Bertoia’s eagerly awaited Nov. 11-13 Annual Fall Auction presents diverse categories of toys, banks, trains and holiday antiques with blue-chip provenance

2,100+ lots include the best of Tony Lasala’s cast iron, Jay Schoedinger’s pressed steel, and Aussie Paul Hale’s steam engines + trains from Jim Fergusson and Warren Heid

VINELAND, N.J. – Bertoia’s is a house of many collector specialties, but it’s a rare occasion when all of those specialty categories come together under one roof in one fabulous sale. That will be the case on Nov. 11, 12 and 13 when Bertoia’s presents its perennially popular Annual Fall Auction featuring selections from many premier collections of toys, trains, banks and holiday antiques. More than 2,100 lots will be offered, and those who cannot join the fun in person are encouraged to take part by bidding absentee, over the phone or live online.

An overview of the expansive three-day event reveals that, by the number of lots offered, there are 160+ containing European and American trains, 150+ European autos, boats and airplanes; 100+ European clockwork toys (including Lehmanns and Martins), 150+ comic character toys, 98 steam plants, 100 penny toys, 190 heavy and light pressed-steel vehicles, and 67 featuring antique advertising. On top of that, the cataloged portion of the auction will be followed by a box-lot selection of holiday antiques available only to those attending at the gallery.

The event is highlighted by Part I of Tony Lasala’s superb collection of cast-iron automotive toys. An astute collector for many years, Lasala was able to acquire a many rare and desirable pieces from early dealers and auctions.

“The Tony Lasala collection is unquestionably an important one. Any toy associated with his name will continue to gain instant respect from knowledgeable collectors. The rarity and quality are obvious,” said Bertoia Auctions’ owner, Jeanne Bertoia.

Day 1 is devoted primarily to American toys and banks, and will open with cast iron. Two of

Circa-1870s J. & E. Stevens ‘New Bank’ mechanical bank, est. $1,600-$2,000

Lasala’s favorites are Lot 58, a Kenton City Telephone truck estimated at $4,000-$6,000; and Lot 66, a circa-1929 Arcade white Bekins moving van, $4,000-$6,000. Both were formerly in the Donald Kaufman collection.

Prestigious provenance accompanies many of the American tin toys chosen for the Nov. 11 session. Two highlights that were pictured in Blair Whitton’s 1981 book American Clockwork Toys 1862-1900 are Lot 718, one of only two known circa-1870 George Brown Automatic Waltzers, $10,000-$15,000; and Lot 712, an extremely rare Goodwin carriage – the only one Bertoia’s has ever seen with a seated child, $6,000-$8,000.

Two other tin toys with gilt-edged provenance were once in the prestigious Perelman Antique Toy Museum’s collection. Lot 714, S. Wenner’s Girl on Swing (pat. 1872), is estimated at $6,000-$8,000; while Lot 732, a rare version of the Walking Zouave (pat. 1850s), could stroll away with a winning bid of $1,800-$2,250.

Moving into the American bell toys section, Lot 692, an Ives Leap Frog, is estimated at $7,500-$10,000. “This is only the second Leap Frog bell toy we’ve ever seen,” said Jeanne Bertoia. “When we sold Max Berry’s Leap Frog in 2014, it was the only one known. Then, after the sale, we received a call from someone who said they had one, too, so we are fortunate to be able to bring a second Leap Frog to the marketplace.”

A fine array of banks will be available. Mechanicals include Lot 534, an all-original Calamity bank with no breaks, $8,000-$12,000; Lot 538, an all-original Panorama, $4,000-$6,000; and Lot 614, a near-mint Pelican (thumbs nose), $4,000-$5,000. Still banks include Lot 500, a large Boston State House, $2,000-$3,000; and Gingerbread House (ex Andy Moore collection), $1,200-$1,500.

Figural cast-iron doorstops from a long-held collection are led by several Bradley & Hubbard designs: Girl Holding Dress, Turkey, and Rooster. There are two Salem Witch variations, Lobster, Wine Merchant, Elf Under Mushroom and several other very unusual doorstops.

