Monday, October 3, 2016

An Exceptional Auctioneer with an Exceptional Website

2016-10-25



An Exceptional Auctioneer 
with an Exceptional Website

Aspire Auctions

I "discovered" this fantastic auctioneer by accident.. I was browsing the Internet for toys, when I came across one of the toys that I'm presenting today. Naturally, I had to ask immediately for permission to write about them. When I received a reply from Mr. Michael Kondratov, I couldn't remember the name of the company, and embarrassingly  I had to write back to ask who they were. I then found them again through my very "unprofessional" organization. That certainly was not my best moment! I hope Michael did not mind my "faux-pas" (mistake).

When I went to to Aspire Auctions website, I immediately saw the exceptional quality of their website. It was very professionally designed, had exceptional photography, and also had a great added feature. This feature was the ability to magnify the image to see close-up details. And finally, 
Aspire Auctions had plenty of photographs to see what the toy listing was in all of its' features.


Below:

A screen-capture of Aspire Auction's auction page.  Notice the large amount of white on this page,
along with the spaces around the auctions. The page is clean, carefully arranged, and easy to read.
This website was certainly very carefully planned with the viewer in mind.


831. Bing Type Tin Waterwheel Dredge Toy

13 ½ x 8 x 11 in   340mm x 200mm  x280 mm
A waterwheel dredge retype toy believed to be by Bing (ca. 1890) with geared buckets that deliver water to top platform, then dripping onto paddlewheel, causing hammers bang on platform. No markings found. All original parts.




Below:
A magnified image of the middle photo in the above tryptic (3-images in 1 photo)





         


                       Early Bing hand-crank or toy steam-engine 6-place ferris wheel. 
                                        Has two walk-up platforms with stairs; 
                    six gondolas, tent cover and double flags on each side. Unmarked.
                                    13 in x 7 3/8 in x 9 in   /  330 mm x 188 mm x 228mm

Rare Tootsietoy Playtime Set 5034 -Plus Extras, Total Forty-Six Pieces
This is a very rare Tootsietoy Playtime Toy Set # 5034-Double Set in box.
Normally a set has 27 pieces, this has 46 pieces.

Above:

Look at the care and attention that went into positioning the 46 toys both from the front and back views. That took a lot of time, but that is how the entire presentation of auction items are presented. Each item is carefully laid out, and photographically lit to present the item at its' best.

Below:

Two enlarged magnifications to illustrate the benefit of
Aspire Auction's enlargement function on their website.

You can easily see so much more detail when an image is magnified.


Tom Thumb "Flash" Speed Boat Toy

L x H:   15 in. x 4 in  /   380 mm x 100 mm
A great  Tom Thumb "Flash" made by Jocrim Mfg. of Boston (Mass. USA),
wood with a simulates large V-8 motor. 
The boat is propelled by a rubber band wound with a hand crank.


The above Jocrim Mfg. speed boat is something that I have not seen before.
Once again, the excellent photography presents the boat in all of its beautiful details.

I'm glad that I "discovered' this great website, and I would like to thank Mr. Michael Kondratov for having given me the permission to use the photos and descriptions for this wonderful website (and of course, the great old and antique toys).

                              

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