Mr. Bill Buttaggi and his Wonderful Small Toys

Sunday, February 16, 2025

Another Huge Snow Storm

-8°C /17°F

A Revisit to Mr. Bill Buttaggi 

and his Wonderful Small Toys

It's a great day to stay inside today. Our city of Montreal (Quebec,Canada, eh!) received another big snowstorm after yesterday. Today's snowfall is predicted to be between 25-40 centimeters (9.84  -15.75 inches).When I woke up this morning, it was already snowing. As I am typing at 5:45 p.m., the snow is still falling.

I went through my posts yesterday, and decided to write a post for Mr. Bill Buttaggi. He has an exceptional collection of small toys, and I decided to write just about his Tootsietoys. These toys are small, but once you see them, you immediately take a liking to them. I've written several posts before about Bill and his toys.

Bill has been collecting these "showcase" Tootsietoys for 35 years, His collection focuses mainly on pre-war (WWII). He started collecting when he was 16 years old, and he's been collecting ever since. He's even written a book about them. What I also like is his photography.The lighting is soft, without harsh shadows, and the toys are on a white foundation (seamless paper).

Please click on this sentence to visit Mr. Bill Buttaggi's Exceptional Website

I didn't want to make this post too long, because I wanted everyone to visit

this wonderful site. His photography is excellent, and he's spent

a lot of time compiling and categorizing his wonderful toy collection.

His research is well-researched, and he writes very well.

So that's it for today. The days are getting longer, and there hadn't been much snowfall is the last couple of weeks. The temperatures were getting warmer, and our dog didn't mind going outside in the back yard, or for a walk.

Thanks for dropping by to visit my blog,

and as always,

have a great part of the day or night wherever you may be.

My name is (Mr.) Stacey Bindman,

and I can always be contacted at:

toyserher@gmail.com

 

The Conestoga Auction Company Division of Hess Auction Group

Friday, December 13, 2024

Overcast  

-6° C / 21° F

The Conestoga Auction Company

Division of Hess Auction Group

        I was on Liveauctioneers and was looking for some new toys to write about.

After a few minutes, having done a search for toys, 

I came across some interesting "toys". 

The company's name is 

The Conestoga Auction Company Division of Hess Auction Group

Please click on this sentence to redirect to the finished Conestoga Auction Company

" Conestoga Auction Co. was founded in 1962 as an auction company continuing a business which started in the early 1940's at Root's Country Marker & Auction. 

In 1975 Conestoga Auction moved across Graystone Road to the former Bargaintown Building where the floor space increased from 

3000 sq. ft. to 21,000 sq. ft. In 2014, the company was purchased by 

Hess Auction Group and became Conestoga Gallery, continuing the history of offering exemplary service through the marketing of distinguishing collections.

Specializing in Antiques, Weapons, Toys, Ephemera, Native American Artifacts,

Coins, Jewelry, Real Estate, etc."

What caught my attention right away were old an old tricycle and a scooter.

There were a few others as well. I haven't written about these "toys" before, but thought it would be a nice introduction for this company. 

I'll be writing a second post after this one about their toy auction.

This auction came from a person by the name of the late Mr. Randy Miller.

"Randy collected for most of his life going to antique stores up and down

the east Coast and local auctions and auction houses. The sale will include

early cast iron vehicles, vintage bicycles, pressed steel vehicles and children's wagons, pedal cars, tin-litho wind-ups, character toys, and much more."

Judging from the introduction  of Mr. Randy Miller,  he must

have been a very interesting person, and well-versed (knowledgeable) in toys.

Description

"Restored 1936 Pressed Steel Child's Airflow Tricycle.

22" high c 28 " length (55.9 cm x 71.1 cm).

Professionally restored by Preston and Floyd Williams,

Little People Car Company",TX (Texas,USA)"

Winning Bid:  $ 1700.00 US

I was wondering who restored this tricycle. I found out when I typed in the description. I'll have to check out  that Little People Car Company!

Description

1930's Streamline "Skippy Racer" Scooter. 

Painted pressed steel with wooden handle.

32" H x 42" L ( 81.3 cm x 106.7 cm)

Winning Bid:  $1400.00 US

I seldom include prices of toys in a blog post, but I was pleasantly surprised 

to see the high value of the tricycle and the scooter.

It's too bad that Mr. Randy Miller did not live to see enjoy the 

the earnings of his hard work.  Collecting all of the toys in this auction,

 must have required a lot of time, effort, and selection.

But I'm sure he loved what he did....

So that's all for today, and I'll be working on the next post tomorrow.

Thanks for dropping by, and as always

have a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be.

