Mint condition toy car collection the wheel deal
AWONDERFUL collection of tinplate toys discovered during a house clearance in northern Lincolnshire, paintings and furnishings from the private family apartments one of the great stately homes of England – and a curious Royal Mint mistake, are just a few of the treasures that will kickstart our post-lockdown auction programme this month.
The toy collection was brought along to a recent valuation day at the Forest Pines Hotel near Brigg earlier this year and involves dozens of Tri-ang Minic vehicles, a range of toys launched by Lines Brothers in 1935.
What amazed the valuation clinic team (and has since been attracting the attention of collectors all over the country) is not only the fact that they are boxed but apart from a flat tyre or two they remain in quite incredible condition.
The first series of Minics (abbreviation of miniature clockwork) was 14 model cars and light vans that cost just a shilling (5p).
Over the next three years more sophisticated additions were introduced and prices did go as high as five bob (25p).
Three quarters of a century later the collection of Minics is expected to make a total of perhaps a thousand pounds when it goes under the hammer in an Antiques, Fine Art, Interiors and Collectors Auction at our York saleroom on Friday, June 19
That auction also includes items that have come from Harewood House, the seat of the Lascelles family, one of the country’s grandest stately homes. Following the death of the Dowager Countess of Harewood in 2018, changes have been made to the family’s private apartments and collections, which have resulted in various paintings, a number of ornaments and several decorative architectural items being sent for auction.
The lots that are expected to attract particular interest include a set design by John Piper for the opera Don Giovanni at Glyndebourne in 1951 (estimate £5,000£8,000) and a pair of oils by a follower of the Venetian artist Pietro Longhi (£3,000-£5,000). Meanwhile moving away from that auction and on to a completely different field of interest – imagine you find a strangely coloured 20 pence piece in your change. Do you marvel at an oddity, write it off as a fake, quickly pass it on or do something else?
A chap actually found himself holding a golden 20 pence coin back in 1994. His reaction was to post it to the Royal Mint, asking their opinion. That would turn out to be a very good call.
The reply came from Graham Dyer, Librarian and Curator at the
Royal Mint, and it was surprising: ‘Examination by X-ray florescent spectrometry has shown that the coin is made of copper-plated steel instead of cupro-nickel. “What looks to have happened is that a blank disc intended for another coin has become mixed in with 20p blanks and then been struck by the 20p dies in the usual manner.’ Mr. Dyer was rather apologetic about it all: “With an annual production of hundreds of millions of coins it is not possible to inspect every coin before issue. In consequence I fear it is inevitable that some imperfect coins find they way into circulation.” Thankfully the coin was returned to the sender, rather than being replaced by a ‘perfect’ 20 pence. It is a great rarity and when it goes under the hammer in a Jewellery, Watches, Silver and Coins Auction in Scarborough on June 18 it is expected to make £400-£600.
That auction has some very valuable jewellery entries and several watches that are expected to top a thousand pounds. It also has lots of gold coins, although probably none of those will match the gold-coloured 20 pence piece! Catalogues for both of these auctions and other sales taking place during the month, plus details of special arrangements applying during the current situation, are available via the firm’s website at www.davidduggleby.com.
Apart from the rubber tyres, the tin plate models were in almost mint condition
The first series of Minics was 14 model cars and light vans that cost a shilling.
Graham Paddison