Monsters, Hollywood 'bad girls,' a bounteous array of toys in Old Town's Nov. 18-20 auction Monsters, Hollywood ‘bad girls’ and a bounteous array of toys are on the menu
at Old Town’s Nov. 18-20 Thanksgiving auction, featuring items from the original editor of Femme Fatales magazine.
collection contains some really good ones that you don’t see every day.”
Another tightly focused collection consists of more than 100 high-quality, complete Erector and construction sets. Among them are robot sets, a boxed Zeppelin, and early truck, carnival and circus sets, plus some Erector store displays.
Also of interest to the scientifically minded bidder is the collection of early Apple computers and other primitive computer items. “Computers from Apple’s early days have become extremely collectible. There’s no shortage of people looking for them, and prices for rare models are increasing rapidly,” Protos said. Along the same lines, the auction will feature a computer-driven Heath Kit robot, complete and never assembled.
A huge selection of antique and vintage tin wind-ups will be offered, including Lehmann and Marx toys; plus smaller-scale automotive toys, aviation toys including a Blue Angels display with airplanes still affixed; Occupied Japan figural pieces, a grouping of Marx playsets and a collection of James Bond 007 and other spy toys from the 1960s.
The auction action will start revving up when a collection of miniature gas-powered engines is introduced. The mini engines, which include Chevrolet V8, Harley-Davidson and racing motors, are in full working order. Some are farm-style hit-and-miss engines.
An absolutely unique piece is the 1967 all-metal electric-powered monorail made for display at Expo ’67 in Montreal. The actual monorail car is 6 feet long and runs along 100 feet of track. It is complete and comes with custom-fitted storage cases. “We’ll have this set assembled and operating at the auction,” said Protos.
One of the most intriguing items in Old Town’s June sale was the funky folk robot from creator Steve Heller’s range of “techno art.” This time around, Old Town will offer Heller’s rendition of a robot girlfriend named “Marilyn” for the previously auctioned robot, plus a rocket ship – for a robot honeymoon, perhaps?
This year marks what would have been TV legend Lucille Ball’s 100th birthday. For his November sale, Protos secured a voluminous collection of Lucille Ball and I Love Lucy memorabilia and ephemera, plus other movie-related posters. The Lucy archive includes posters and lobby cards, a TV Guide No. 1 featuring Ms. Ball on the cover, the manuscript for a book written about the iconic actress, and many other fascinating career items pertaining to America’s favorite redhead.
An amazing mini collection of six musical instruments easily qualifies as American folk art. The instruments and their cases are skillfully hand-painted – some with automotive themes – and are branded “Kollege Kids.” The collection – whose origin is a mystery – includes a violin, banjo, drum and other instruments.
Among the many other categories represented in the Nov. 18-20 event are: exonumia and medallic art – some with a transportation theme and one designed by Norman Bel Geddes – several coin-op machines including a Wurlitzer 1015 jukebox and speakers, a few figural animated store displays (e.g., giraffe, seal), a small selection of black Americana, and American Indian sterling silver souvenir spoons.
