They want  their toys to be "in situ" (in place as originally found).  Their toys are missing pieces, have rust, dents, and so forth. However, there are people who don't mind restorations. I just purchased a small Hubley Airflow, and will probably keep it, after I but some (heavens forbid!) replacement parts.

  Today's post is a microcosm (small sampling) of restored toys. The toys range form minor part replacements or touch-ups to major restorations (parts and repaint) by professional restorers.  Yesterday, I wrote about Randy's Toy Store and his masterful restoration of a 1929 Buddy "L" Fire Pump Truck. That toy looks as it would have appeared straight off the assembly line in 1929. It's a true masterpiece! 

Please click here to visit Bertoia Auction's fine Website

The Gunthermann "Gordon Bennet" has been partially restored with some replacement parts. 

The "scuff marks" were left. That you is very rare and in high demand. Even with the replacements, this particular toy would  achieve a high bid at the final tap of the auction gavel!

The toy house above came from the collection of the late Lillian Gottschalk and her husband Bill. 

One day, I would like to write a post about her.  Lilian was an outstanding collector, and I even have one of her books. Not only did she collect toys, but she was an authority on many antique toy subjects. I've seen the word "provenance" sometimes placed in front of a name, and I  that means the chronology or history of ownership. I've seen Lillian Gottschalk's name places often in auctions by  such renowned auctioneers as Bertoia Auctions.

Now that is a restoration.

If I won the lottery, I 'd search for my first car- a 1969 Dodge Coronet, buy one, and have this restorer restore it! I wouldn't be surprised if the restoration cost more than buying the toy! I read once where there are even restoration competitions to present the fine results of these masterful craftspeople.

The Hubley cast iron Packard above has "minor" repairs. The grill is a replacement, and the inside disc wheel centres have been carefully repainted.

For the above photo, I did some "dodging" in Photoshop. What that does is lighten up some parts of the toy. Although I seldom alter a toy's actual image, in this case, I'm sure the Bertoias won't mind. 

I couldn't resist "showing off" such a beautiful car and an exceptional restoration - even if it's not my toy! Now this is a toy to finish off any post - it just leaves you with such a euphoric feeling!

Thanks for dropping by,

and as always,

have a great part of the day or night

wherever you may be.

Stacey

(toysearcher@gmail.com)

Sturditoy Pressed Steel Toys

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Sturditoy Pressed Steel Toys

   I've been looking through my last 488 posts to see what I wrote, and to see what I will be able to write and not duplicate. And so, I came up with today's post on the Sturditoy toy company. THe company was created in Pawtucket, Rhode Island (USA) in 1926 and called the Pressed Steel Company. The company initially started making toy trucks and a steam shovel. Like other companies of the time, the toys were modelled after the real trucks seen on the roads at the time. 

   The original trucks came with disc wheels, Firestone tires, and heavy-gauge metal fron bumpers.

   Some of their first "batch" of toy trucks were the fire vehicles, while became very popular at the time.  What's interesting about the fire truck was that it had an actual water thank that was filled with water, as well as a pump. A child could actually pump and water would stream out of the nozzle to a distance of 25 feet. By 1925, there was a total production line of 25 trucks. Sadly, with the coming of the Great Depression, the company was forced to close forever in 1933.*

* www.pressedsteelmetaltoys.com

   I studied professional photography at a small school by the name of the Rhode Island School of Photography in Providence, Rhode Island. It was a small 3 story old school that was used by RISP at the time.  Rhode Island is the smallest state in the USA, but it's a great place to see. There's Newport (the once summer abode of the ultra rich of the early last century), there's lots of nice beaches, and the people of course are very nice. There was a famous restaurant called Custy's that closed, but reopened later on. At the time in 1972-1973, it was a buffet-style restaurant with an all you could eat menu. It had lobsters, so if you liked these crustaceans, it was fabulous. The food was excellent, but what I remember most about the place was a sign that read something like this"

"Ladies, please do not make us embarrass you, by having to ask you to open up your purse". Apparently, ladies would pack their larger purses with lobsters to "take home", ergo the "notice".

Please click on this sentence to be redirected to Bertoia Auctions fine website

What's interesting to note for toys of this  pressed steel era (early 1920's-1930's) in that many of the different toy manufacturers who made pressed steel toys, made similar toys. As I wrote earlier, many trucks and other toys of the time were in fact modelled after famous "real" brands such as Mack, White, or La France (fire trucks). Naturally, with the toys modelled after the real item,the toys of one company would appear similar to other company brand toys.

The fact that these toys have lasted for so long, with many in their original condition attests to their fine design and quality of workmanship. To bad the company couldn't get through the Great Depression at the time.

Thanks for dropping by,

and as always, have a great part of the day,

wherever you may be.

(Mr.) Stacey Bindman

(toysearcher@gmail.com)

Structo "Auto Bilder" Kits

Monday, July 22, 2013

Structi

"Auto-Bilder" Kits

   I was looking for something else on Liveauctioneers,when a Structo "Auto-Bilder" kit caught my attention. I double-checked my posts to see if I had written about this before, and the answer was no.However, I did have one photo that I had used in a post.

   Structo Manufacturing was founded in Freeport, Illinois, USA in 1908. At that time the company name was the "Thompson Manufacturing Company". In 1911, the name was changed to "Structo Manufacturing" to reflect the durability of the product. The company initially built steel-building kits similar to the Meccano (Great Britain) and A.C.Gilbert (U.S.A.) kits. These kits came with "blueprints" or instructions as to how to build  the toy. The connecting parts were usually nuts and bolts or screws. 

   In 1917, the company decided to introduce  their "Auto-Bilder" kits. THese kits came with a set of parts, screws, a small screwdriver., and a set of instructions for assembly.  The "kits"offered by Structo Manufacturing came as cars, tractors, and dump trucks. I even managed to find an ad on E-Bay that illustrated a tank.

Please click here to be redirected to Bertoia Auction's fine website

Notice the different wind-up keys or cranks between the orange roadster and the red one.

The red Structo roadster was restored.  Notice how the floorboards on the side of the car are unpainted compared with the original black running boards of the orange car.

The above toy has been restored. Notice how the  collector added a different windshield and a second spare tire to the back of the car.  The original kit did not have these features, and the kit was called the Structo "Deluxe Auto" kit.

I've presented the above "Whippet" tank in a small-sized box. I would think that this item came already assembled. But as I mention before, the tank did in fact come as a "kit". I tried to contact a store-seller on E-Bay who in fact had a page from a Structo catalogue for sale that did show the tank as available in kit form. However, the seller, was not receiving e-mails from Canada!

I've added the above truck, as I did see it in the original 1921 advertisement for Structo.

However, the one above has rivets rather than screws that the "kits" came with. So two possibilities exist. Either I misread the advertisement, or I am correct in that like the "whippet" tank, the above truck came in 2 options - completely assembled or as a kit.

Details, details!

Another super summer day here in Montreal - Cool and clear skies with very little humidity. My wife Heidi and I were walking and I mentioned how this day felt more like an Indian Summer day in the fall, rather than a summer day. She told me not to "rush it"!

Thanks for dropping by,

and have a great part of the day,

wherever you may be.

Stacey

(toysearcher@gmail.com)