Private collections add antique toys, trains, dolls and advertising to Morphy’s March 5-7 roster Fine toys, trains, antique advertising and the P-nuttiest collection of Planter’s memorabilia to come to auction in many years are in Morphy Auctions’ big March 5-7 Spring Sale.
with coal chute, and a beautiful example of an original outdoor railroad engine and tender. Other notable pressed-steel entries include Keystone airplanes and customized mascot cars, topped by a 24-inch-long American National car that is approximately one-fifth the size of a pedal car.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Much of the Saturday session is devoted to trains, a specialty that Morphy’s has continued to develop with last year’s launch of a Toy Trains department headed by noted collector and dealer Ken Post. “This is the nicest, cleanest grouping of trains to come to the market in years,” said Dan Morphy.
First up will be 20 lots of European trains, mostly by Marklin and Bing. The top Marklin lot features a big FE 2 gauge engine and tender with three large, hand-enameled cars: dining, sleeping and smoking. Each of the cars features a hinged roof and outfitted interior, e.g., with tables, chairs, etc. The train’s selling price could exceed $30,000.
Other important Marklin lots include a 2 gauge set with Congressional Limited cars; and another set with a Kaiser car and Crown car. An early Marklin floor train from 1909 or earlier was quite possibly a one-of-a-kind production. “It is the example pictured in David Pressland book The Art of the Tin Toy,” Morphy noted.
The session also features an expansive array of American trains. More than 50 boxed Lionel O gauge sets will be offered, including a “baby” Blue Comet set, an elusive terra cotta 253 set, and a rare 249 O gauge 600 series set in red with silver-roof passenger cars. All are from a single collection.
Many trains await standard gauge enthusiasts, such as a set-boxed American Flyer Lone Scout set, a set-boxed Lionel 408E set, and what is possibly the best-condition example of a Lionel 344 Rail Chief set. Its vestibules appear never to have been connected, and the train is in a virtually unplayed-with state.
The trains section also contains several unusual models from makers such as Boucher, Knapp and Voltamp. “Voltamp is a brand with many followers,” said Morphy. “Our sale features both engines and trolleys by this desirable manufacturer.”
The Saturday session then moves into figural metal, with more than 85 lots of cast-iron mechanical banks and a collection of approximately 80 European painted-lead still banks; followed by a selection of 260 doll lots, including a Jumeau and a number of dolls from the 1930s through 1950s. The latter grouping “may not be antiques,” said Morphy, “but it’s a consistently excellent assortment from a West Coast collector who was a stickler for buying only examples that had original tags and paperwork.”
Auction & Preview Details:
An electronic version of the catalog and details on live Internet bidding may be viewed online at www.morphyauctions.com or www.liveauctioneers.com. For additional information, call 717-335-3435 or e-mail danmorphy@dejazzd.com. Morphy Auctions is a division of Geppi’s Entertainment Auctions.
CAPTION FOR IMAGE AT TOP:
Cardboard Coca-Cola die-cut umbrella girl festoon, made in 1918. Estimate $5,000-$7,000.
