Morphy's Nov. 13-14 auction features major collection of Japanese superheroes Dan Morphy's Nov. 13-14 auction features the first major collection of Japanese superheroes, die-cast and vinyl toys ever to reach the auction marketplace: the Marc Solondz Collection.
News-Antique.com - Oct 16,2009 - DENVER, Pa. - Dan Morphy Auctions ventures into the fantasy fringe of Deep Space 9 on Nov. 13-14, with an extraordinary sale of robots, space toys, and Japanese superheroes, die-casts and vinyls at the company's gallery in Denver, Pa., on the Adamstown antiques strip. The comprehensive sci-fi toy collection of nearly 1,500 lots was consigned by Marc Solondz, a New Jersey-based collector who “flew under the radar for years and made very smart buying choices,” according to Dan Morphy Auctions' owner and CEO Dan Morphy.
“Although both Marc and his collection later became very well known, he formed the core of his fantastic collection quietly, and made many trips to Japan to purchase superhero toys that were not available to buy in the United States,” said Morphy. “We believe it is the largest single-owner robot, space toy and superhero collection of its type ever to come to auction. It stands apart from any collection we at Morphy's have ever seen before because it contains so many of the great die-cast pieces made by Bandai offshoot “Popy,” in boxes with Japanese writing that are so desirable to collectors.”
The collection consists of five basic categories: robots (tin and some plastic), space vehicles, Japanese superhero toys, die-cast toys by Popy and other Japanese manufacturers (e.g., BullMark, Takatoku, Ark, Grip, Marusan, etc.), and Japanese vinyls (both vintage and contemporary). A bumper selection of very nice-quality comic character toys is a compatible bonus.
Robot highlights include an X-27 Explorer, Telephone Robot and Mighty 8 - all of which are boxed. Also in the group are a Change Man Robot with lizard head that opens to reveal a man's head, and a Mr. Atomic. The collection includes Masudaya's Gang of Four robots: Lavender, Giant Sonic (Train), Radicon and Target.
Top lots among the space vehicles include a Space Patrol Car, boxed VW R-10, a boxed Super Cycle Space Patrol and a rare, smaller (9-inch) version of the Space Patrol Car, a toy that has sold at auction for as much as $10,000 in the past.
Tommy Sage Jr., Morphy's chief operating officer and an expert in postwar Japanese toys, said he believes the superhero category will put in a very strong performance at auction. “It runs the gamut and is about 80 percent boxed,” said Sage. “To list just a few examples, there's a Golden Bat, Astro Boy, Masked Rider, Barragan, Moonlight Man and Super Kun, plus quite a few Godzillas and Batman toys. There's also a giant Mirror Man - the mask comes off and there's a head inside - and a scarce, hand-painted Jetter Car. There are lots of really unusual vehicles in the collection, including airplanes, submarines, speedboats and motorcycles.”
The November auction at Morphy's will mark a milestone, since it will be the first time a Japanese die-cast and vinyl collection has come to auction. Most of the Japanese die-cast pieces are boxed, and the vinyls are in their original plastic packaging.
“This represents a unique opportunity for collectors, especially those
