A Rare Beautiful Toy Comes to Bertoia Auctions

Monday, March 3, 2025

Clear Skies but Cold

-14° C / 7° F

A Rare Beautiful Toy  

Comes to Bertoia Auctions

Bertoia Auctions were one of the first toy Auction companies to give me their permission to use their photos and descriptions.  They're a family-run business

of Jeanne Bertoia, Michael her son, and Lauren, her daughter. I am very grateful for their having permitted me to use their fine toys (and excellent photography)

to write blog posts for them and my readers. They've expanded their fine business, and have also joined LiveAuctioneers for their auctions.

Please click on this sentence to redirect to LiveAuctioneers and their auction

Please click on this sentence to go to the Bertoia Auctions website

Description

51. INCREDIBLE ALTHOF BERGMANN HOOD & LADDER

"The rarest of the very few American tin ladder wagons that have turned up

through the years, this piece is a horse drawn example and includes the original

firemen figures, it is the only such example that has come up for sale

to our knowledge, incredibly large hand painted piece has a commanding

presence with the four firemen sitting in swings hung from hooks at the

underside of the wagon, when last sold there were only three figures present

and one was missing his swing. Turns out Curtis Smith had the extra swing 

figures  and one of the men was in fact the driver. When it comes to

museum grade items, this piece is at the top of the list, simply the best.

Provenance: The Schroeder Collection. The Curtis & Linda Smith Collection.

24.5" / 62.23 cm l Original figures and rear gate, one horse expertly re-secured to

hitch and driver's step reattached to an otherwise all original wagon,

(Excellent to Pristine Condition) l $ 12,000  -$ 25,000

Condition

Original figures and rear gate, one horse expertly re-secured to hitch and

dirvers step reattached to an otherwise all original wagon 

(Excellent to Pristine Condition).

I've presented 9 excellently-photographed photograph.

However, if you want toy see more, simply visit either Bertoia Auctions 

site on LiveAuctioneers or their fine website.

So that's it for today. I hope that you enjoyed this 

exceptional and rare toy from a long time ago.

As always, thank you for dropping by,

and have a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be.

My name is (Mr.) Stacey Bindman and I can 

always be reached at

toysearcher@gmail.com 

An Exceptional Bertoia Auction of European Dolls, Steiff Bears, and Wonderful Gottschalt Houses and more

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Overcast 

1° C / 33° F

An Exceptional Bertoia Auction of European Dolls, 

Steiff Bears, Wonderful Gottschalt Houses and More

One of the first companies that gave me their permission to write about them 

and the wonderful auctions that they had was Bertoia Auctions. I was ecstatic,

because I would now be able to write about wonderful toys that I had not seen before.

The auction that I'm writing about today immediately caught my attention.

The auction will have a myriad of many different toys. However, it's the amazing doll houses that caught my eye. Each of the doll houses that will be presented at the auction has many photographs. Whomever took the photographs, as well as the Bertoia family working alongside, really outdid themselves with the excellent photography. 

For today's post, I decided to select just one dollhouse and let the photographs 

show the  very fine photography, both technically with lighting and focus, but 

mores o in the specific close-ups and details.

Please click on this sentence to redirect to the Bertoia Auction on Liveauctioneers

Please click on this sentence to redirect specifically to the Large Gottschalt House

Item Details

Description:
Auction Number: 148
LARGE GOTTSCHALK HOUSE l No. 3594/4  (referenced on page 64
Moritz Gottschalk 1892-1931? Verlag Marianne Cieslik. One of the largest models
offered by the infamous company. This impressive house has a front opening section to
the center hall with painted walls and closet under the staircase. The two sides open to two large rooms in each, one on the left with a closet in the upper room. The room retain original floor and wall papers with period silk and lace curtains.The exterior is covered with lithographed paper with faux brick, stone and lattice with painted wood detailing including wood window and door trim,porch columns and eaves and of course the trademark blue roof.  |  40" wide, 21.5" deep to base of bay wind  |   The exterior has had some meticulous conservation including some touch up papers, replaced painted arch top glass panels and the addition of some metal flourishes to the front and gilt metal weather vanes to roof as well as a feline | $5,000- $10,000

My favourite photo was the one above of the cat. Whomever

had decided to place a cat on the banister must have been an excellent 

designer of  these fine toy houses. The cat added that "extra" that made 

the house all the more real and enjoyable, even after all those years.

So that's it for today,

Thanks. for visiting my blog.

As always have a great part of the morning, afternoon, or evening,

wherever you may be.