Saturday’s session will open with a colorful array of comic character toys, including Mortimer Snerd, a boxed Marx Merry Makers Band with marquee, boxed Lionel Mickey Mouse Handcar, and many other classic character depictions.

A fleet of high-end European automotive toys includes Lot 1165, a large deluxe Carette limo with all figures inside, $7,000-$9,000; Lot 1050, a German three-man tandem bicycle, $4,000-$7,000; Lot 1170, an ultra-desirable circa-1935 Tippco Mercedes Autobahn Kurier, $5,000-$7,000; and Lot 1238, an early, hand-painted M&K zeppelin, $2,000-$3,000.

Five sought-after Batman cars, including a sleek-looking ASC production with box, add a modern accent to the Japanese toy lineup. Among the earlier Japanese vehicles are Lot 1179, a boxed, near-mint black Chrysler Imperial, $10,000-$14,000; Lot 1195, a Modern Toy Laboratory motorcycle, $5,000-$7,500; and Lot 1169, a boxed Yonezawa Champion Racer, $2,000-$3,000.

Bertoia’s will set sail with several large, extremely desirable Marklin boats. Lot 1212, a fantastic steam-powered Amerika liner, is fresh to the market and comes to auction from the grandchildren of the original owner, who received the boat as a child in the 1920s. In spectacular, all-original condition, it is expected to reach $40,000-$60,000. Other Marklin highlights include Lot 1211, a circa-1929 Rheingold 30-inch paddleboat, $35,000-$45,000; Lot 1215, a circa-1910 New York battleship, $20,000-$30,000; and Lot 1217, a display piece replicating the Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen that was made by the revered German toy manufacturer under commission for a travel agency, $10,000-$14,000.

Lehmann toys include boxed examples of an Echo motorcycle, $5,500-$7,500; Baker and Sweep,

$2,750-$3,750; and Paddy and the Pig, $2,000-$3,000. Several coveted, French made Martin wind-ups will be offered, as well.

From the Land Down Under comes the Paul Hale steam engine collection, incorporating numerous steam plants, horizontals, verticals, and more. Lot 1401 is a possible salesman’s sample steam tractor engine, estimated at $2,500-$5,000. Lot 1339, a Marklin steam plant impressively sized at 18 x 20 x 24 inches, carries a $6,000-$9,000 estimate.

Bertoia’s will be bumper to bumper with upscale European trains and accessories from the Warren

Heid collection. Standouts include: Lot 1442, a Marklin Central Station in superior condition,

$15,000-$20,000; Lot 1408, an original Ernst Plank hot air trolley, $15,000-$18,000; Lot 1409, an early Carette train in original wood box, $4,000-$6,000; and Lot 1462, a King George V O-gauge train reputedly made by Marklin for Bassett Lowke, $4,000-$6,000.

Fans of American-made trains will want to be on board for the excellent lineup of productions by American Flyer from the Jim Ferguson collection. Additionally, there are many desirable trains and accessories by Voltamp, Lionel, Ives and Carlisle & Finch. Top entries include: Lot 1524, an early Voltamp 2100 B&O train; Lot 1529, a Carlisle & Finch suspension bridge; and Lot 1578, an Ives O-gauge engine with tender and Brooklyn and Buffalo cars.

Saturday’s proceedings will wrap with an eye-pleasing selection of antique petroliana and motoring memorabilia. The grouping includes Lot 1635, a large, Art Deco-style Richland Gasoline auto-themed poster; and Lot 1636, a Francisco Heater automotive sign in outstanding condition.

Boxed roaring-engine Batman car, FMG Japan, est. $1,500-$2,000

The Sunday session will be brimming with beautiful pressed-steel vehicles – both heavy and light gauge – from the renowned Jay Schoedinger collection. There are some great Buddy L’s, some having provenance from the Don Kaufman collection; plus Kingsburys, a boxed Marx G-Man car, and a boxed Girard Fire Chief car. Additionally, nine pedal vehicles, including a Gendron fire truck, will roll confidently across the gallery floor.

