Very rare mechanical marvel is up for grabs
MONEYBOX PREDICTED TO MAKE AT LEAST £10K
AThey are all incredibly rare. This is the first one I’ve seen in my entire career
Graham Paddison
TINPLATE Mickey Mouse moneybox that was taken along to an antiques valuation day in Beverley is being forecast to make at least £10,000 when it goes under the hammer in an auction this week.
The mechanical marvel is a fabulously rare early piece of Disney memorabilia that was made for just a very brief period in the early 1930s by Saalheimer and Strauss of Nuremberg, one of the leading tinplate toy manufacturers in Europe.
It was taken into the David Duggleby Beverley office by a member of the family of Victor Swain, who as a film-loving small boy was thrilled to receive the present and would treasure it until his death at the age of 97, two years ago.
Duggleby toy specialist
Graham Paddison said: “Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse in 1928, introducing him to the world in Steamboat Willie, the first cartoon film to have synchronised music and sound.
“It was a huge hit and Mickey became an international star overnight.
“Saalheimer and Strauss were making a range of tinplate moneyboxes at the time and they secured permission to use Mickey Mouse.
“They actually created four variations of this moneybox, with slight differences in the Mickey figure.
“None of them were produced in large numbers before the firm was sold in 1936.
“They are all incredibly rare. This is the first one I’ve seen in my entire career.”
The version that is going under the hammer on Friday, December 3, is the Type 1, depicting Mickey with folded hands.
A motto on the reverse of the moneybox explains how it works: “If you only pull my ear, you will see my tongue appear.
“Place a coin upon my tongue, save your money while you’re young.”
Graham said: “It remains in full working order and in astonishing condition for a tinplate novelty that is now almost a century old.”
Victor apparently kept it on a high shelf – on display but out of the reach of small children.
“Just a handful of examples of this moneybox, or money bank as the collectors call them, have passed through auction rooms in the past few years, all of them in the US, none in this country as far as we are aware.
“Results have ranged from the $8,000 (£6,000) up to $35,670 (£26,771), a price that was recorded at an auction in Denver as recently as March last year.”
Graham said: “It was actually an American auction result, spotted by Victor’s grandson who was working over there, that alerted the family to the extraordinary rarity and value of their Mickey Mouse moneybox.”
The catalogue for the Toys, Diecast Model Cars, Dolls and Vintage Teddy Bears auction is available at davidduggleby.com and viewing sessions are at the
Vine Street Saleroom in Scarborough on Wednesday and Thursday, December 1 and 2, plus on Friday morning from 9am until the start of the auction at 12.30pm.
The auction is to be webcast with online bidding through DD Live and thesaleroom.com
It remains in full working order and in astonishing condition for a tinplate novelty that is now almost a century old
Duggleby toy specialist Graham Paddison