My name is (Mr.) Stacey Bindman

andI can always be reached at: 

toysearcher@gmail.com

 

 

A Fantastic Resource for Slush-Cast and Die-Cast Toys

Wednesday, April 10, 2023

9° C / 48.2° F

Overcast with Rain

A Fantastic Resource for

Slush-Cast and Die-Cast Toys

I have to apologize to Mr. Bill Buttaggi for being 

so late in writing this post for him, Bill had sent me months ago, a 

great group of toy photos, but I forgot. I was so busy and excited about reaching

the 1,000,000 reader milestone, that I completely forgot.   At that time, I added many posts, to keep readership looking at all the new posts. Currently the number is  1,007,168 but that is confusing. Although this number is shown as actual visits by people, a Google site (to ask questions and get people to provide answers, told me that the number was "page views"). 

Go figure......!!!!!!!

So today, I'm adding Bill's post.

Please click here to visit Bill Buttaggi's exceptional website

On the website, there is one of his excellent books that

is a great resource for researching die-cast toys.

The screen-captures below show you a sample of what the book 

is all about.

But today's blog post is all about one of 

Bill's favourite group of toys - racing toys.

The photos below are just a "sampling"of some of the

racing toy cars that are on Bill's website. When you go there, there 

will be lots of information and photos to read about.

When you visit Bill's website, you will enter an exceptional place.

The photography is excellent, the design and layout of the site is very professional.

I asked Bill if he had used a professional to design his site and he replied no.

He designed it by himself.

So that's it for today,

Thanks for visiting 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

Can Anyone Identify These Farm Machines?

 Wednesday, May 31, 2023                 

 Sunny and Warm

 32° C / 89.6° F

Can Anyone Identify These Fine Farm Toys?

    I received an e-mail earlier in the week, asking if I could identify a small group of 3 farm machines. I'm far from an expert, so I wrote back to the reader, Mr. John Murano. I couldn't identify the manufacturer of these nice toys, but what I would do is to write a blog post (this one), if he would send me some photos. 

    I wrote back to John with a few instructions with regard to how to photograph the toys, and then I waited to hear from him. A few days later, I was very surprise to see the photos. I thanked him, and complimented John for the fine set of toy photos that received. I then proceeded to do some Photoshop (a photo-editing software) work, and add John's name, as well as a copyright notice.

The toys appear to be die-cast, and they also look to have been manufactured anywhere from the 1960's-1990's, and in the USA. Of course, being an amateur, I may be far off in that assessment, and I will await an answer from one of my readers who is far more learned in toys.

Dimensions:

Tractor:  3 1/2" x 2" / 8.9 cm x 5 cm ( L x H)

Cart: 2 1/4" x 1 1/2" / 5.715 cm x 3.8 cm (L x H)

Enclosed Tractor:  3 1/4" x 2 3/4" / 8.255 cm x 6 .985 cm  ( L x W)

       So that's it for today. If there is someone out there who can help John and myself out, in. order to identify the manufacturer of these toys, as well as approximately when they were made, please feel free to help us out.

As always, that's for dropping by to read my blog, and this post, 

and have a great part of the morning, afternoon, or evening,

wherever you may be.

My name is (Mr.) Stacey Bindman

and I can be reached at my e-mail address:

toysearcher@gmail.com

Revisiting Mr. Mark L. Hartman

 Saturday, March 6, 2021
 Cloudy with Sun,

 -8 C.  ( 17.7 F)

Revisiting Mr. Mark L. Hartman

          I don't know about you, the reader, but I find that the older I get (I'm 72), the faster the time goes by. On July 31, 2014, I had the pleasure to add a post about Mr. Mark L. Hartman. Below is the link to that original post on my blog:

https://oldantiquetoys.blogspot.com/2014/07/rare-buddy-l-wooden-toys-from-war-years.html

        Fast forward and here's how I am writing this post. Someone from an Historic society wrote to me asking if she could use some of Mark's excellent photos from that blog post. So, I wrote to Mark, reminded him who I was (after 7 years, it's a long time for a busy person to remember who I am), and asked for his permission for this woman to use his photos. Being such a kind and good-natured person, and a great businessman, he wrote back and gave me the permission. 

     I had to check the old post to gather the information to check Mark's e-mail address on ebay.  I easily found it, and when I went to his "store", there were some very fine toys that I had not seen, just as when I had written to his 7 years ago. 