Because Bertoia’s November auction traditionally launches the holiday season for toy collectors, there is always a glittering section of Christmas antiques from which to choose, and this time is no exception. There are Dresdens, Santas of various types, kugels, and glass ornaments. Other holidays represented are Halloween, Easter and Valentine’s Day. Following the cataloged portion of the sale, Bertoia’s will present over 100 holiday box lots for auction attendees only.

Bertoia’s Annual Fall Auction will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 11, 12 and 13, 2016 at Bertoia Auctions’ gallery, 2141 DeMarco Dr., Vineland, NJ 08360. All forms of bidding will be available, including absentee, phone or live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.com.

Start times: 10 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Friday, Nov. 11; 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12; and 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13. Preview the week of Nov. 7-10 from 9am-5pm; on Saturday from 8am, and on Sunday from 9 a.m.

To contact Bertoia Auctions, call 856-692-1881; email toys@bertoiaauctions.com. Additional info is available online at www.bertoiaauctions.com.

BOULDER, Colo. – Attention time travelers and antiquities collectors: No boarding pass is required for Artemis Gallery’s May 21 journey to past civilizations. All that’s required is an Internet connection and you’ll soon be browsing a fascinating auction catalog filled with more than 400 choice Classical, Near Eastern and Far Eastern antiquities; plus Pre-Columbian and ethnographic art.

 Precious metals will be presented in a variety of forms, including decorative and monetary. Taking the spotlight in this category is a selection of beautiful Viking jewelry made in northern Europe in the 9th-12th centuries CE.

Viking silver bracelet, northern Europe, 9th-12th century CE, found in Great Britain, estimate $2,000-$3,000.

“Fine jewelry was worn by both men and women as a sign of status within the Viking culture,” note Teresa Dodge, managing director of Artemis Gallery. “Viking craftsmen used high-carat gold and very pure silver that stood the test of time, as you can see from the items in our auction.” A braided ring composed of two 22K gold wires twisted together, hammered and welded at the terminals exhibits traditional Viking techniques. Weighing 5.2 grams, the ring is estimated at $5,000-$7,000. A pair of high-karat gold hoop earrings adorned with inverted pyramids is similarly estimated at $5,000-$7,000, while an elegant twisted silver bracelet with coiled terminals is expected to make $2,000-$3,000. All three items were discovered in Great Britain and have been held in private collections for decades. Exhibiting extremely fine artistry and detail work, a circa-19th-century Russian icon depicting Saint Nicholas is stamped “BE” and “84” on its silver oklad (cover). It comes to Artemis Gallery from a Texas private collection and carries a $2,000-$3,000 estimate.

A historically important medieval dagger from the Battle of Towton (1461, English Wars of the Roses) is made from iron and bronze with a wood handle, and has retained all of its elements. The formidable 14½-inch-long battle weapon is estimated at $2,000-$3,000.  From an earlier era, a circa 158-150 BCE silver tetradrachm from Macedonia features the head of Artemis on obverse and monograms, a thunderbolt and a club with oak leaves on the reverse. Estimate: $700-$900.

Apple-green jade adornment, 6th-9th century CE, estimate 4,000-$6,000.

Many exceptional Asian antiquities will be offered, including a Chinese Qing Dynasty bronze bell, $4,000-$6,000; and a late 18th/early 19th century Tibetan thangka painted with the lineage tree for the Gelugpa sect, ex Sarkisian Gallery, $5,000-$7,000. An extraordinary 1833 (Edo period) Sumiyoshi school Shunga scroll contains 19 unrelated depictions of sexual tableaux, e.g., seductions, couples and groups engaged in sexual activity, etc. The scroll is published in Erotic Aspects of Japanese Culture by L. Gichner, and is estimated at $5,000-$8,000. A wonderfully varied selection of Pre-Columbian art is led by a Mayan apple-green jade adornment, circa 6th-9th century CE, with the carved visage of a Mayan ruler or lord wearing an ornamental headdress. Ex-Adeon Gallery, Chicago, the artwork is presented on a custom stand and has a pre-sale estimate of $4,000-$6,000.