My name is (Mr.) Stacey Bindman, and I an always be reached

at 

toysearcher@gmail.com

An Exceptional Group of Erzgebirge Ark with Animals Comes to Auction

Sunday, December 1, 2024

Overcast 

31° F / -1° C

An Exceptional Group of

Erzbebirge Ark with Animals

Comes to a Bertoia Auction

Please click on this line to redirect to this Bertoia Auctions Auction

I've had the pleasure and enjoyment to write blog posts for Bertoia Auctions

almost since the beginning of my blog. They are a family business, and  I 

am very grateful for their having allowed me to write about them, and their fine collections of toys that come to their auctions.

I was up early today, and when I  decided to search on the LiveAuctioneers website, I decided by happenstance (coincidence) to add Bertoia Auctions in the search.

They have many auctions coming up, but the opening page for Bertoia Auctions on the LiveAuctioneers website immediately caught my attention. The page

had a beautifully-photographed set of animals with an ark and a group of four people that included 2 men and 2 women. 

Moreover, what I especially admired was the arrangement 

of the animals and the people. It must have taken a long time to create these wonderful arrangements for the photographer. I especially liked how the people 

and the birds were carefully placed in the grouping. The work that went

into these arrangements certainly  works well to have the viewer look around all over the composition and positioning of all the pieces.

This auction will start on December 13, 2024

This set was made in Erzgebirge, Germany. Originally, Erzgebirge was known

for mining, but later, became famous for their wood carving.

Bertoia Auctions Description (on LiveAuctioneers)

Item # 263

263. ERZGEBIRGE LARGE ARK W/ FLOCKED ANIMALS | Grande Noah?s Ark highlighting the best of Erzgebirge craftsmanship. Hand constructed between 1850 and1860 the gondola style ark exhibits a beautiful hand painted frieze, pegged construction and carved lines on the hull mimicking the curved | planks. The ark is accompanied with a menagerie of 230 flocked animals, birds, and figures. Flocked animals are quite rare. We know of only two Grande Arks containing this many flocked animal, this ark and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller | ark displayed at the Folk Art Museum located in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. | 29" long, 8" wide, 9" high. | There has been some restoration to several animals and touchup to the ark, overall in (Excellent Condition) for its age. | $10,000 - $15,000

I haven't seen such a large group of animals with people and an ark.

It's quite beautiful, and the craftsmanship is most-elegant and attractive.

I hope that you enjoy this post as I did in writing it, and by all means, venture over to the LiveAuctioneers website to see this Bertoia Auction's auction, together with, lots of interesting items up for auction.

So thank's for visiting my blog,

and always,

have a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be.

And, I can always be reached at

toysearcher@gmail.com

And to everyone,

A Very Merry Christmas and 

a Healthy and Happy New Year

(Mr.) Stacey Bindman

Bertoia Auctions Goes International

 Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Sunny with Clear Skies

30° C / 86° F

Bertoia Auctions 

Goes International

I've been writing since 2011, and Bertoia Auctions is one of the earliest auctioneers

who gave me their permission to write about their fine company, and of course their toys.

What I liked about them was their high-quality photography, their descriptions of the toys, and  their catalogues. They produce great catalogues  that one can be purchased in advance of the auctions. The catalogues are so popular, that you can even still buy old catalogues from past auctions, through individuals or companies that sell them.

Today's post is about John and Adrienne Haley

"The May Signature sale will be an exclusive auction of the personal collection of 

one of Britain's most influential toy-collecting couples: John and Adrienne Haley. 

Within the industry, the Haley name is both significant and respected. This quietly spoken Yorkshire couple has made an immense contribution to the collecting hoppy over the past 

half-century, supplying grateful US buyers with rare, high-quality European toys and choice iron banks.

"This will be an auction to reach all corners of the world!"

And so it was, that this auction came to be, with an exceptional number of people 

in the USA bidding on this most-exceptional  collection of rare toys*

Please click here to see the auction results on 

Bertoia Auctions' Exceptional Website

Please click here to see the Auction Results on 

LiveAuctioneers

 Description from Bertoia Auctions on about this Exceptional Auction

"The personal collection of one of Britains's most influential toy-collecting couples:

John and Adrianne Haley.

Within the industry, the Haley name is both significant and respected. The best of mechanical and still banks, Marklin & German tin boats, European trains and luxury autos, lead and composition figured, along with some added surprises."

