Some Highlights from Bertoia Auctions's Recent Auction

Monday, May 11, 2015
Cold and lots of rain

Some Highlights from 

Bertoia Auctions

Recent May Auction

   When I was feverishly on a daily basis, I would venture over to my "regulars". One of these was band still is Bertoia Auctions. The Bertoia Family was one of the first to allow me to use their photos after, I stopped buying and selling toys on ebay. At the time, I decided to stop buying and selling because the market was slow on  ebay and I was limited in the toys that AI could write about. Budget constraints limited me to what I could afford, and I really didn't make much money, if any at all. Having the permission to use other people's photos placed me on a different level of writing.

   I now could write about toys that I  could never afford, and allowed me to write about toys that I never had seen before or even heard of in terms of where and who had manufactured them. Bertoia Auctions is located in Vineland, New Jersey, U.S.A. and sells only toys. Here, you'll find great collections that have been written about on the Internet, as well as individuals who have fine toys who wish to sell them at auction.

   When I recently decided to return to writing, but not to the hectic pace as before, I naturally ventured over to Bertoia Auctions. Their May 8-9, 2015 auction had just finished,and I  decided to "have a look".  Of course, that's like saying, I just watch a hockey game for 5 minutes, or read the first page of a new book - you can't! So I set the viewing to "highest bids" and  just selected a mere 4 fine toys that I had not seen before. I didn't even get past page 1!

Please click here to visit this fine American auctioneer

There was no  date as to when this nice Marklin train might have been made. I selected it because of the nice streamlined design. There are nice curves, and the tender (the coal bin) is covered, allowing for a faster movement on the railway tracts. Notice also that the wheels areas are ale covered,so there is less air resistance to slow down the train.

I selected this fine American toy from one of the early manufacturers - George Brown. Sadly, George Brown did not live a long life, but his legacy of fine toys will live forever in the history of American toys. His toys were made in the latter half of the 19th century. He designed them himself and even patented many. He also even designed the mechanics for wide-up toys that were self-propelled.

I just wrote about a George Brown toy on May 8, 2015, so it was quite coincidental to find another one of the George Brown toys on the highest number of bids criteria for my selection for today's post. What I like about these toys is that they are "true" antiques - well over 100 years. Also I usually can identify them without a book.  They have a "youthful" design about them. I can readily ID the horses from their larger breed, and their bushy tails. And lastly, the stencilling - it's  also "youthful". By that, I mean that it isn't overly sophisticated as one might find from the German lithography of the early 20th century. ANd one final point - the hand-painting on the toy, especially the horses- simple but elegant.

One of the best things that I like about Bertoia Auctions is that produce superb catalogues for potential bidders and buyers of their auctions. The photography is excellent, and there are nice researched descriptions to accompany the items.

What I like in the above lowest photo is the low camera angle.  What I have done in the last year and a half is to remove any background or foundation (what an item rests on). In the above photo, the gait or pace of the horses is majestically captured in George Brown's original design, as well in the craftsmanship of the skilled workers who assembled the toy. The horses appear to foot like Pegasus.

The high camera angle in the immediate photo below gives a different perspective to the toy. I like how the photographer has turned the horse at an angle from the omnibus. AS well, the beautiful gait of the pair of horses is beautifully captured as they trop in unison together.

Below is a beautiful demonstration model of the famous Hispano-Suiza sedan.  When I have more time, I'll try and find the approximate date as to when this particular car would have been manufactured.  If you've visited my blog before, you'll know that one of my favourite "non-toy" categories is the salesman's model.  I've written only about the American salesman's model's, but I'm sure if I continue to write, I will find  more European salesman's  models. 

What I like about this category is that the items are well-scaled of course, and the detail is fantastic. 

The American models that I have found are true to scale, and best-of-all they actually have all the moveable parts that would allow them to work!

I like how the spare tire on the passenger's side is beautifully covered and protected by it's metal part of the car.  Also, notice how the doors open "backwards". The hood ornament is beautiful, and reminds me the the cars of the 1950's when I was growing up. Of course, the American cars did not have such illustrious hood ornaments as the  one below, but they had them. I miss those nice ornaments that were around back then!

I would have liked a photo of the engine under the hood, but still, there is lots of detail to be seen.  This particular toy is exquisite. The wheels for the tires were hand made at the time, and took a long time to make.  As for the mechanics of the toy - chain driven, it reminds me of the early Mack trucks that I have had the privilege to write about.  Some of them were also chain driven, and the MAck Truck certainly gained its reputation for its ability to drive through the toughest of road conditions of those early times.

I've also never seen this toy before, so it is an eye-opener for me. Best of all, this toy was also self-propelled, but through steam, which was quite elaborate for the time.  It's certainly beautiful. Notice also that both the Hispano-Suisa and the Lorry below are right-sided driven.

I'll be returning to this auction in the future to find more toys that I haven;t seen before and to write,. But if you venture over there, you'l see for yourself what fine toys there are that are true "treasures form the past".

Thanks for visiting, 

and as always, 

have a great part of the day,

wherever you may be,

Stacey

toysearcher@gmail.com

Just Like A Museum-Part II -

  Friday, May 16, 2014
 Overcast, warm and heavy rain later today

Just Like a Museum-

 Part II

   Last week, (May 6,), I wrote the first part about Bonham's May 21, 2014 auction. Having been established in 1792, the historic auction house called Bonhams, has been in existence and auctioning 5 centuries now. Saying that, for sure they know what they are doing, and so do their followers. The reason that I titled these posts "Just Like a Museum" is that not only does Bonhams get to present all kinds of fascinating and historic items, but they also are able to present description in depth and thoroughness, - just like the descriptions toy's fine in museums.