Rare and unusual, two 48-inch-long Oceanic (New Guinea or Molucca Islands) animal-skin scrolls are both pictorial and narrative in nature. Both date to the 17th or 18th century and will be offered as one lot with a $10,000-$15,000 estimate.

Bidders may participate in Artemis Gallery’s May 21, 2015 auction live online, by phone (please reserve phone line in advance) or by leaving an absentee bid that will be lodged confidentially and competitively on their behalf. The sale will begin at 11 a.m. Eastern Time and will be conducted simultaneously on three bidding platforms: ArtemisGalleryLIVE.com, LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. For additional information about any item in the auction, call Teresa Dodge at 720-502-5289 or email teresa@artemisgallery.com.

DENVER, Pa. – Morphy Auctions will present 839 lots of antique advertising in its March 28th specialty auction. All forms of bidding will be available, including absentee or live online via Morphy Live.

Rare, large 1909 Coca-Cola cardboard poster
est. $6,000-$12,000

Among the main categories are Coca-Cola and soda pop signs and other advertising, rare tobacco tins and petroliana. A featured highlight is the selection of high-end soda fountain syrup dispensers, led by Lot 451, an Earl Hires platter with matching bowl that supports a nicely decorated globe-shape dispenser. The suite is marked “Mettlach,” referring to a city in Germany where Villeroy & Boch porcelain was produced. Offered together with three early, tall mugs with an identical motif, the set is believed to be the only known example. “We think the set originally might have been loaned to a successful soda fountain operator. We don’t think it’s a type of item that was ever produced commercially,” said Dan Morphy, president and founder of Morphy Auctions. The lot estimate is $75,000-$125,000.

Wool’s Cherrie Smash syrup dispenser est. $40,000-$60,000

Another stunning antique syrup dispenser is Lot 493, produced for Wool’s Cherrie Smash. Decorated with appealing graphics in bold colors, this may also be a sole survivor. In excellent-plus to near-mint condition, it is expected to reach $40,000-$60,000 on auction day. Lot 515, a circa-1900 Pepsi-Cola ceramic syrup urn with gorgeous Art Nouveau decoration, stands 18 inches high and is estimated at $30,000-$50,000. No soda pop collection would be complete without representation of the king of soft drinks, Coca-Cola. Morphy’s is known for its record-setting prices achieved from the sale of Coke advertising, but collectors can find beautiful examples at all price points. An especially nice choice for the mid-range collector is Lot 278, a 1909 Coca-Cola cardboard poster. Featuring a model holding a glass of Coke, the rare and impressively sized poster is 55½ inches long and is estimated at $6,000-$12,000.

Earl Hires syrup dispensing bowl
est. $75,000-$125,000

A classic in the soda-pop collecting world is Lot 376, a 1910 Allens Red Tame Cherry Red cut-out sign with metal easel support. Heavily embossed to render depth, this great-looking sign depicts a young girl and boy enjoying their beverages at a table emblazoned: “Drink Allens Red Tame Cherry and you’ll smile too.” Estimate: $800-$1,400. Vibrant and appealing, a curved porcelain sign advertising Red-Top Flour shows a young boy dressed in knickerbockers, jacket and cap, climbing over a fence. In excellent-plus condition, it measures 22 by 16 inches and is estimated at $10,000-$20,000. Morphy’s Saturday, March 28, 2015 auction will be held at the company’s gallery at 2000 N. Reading Rd., Denver, PA 17517. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through Morphy Live, LiveAuctioneers and Proxibid. Start time is 9 a.m. Eastern.

Preview the entire auction inventory daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or from 8-9 a.m. on auction day, prior to the start of the sale. For additional information on any item or to reserve a phone line for live bidding on auction day, call 717-335-3435 or email info@morphyauctions.com.