Description

"254. MARKLIN FIRE HOUSE WITH THREE ENGINES | Germany, extremely rare and desirable, hand painted, clockwork fire trucks set inside engine house via a wheel stopper, three levers at side of fire house release the pre-wound trucks which can race out, no detail was spared in the making of this toy masterpiece, having a single piece from this fire toy is a great accomplishment, having the entire set is simply incredible and very few collectors in the world ever have. Book example featured on page 155 of David Pressland's "Great Book of Tin Toys." | Provenance: The John & Adrianne Haley Collection. | 22" l. | Two black hose reels are added, three of six total headlights are originals, rear rack on ladder truck is glued, three crossbars insignificantly reattached on one ladder, some of the rubber tires are fine quality replacements, overall (Excellent Condition) | $80,000 - $120,000"

Sometimes, it's best to just let the photos "speak for themselves".

As the expression goes "a picture is worth a thousand words."

Thanks for dropping by,

and have a great day.

My name is (Mr.) Stacey Bindman, 

and I can always be reached at:

toysearcher@gmail.com

Another Excellent Auction from Bertoia Auctions

Sunday April 1, 2024

12° C / 54 F

Overcast and Rain

Another Excellent Auction

From Bertoia Auctions

I hadn't written a post a post about Bertoia Auction, so I  decided

to visit them on LiveAuctioneers. I was pleasantly surprised, as there were

 so many nice toys up for auction.

Please click on this sentence to redirect to Bertoia Auctions on Liveauctioneers

Today, I noticed something interest (if not new) on Liveauctioneers.

The website lists the number of  "bidders"  watching any particular 

item up for auction. It's interesting in the fact that perhaps, the website

"stimulates" more interest and bidding from the viewers.

The first item (below) caught my interest right away.

ARCADE BRINKS EXPRESS TRUCK:

circa 1932 (92 years old)

"A very rare example which is highly sought after by the most advanced

collectors and few are known to exist."

Length:  12 inches / 30.48 cm 

I did a fast check on the Internet, and the prices that people bid

 to win this item was a surprise with the amount paid!

LARGE CARETTE GAUGE TRAIN STATION

This is the largest station made by this German maker.

Width:  17" /43.18 cm

circa 1907 (117 years old)

LARGE MARKLIN HORIZONTAL STEAM PLANT WITH DYNAMO

Germany, large engine with several adjustment apparatus 

matching paint scheme, electric dynamo included.

21" x 19" x 22" 

53.34 cm x 48.26 cm x 55.88 cm

height with smokestack

SMALL DISTLER RACER WITH HEADLIGHTS

Germany, wind-up motor driven toy with 

battery compartment to power the front headlights

12.5" Length

31.75 cm

BEAUTIFUL LEFEVRE FRENCH RIVER BOAT

France, clockwork mechanism is housed within the hull, finely decorated

with good scale to  appointments including sails, mast, stak, and passenger

benches, these early hand painted tinplate boats are quite scarce. 

Book example pictured on page 163 of "Antique French Tin Toys 

1850 - 1914  by Paul Klein Schiphorst, and also on page 86 of

Schiphorst's book "The Golden Age of French Toys"

Length:  20" / 50.8 cm

What's interesting to note is the written information from one of the

very knowledgeable people at Bertoia Auctions. I can imagine

the number of reference books that they have at their location!

LARGE DISTLER ALLIGATOR MOTIF RACER

Germany, working wind-up motor, rare offering of an oversized racer

finished in an embossed Alligator motif which were reportedly made specifically

for Louis Vuitton as advertising pieces.

Length:  20" / 50.8 cm

FERNAND MARTIN THE CARPENTER

France "Le Menuisier, circa 1908, wind-up mechanism allows the

tradesman to move side-to-side as he planes his wood project 

on bench work in a very realistic scene.

Height: 6" / 15,24 cm

If you have time, please visit this particular auction. What's spectacular about this 

auction is the fact that many of the toys are quite old, and came from many past

auctions from well-known American toy collectors. 

One final note:

Bertoia Auctions always produced hard-cover catalogue

books for their auctions. They still do. they're designed very well, 

and include the descriptions of many of the toys going to auction.

They're great as coffee-table books for guests in your house who 

drop by.

Below is the book for this auction:

This auction will be conducted from April 19th - 20th 2024

Bertoia Auctions still has their own great website.

It's an excellent resource, and has the catalogues from past auctions.

You can visit their website by licking on the underlined link below:

Please click here to visit Bertoia Auctions very interesting website

As always, thank you for visiting,

and have a great part of the day or night

wherever you may be.

I can always be reached at toysearcher@gmail.com