Please click here to visit the upcoming auction page

Rare and Large Schmitt Et Fils bisque head Bebe

The beautifully moulded very pale pressed bisque head with fixed blue glass paper-weight eyes, finely painted lashes, feather brows, delicately shaded lids and cheeks, open/closed mouth showing white between lips and double chin, pierced ears and long auburn wig in ringlets, on a good wood and composition fully jointed body with fixed wrists, wearing original white ribbed cotton dress with brown panels to skirt decorated with black embroidered pattern and brown ruffled edging, under garment, socks and marked 'Deposee' shoes, (wig replaced), 92cm (36in) tall.*

* Description Courtesy of Bonhams

The photography is excellent, but so are the accompanying written descriptions.

A nice feature of Bonhams is the ability to magnify the images. You have to wait a bit in order for your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to download the magnified image.

Here is a larger magnification

Here is an ever larger image.

An extremely rare Rock and Graner tin-plate market, circa 1875

The tin-plate market stall with painted yellow and green pierced fencing and steps with painted sign 'Blumen-Obst-genuse-Markt (flowers, fruit, vegetables, market), with central circular display holding various flowers and shelves to rear with further sign 'Geflugel-fisch-wildpret-handlung' (poultry, fish, venison, treatment), displaying finely painted composition hanging meats including wild boar, deer, rabbits, pig and duck, other meats include pigs head and geese, together with scales and two sets of weights, the side shelves and floor with a selection of breads, fruit, mushrooms and vegetables, mostly contained in wicker baskets, two composition lady figures, a tin plate painted rocking chair and two tins containing toy money, (some creasing to main sign and one pole broken, rear shelf loose, figure lacks one lower arm, the other with damage to lower half, wares in good condition but with some minor paint loss damage), base 42cm (16 1/2in) wide, 38cm (15in) deep, 30.5cm (12in) tall.*

* Description Courtesy of Bonhams

An exceptional piece of history.

A rare set of five felt Steiff Musicians, 1912-1915

All having black boot button eyes, printed features and jointed at shoulders and hips each standing on a circular wooden base, the rotund trombone player with a pronounced nose and smiling mouth, black and grey cotton thread hair, black rimmed hat, and with a Steiff button to each ear, wearing a felt red shirt with a further sixteen Steiff buttons in two rows to front, blue jacket, black trousers and leather boots, holding a painted gold trombone, 33cm (13in) tall, the similar contra-bass player having a Steiff button to each ear, round hat with tassel and wearing a cream shirt with black boot buttons in a row to centre, a brown jacket, black trousers and black leather boots, holding a painted wooden stringed bass with bow, 33cm (13in) tall, the slimmer clarinet player with up-turned nose, painted ginger hair and Steiff button to left ear, tall grey hat and wearing a long black jacket with three gold buttons, blue trousers and painted shoes, holding a carved wooden clarinet, 36cm (14in) tall, the older slim violin player with pointed nose and chin, painted grey eyebrows and real shoulder-length grey hair, skull-cap and wearing a white shirt with black bow-tie, jacket and trousers, leather shoes, holding a carved wooden stringed violin and bow, Steiff button to left ear, 40cm (15 3/4in) tall, the tall and slim trumpeter with pointed features, painted ginger hair and flat hat, wearing a black jacket with five buttons and trousers, with white collar and bow-tie, leather shoes and Steiff button in left ear, holding a painted gold wooden trumpet, 43cm (17in) tall. 
(Condition is generally very good and original, a little dusty in places. Contra-bass player with two tiny pin size holes to jacket, some strings loose to instrument. 

Trombone player with small tear to back of jacket. 

Clarinet player has three tiny pin sized holes to trousers. 

Violinist has small hole to left hand, some loose strings. 

Trumpeter with tiny hole to left hand.) 

Please refer to 'Button in Ear, Steiff The history of teddy bear and his friends' by Jurgen & Marianne Cieslik, page 161 (illustration 494), The popular 'village band', this rare group was sold just 146 times. (5)*

* Description Courtesy of Bonhams

I like the way Bonhams has presented this quintet against both a white and black background, with different compositional arrangements. different moods are created and you also get to see how the colouyrs of the musicians appear against light and dark tones.

Huntley and Palmer boxed Tribrek Motor Van tin

Lithographed in royal blue with gold lettering to sides, Huntley & Palmers Ginger Nuts, Tribrek in black to front of roof, lithographed detailed front and driver to sides, HP 1937 number plates, hinged rear door with gold lettering and solid blue hub wheels (G some minor scratches, mainly to roof, box F-G one small tear and some creases) 22cm (8 3/4in) long.*

* Description Courtesy of Bonhams

The above truck is a very rare tin ginger nuts can. Long ago, companies would provide storage containers for their food items, which was an incentive to purchase the product, as well as a convenient way of keeping the food fresher. 

Marklin catalogue No.55562 gauge I electric Crocodile

2-rail electric engine No.14268, brown and black livery, original box and packing, instructions (E box G).*

*Description Courtesy of Bonhams

I enlarged the train to present the fine detail present on the toy. It's amazing how much detail can be seen from the Net image.

I decided to select the "highlights" of the action from Bonhams selection. The set is quite eclectic, but certainly is a fine collection to be presented for this auction # 21748. Imagine having had so many auction over the time frame that Bonhams has been in business.

What I'd like to see is the handwritten documentation of the first several auctions from 1792. 

Now that would truly be "historic".

Thanks for dropping by,

and as always,

have a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be.

Stacey

toysearcher@gmail.com