Bertoia Toy Auction Nov 7-9
Published September 17th, 2008
Nearly 2,500 lots of American, European and Japanese toys will be offered at auction on Nov. 7-9 at Bertoia Auctions’ gallery.
Automotive collectors will be treated to more of the late Bob Smith’s friction and pressed-steel toys, while holiday enthusiasts will be invited to take a third helping from the mind-boggling Fred Cannon collection and choose favorites from the revered Mary Lou Holt collection. In addition, Bertoia’s will present still banks from the collection of the late Dick Sheppard, European toys from the late Steve Olin and his wife Diane, and a remarkable Midwest private collection of horse-drawn cast-iron toys of every imaginable discipline.
Continuing with toy vehicles, Bertoia’s will auction nearly 150 cast-iron autos and trucks, as well as racers, busses, motorcycles and Vindex farm toys. The extra-nice Vindex selection incorporates nearly the entire range produced by the Illinois firm.
Saturday’s session opens with part II of the late Bob Smith’s friction toy collection, featuring Dayton Hill Climbers, D.P. Clark pressed-steel vehicles, and highly desirable Hercules tin toys. Nearly 100 examples of pressed steel are entered from the Smith collection, including rarities by Buddy ‘L,’ Hoenes, Keystone and Structo.
In the folk art/advertising section, bidders will find a striking Indian princess cigar store, several well-carved carousel horses, and an unusual three-dimensional carved-wood fish sign once used outside a fishmonger’s shop. Other important pieces include a rare shooting gallery with two blacksmith figures, a tin self-framed advertising sign touting Brookfield Rye Whiskey and featuring a woman in lingerie – “risqué for its day,” according to Rich Bertoia, plus country store display cases, a pie shelf advertising Black & White Cigars, Nipper dogs and a nicely detailed and painted Stevens & Brown birdcage.
Sunday leads off with Schoenhuts, led by an exquisite boxed Teddy Roosevelt Adventures in Africa set. Rare in any condition, this particular set includes lithographed cardboard scenery, an optional purchase at the time of the toy’s original retail release. “When the set first came in and I opened the box, I simply could not believe the condition,” said Rich Bertoia. “It was just extraordinary, with immaculate paint. It’s as though it had been packed away in its original box with instructions saying ‘Do Not Open Till 2008 at Bertoia’s.’”
Bertoia’s Toys for All Seasons Sale will start at 12 noon on Friday, Nov. 7; at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8; and at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 9. All items will be available to preview during the month leading up to the sale; please call to arrange a preview time during this period. The preview will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the week preceding the opening session. On auction days the ongoing preview will start on Friday at 9 a.m., and Saturday/Sunday at 8 a.m.
Bertoia Auctions is located at 2141 DeMarco Dr., Vineland, NJ 08360. For information, to order catalogs or to arrange a phone line during the sale, call 856-692-1881 or e-mail Toys@BertoiaAuctions.com. Visit Bertoia’s Web site at www.BertoiaAuctions.com