Visit Morphy Auctions online at www.morphyauctions.com.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – In the 1980s, New York’s gritty Lower East Side was a hotbed of aspiring artists and entertainers with the common goal of achieving fame and success. Two of the kindred spirits drawn to each other within the fast-paced microcosm of music, art and youthful freedom were British-born artist, dancer and model Martin Burgoyne and his best friend/roommate Madonna. On February 9, Myers Fine Art will auction the Burgoyne family’s archive of mementos from their late son’s New York days as the centerpiece of its 20th Century Decorative Arts sale.

Martin Burgoyne (British/American, 1963-1986), original colored-pencil drawing of Madonna used for the 1983 Madonna record ‘Burning Up,’ 8 x 6¾in, portfolio estimate $2,000-$4,000

“Like so many talented young people who had not yet been ‘discovered,’ Martin Burgoyne worked a variety of jobs to get by while building a name for himself as a graphic artist,” said Mary Dowd, co-owner of Myers Fine Art. “He worked as a dancer, model and even a bartender at Studio 54. During that time, he and Madonna were very much a part of each other’s lives and socialized with a large circle of friends that included Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Tragically, Martin died at the age of 23, but he left quite a legacy. His parents, who are now retired in Florida, have been the guardians of his art and other mementos entered in our February 9th auction.”

Burgoyne’s portfolio of 12 original colored-pencil drawings, some of them depicting Madonna, were chosen to grace both the front and back covers of the pop star’s 1983 debut 12-inch dance single, “Burning Up.” The portfolio of original art is estimated at $2,000-$4,000.

1980s Polaroid photograph of  Burgoyne and Madonna, estimate $600-$900.

An extensive trove of Polaroids and studio photos, documents Martin and his friends at work and at leisure in their collective comfort zone. A candid Polaroid of Martin – then a student at Pratt Institute – and Madonna – who was on the verge of stardom – shows them in the fashions and pastel-colored hair typical of the early 1980s. “Madonna is already revealing her individuality, with rosaries draped around her neck,” Dowd noted. The photo is estimated at $800-$1,200. Other prized Polaroids include one taken of Burgoyne looking like a latter-day James Dean with friend Keith Haring (1958-1990), against the backdrop of a Haring artwork. Estimate: $800-$1,200. A color photo of Burgoyne with Madonna in a recording studio could realize $800-$1,200 at auction.

Other artworks of note include an Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987) original screen print “Mao #91,” measuring 36 inches square and numbered 56/250. The 1972 print made at the Styria Studio is estimated at $35,000-$50,000. Also having a Warhol connection is a 3ft-long painted-canvas sardine with movable tail, which retains its Sotheby’s sticker from the highly publicized 1988 auction of cookie jars and other items from the pop art legend’s estate.

Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987) original screen print ‘Mao #91,’ 1972, 36 inches square, numbered 56/250, Styria Studio, est. $35,000-$50,000. Myers Fine Art image.

Of great historical significance is a small collection of items connected to the family of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and which will be apportioned into three auction lots. The grouping includes two 1899 signed photos of Nicholas and his wife, the Tsarina Alexandra, which were given to Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock while he was Ambassador to Russia under President William McKinley. The collection also includes a gift given to Hitchcock by Tsar Nicholas II: a Faberge parasol with a guilloche enameled gold and diamond handle created by premier Faberge designer Michael Perchin. Estimate: $4,000-$5,000.

Myers Fine Art’s Sunday, February 9, 2014 auction of 20th century decorative art featuring the Martin Burgoyne collection will commence at 12 noon Eastern Time. A preview will be held from 10-6 on Saturday, February 8, and from 10 a.m. till noon on auction day. The gallery is located at 1600 4th St. North in St. Petersburg, FL 33704. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers and Invaluable. For additional information, call 727-823-3249 or e-mail auctions@myersfineart.com. Online: www.myersfineart.com.