      

            

You can click on the link below to redirect to Mark's 

https://www.ebay.com/usr/toyman1955

 EXTREMELY RARE Early Marx Toys (New York, NY) Pressed Steel Ford Square Fender Cab "SEARS ALLSTATE HYDRAULIC DUMP GRAIN HAULER TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK" Circa 1962-63 piece - THIS IS AN EXTREMELY RARE MARX TOYS SEARS ALLSTATE GRAIN HAULER TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK IN STRONG ORIGINAL CONDITION - PIECE IS 100% ORIGINAL AND ALMOST COMPLETE (MISSING TRAILER REAR GRAIN DOOR) - MARX TOYS MADE THESE THIS SERIES OF TRUCKS FOR SEARS ROEBUCK CO. TO BE SOLD SOLELY THRU THEIR DEPARTMENT STORES - THIS IS A VERY HARD TO FIND VERSION OF THE SEARS ALLSTATE TRUCKS SERIES - ORIGINAL RED PAINTED CAB AND LITHOGRAPHY PAINTED TRAILER AND DECALS - HYDRAULIC PISTON DRIVEN DUMP ACTION WORKS BUT DOES GO UP VERY FAST - A VERY STRONG EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE SEARS ALLSTATE PIECE THAT YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN - DON'T LET THIS BEAUTY SLIP THRU YOUR FINGERS - BUY THEM WHEN YOU CAN FIND THEM IN THIS ORIGINAL CONDITION!!!  toys and  This 27-5/8" long Pressed Steel piece dates from the early '60's.

        I have to leave now, but I'll be adding another post about Mark's other toys that he has for sale currently. The above toy is from his personal collection, and as I am writing, there are currently 26 toy collectors bidding on this rare toy.

        So that's it for today. It's nice to reconnect with an old person that I have had the pleasure to write about learn about toys.

 Please take very careful care of yourself and your family!

Up here in Montreal, Quebec (Canada), I'm finally (after a year of waiting)

going to get my Covid-19  first vaccination. The medical people, people in their  

80's and 90's, caregivers, hospital nurses and aides, and others have already got then vaccination.

I'll be much relieved when I get my vaccine on March 19!

I know that some of you may not believe in this pandemic, but it is 

real, and too many people have been sickened and died from this horrific virus!

As always,

Thanks for dropping by,

and have a great day.

Stacey Bindman

Toysearcher@gmail.com

Bill Buttaggi's Barclay Toys

Thursday, April 23, 2020
Sunny
7 C  43F

Bill Buttaggi's

Barclay Toys

Please click here to visit Bill's fine collection of slush (die-cast) toys

     The last post that I wrote about was Bill's excellent collection of die-cast (slush) toys. If you haven't followed 4 posts about Bill, then I'll explain. Bill asked me if I would write a post to promote a very good book on his toy collection of these toys. I did so, then asked if I could use his other photos to post more about him and his toys. This is part II of a four-part series. First I did the Tootsietoys, Now Barclay, then C.A.W., Kansas Toy and Novelty .

A History of the Barclay Toy Company

"The Barclay Manufacturing Company was an American metal toy company based in New Jersey that specialised in diecast toy cars and hollowcast toy soldiers. Due to their common availability at five and dime stores, collectors often refer to Barclay's toy soldiers as "Dimestore soldiers"."

"Barclay Manufacturing was formed by Leon Donze and Michael Levy in about 1922 (O'Brien 1997, 62). The name of the company came from Barclay Street in Hoboken, New Jersey. During the 1930s, the company was later based in North Bergen, New Jersey."

"Some of Barclay's first vehicles were slush cast white metal made in the 1930s. Some of the most interesting models were in art deco style. One intriguing selection was a "Coast to Coast" art deco style bus – another a two tone oil tanker with pontoon fenders – on both models, fenders were different colors from the bodies. One available set had a cartoon-like strip on the box lid that stated it was a "Build and Paint Your Own Auto Set" which was "Loads of fun". The set included a four-door sedan, a two-door, and a tanker truck. It included paint and the cars had white rubber wheels.

Also about this time, and into the 1940s, the company made a variety of military vehicles – tanks, trucks with cannon and other cars painted brown."**

Please click here to learn more about the Barclay company (Wikipedia)

What made these toys so popular was their design and cost.  They were nicknamed  

"dimestore toys" because most small toys in the dimestores  of the time would  cost 10 cents.

Interestingly, these toys are still very much in demand. However, for some of these toys, they would cost you 100-500 times their original cost of 10 cents. 

Talk about what investments you could invest in to retain the value of your money!

That's it for today.

I phoned a couple of friends that I meet at McDonald's every day (before the Covid-19 virus came. 

They're fine, and some of the other people are fine also. I've been trying to get more facemasks and latex gloves, but it's impossible to find them!

Thanks for visiting my blog,and please take care of yourselves and loves ones.

As always,

Have a great part of the day or night wherever you may be.

Also, I can always be reached by e-mail at:

toysearcher@gmail.com

Stacey Bindman