Western Morning News (Saturday)
Unique toys from house clearances
THE Truro Auction Centre held its last two-day specialised Collector’s Sale on the March 3 and 4 with over 1200 lots going under the hammer.
The auctioneers were faced with two consignments of house clearances for its large toy section where trains, aeroplanes and cars were deposited with them in no great order and a large array of boxes to be sorted and dealt with. This would normally be a mammoth task but this type of task is what the Truro Auction Centre is good at and following the sorting and lotting with detailed photographs, the toy section was highly contested and sold to collectors and enthusiasts not only across the country but abroad.
An old plush covered Steiff teddybear with metal ear button, pointed snout and articulate limbs measured 15½” long was rather grubby and neglected but still found a telephone buyer at £1,700. A Hornby 00 gauge live steam Flying Scotsman railway set in original box sold at £380; a Mamod steam railway set in original box at £190 whilst a collection of 00 gauge railway divided and sold in numerous lots geared for the collector sold for over £3,000.
One lot which surprised the auctioneers was a brass Hardy’s patent fly fishing reel measuring 4” in diameter with ivory handle in its fitted leather case. This example lacked a serial number and any providence but still sold to an online bidder at £1,700.
The coin section exceeded expectations with a 2017 gold proof sovereign selling on-line at £600; a 2016 quarterounce gold Britannia coin at £320 and a set of 28 United States silver dollars in mahogany five-drawer cabinet at £620.
The militaria section is always popular and an impressive good quality 16th century-style full size suit of armour stood on a full-size dummy at over 6’ high - this relatively modern copy still found a buyer at £750.
Rarer was the Second World War experimental pattern Brodie helmet visor with aluminium cover dated 1941 which sped past the original estimate of £200 to £300, finding a telephone buyer at £900.
In the stamps section an album of Victorian GB stamps including a single 1d black and a range of later high values sold to a room bidder at £700.
The book section attracted a huge interest, not only with antiquarian books but with more relatively modern novels and editions. A single volume by John le Carre - The Spy Who Came In From The Cold was unfortunately not a first edition but an 8th impression dated 1964 although signed by the author with a dedication in its original dust jacket which sold to a telephone bidder at £600.
The Truro Auction Centre is now working on its next large two-day Antique and Picture sale on April 28 and 29, closing date for entries is April 8. For more information visit cornwallauction.co.uk.