An example of original artwork from the Bill George collection, featuring scream queens and monsters. Old Town Auctions image.

HAGERSTOWN, Md. – Matt Protos has amassed a sterling lineup of toys and 20th-century pop culture items for Old Town Auctions’ Nov. 18-20 auction titled “Monsters, Wheels and Girls on Film.”

“This is the best lineup of collections we’ve ever offered, and a lot of the material is rare and exotic. It’s unlike anything you’re likely to see at other auctions,” said Protos.

Approximately 200-250 lots are from the collection of Bill George, the original editor of Femme Fatales magazine whose now-closed private museum in Baltimore was devoted to horror film and B-movie “scream queens.” The collection contains numerous monster-theme Aurora model kits, movie posters, collectibles from Universal monster films, and original artwork from the genre. Additionally, there are many B-movie starlets’ autographs and related items of ephemera; sci-fi and horror toys and collectibles – including some fairly rare Marx productions – action figures, and an extensive selection of promotional items that were available only to industry insiders.

A special inclusion in the Bill George consignment is the collection of original sculptures and paintings by Daniel Horne, known for his fantastic cover art on the magazines Dungeon and Dragon, and other projects. Among the subjects depicted are Frankenstein, Wolfman and Space Monster. Resin monster figures by other artists will be sold, as well. Many were produced in limited editions of 200 or less, and some are artist’s proofs.

From the Jay Kaufman collection, three of more than 80 pressed-steel trucks and vehicles. Old Town Auctions image.

Another featured collection in the Nov. 18-20 auction consists of pressed-steel automotive toys amassed over many

years by Jay Kaufman of Scottsdale, Arizona.

“Jay is a well-known collector of fine classic and vintage cars. His mindset has always been attuned to perfection, so just like his full-size cars, many of his toys are beautifully restored – he thinks like a car guy,” said Protos. While most of the toys to be auctioned have benefited from top-quality restoration, many others are in all-original condition.

A sampling of the many scarce Buddy L toys, boats and trains, plus (upper right) a rare 37-inch Orkin battleship. Old Town Auctions image.

The Kaufman collection includes all of the big names – American National, Buddy ‘L,’ Keystone, Structo, etc. Highlights include a coveted Buddy ‘L’ Tugboat and a complete Buddy ‘L’ Outdoor Garden Railway.

Nautical toys also found a welcome place to dock in the Kaufman collection. There are many large-scale, highly detailed boats and ship, including a 37-inch Orkin battleship, a few boats by Fleischmann and some large wooden clockwork dreadnoughts.

More than 100 cap guns and 100+ BB guns will fire away, including a large selection by Daisy. Old Town Auctions image.

An immense variety of other toys appealed to Kaufman, including airplanes and aviation items, tin wind-ups of all kinds,

boxed battery ops, Western toys and a toy gun collection that includes BB, space-theme and cap guns. Watching over the collection was an eye-catching life-size Popeye store mannequin made of heavy composition, with movable arms and head, and dressed in a cloth sailor suit and hat.

The auction will feature a choice collection of die-cast vehicles, including early mint/boxed Matchbox, Dinky, Hot Wheels and Corgi toys. Slot cars and sets, and an estate collection of 120+ plastic promotional cars will cross the auction block, as well. “These sorts of promotional cars were given out at automobile dealerships,” Protos explained. “This collection contains some really good ones that you don’t see every day.”

More than 100 Erector sets and factory displays will be auctioned, including the rare Zeppelin set (lower right), robot and amusement park sets. The overhead monorail display has more than 80 feet of track. Old Town Auctions image.

Another tightly focused collection consists of more than 100 high-quality, complete Erector and construction sets. Among them are robot sets, a boxed Zeppelin, and early truck, carnival and circus sets, plus some Erector store displays.

Also of interest to the scientifically minded bidder is the collection of early Apple computers and other primitive computer items. “Computers from Apple’s early days have become extremely collectible. There’s no shortage of people looking for them, and prices for rare models are increasing rapidly,” Protos said. Along the same lines, the auction will feature a computer-driven Heath Kit robot, complete and never assembled.

A huge selection of antique and vintage tin wind-ups will be offered, including Lehmann and Marx toys; plus smaller-scale automotive toys, aviation toys including a Blue Angels display with airplanes still affixed; Occupied Japan figural pieces, a grouping of Marx playsets and a collection of James Bond 007 and other spy toys from the 1960s.

A collection of miniature working engines includes hit-and-miss style engines, and engines for a Harley-Davidson "Knucklehead" and Chevy small block V8. Old Town Auctions image.

The auction action will start revving up when a collection of miniature gas-powered engines is introduced. The mini engines, which include Chevrolet V8, Harley-Davidson and racing motors, are in full working order. Some are farm-style hit-and-miss engines.

An absolutely unique piece is the 1967 all-metal electric-powered monorail made for display at Expo ’67 in Montreal. The actual monorail car is 6 feet long and runs along 100 feet of track. It is complete and comes with custom-fitted storage cases. “We’ll have this set assembled and operating at the auction,” said Protos.

One of the most intriguing items in Old Town’s June sale was the funky folk robot from creator Steve Heller’s range of “techno art.” This time around, Old Town will offer Heller’s rendition of a robot girlfriend named “Marilyn” for the previously auctioned robot, plus a rocket ship – for a robot honeymoon, perhaps?

French poster and Lucy/Desi figures rom an important and extensive collection of ‘I Love Lucy’ posters and collectibles. Old Town Auctions image.

This year marks what would have been TV legend Lucille Ball’s 100th birthday. For his November sale, Protos secured a voluminous collection of Lucille Ball and I Love Lucy memorabilia and ephemera, plus other movie-related posters. The Lucy archive includes posters and lobby cards, a TV Guide No. 1 featuring Ms. Ball on the cover, the manuscript for a book written about the iconic actress, and many other fascinating career items pertaining to America’s favorite redhead.

An amazing mini collection of six musical instruments easily qualifies as American folk art. The instruments and their cases are skillfully hand-painted – some with automotive themes – and are branded “Kollege Kids.” The collection – whose origin is a mystery – includes a violin, banjo, drum and other instruments.

Among the many other categories represented in the Nov. 18-20 event are: exonumia and medallic art – some with a transportation theme and one designed by Norman Bel Geddes – several coin-op machines including a Wurlitzer 1015 jukebox and speakers, a few figural animated store displays (e.g., giraffe, seal), a small selection of black Americana, and American Indian sterling silver souvenir spoons.

Among the many great toys in the auction, a rare Giant Sonic Robot with its original box. Old Town Auctions image.

The discoveries will be plentiful both before and after each sale session, as uncataloged and late-entry lots are offered to in-house bidders only. “This has become a very popular feature, and it’s one of the reasons why some people will travel long distances to attend our sales. They know we cater to the live-auction crowd. We’re going to keep on giving the people what they want,” said Protos.

Old Town’s Monsters, Wheels and Girls on Film auction will be held at the Grand Venice Hotel in Hagerstown, Md., and will start at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18; 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19; and 12 noon on Sunday, Nov. 20. A preview will be held two hours prior to each auction session.

In addition to on-site bidding, Old Town accepts phone bids (call in advance to reserve a line) and both traditional and Internet-assisted absentee bids (online cut-off time 24 hours prior to sale). There will be no Internet live bidding during any of the sessions.

For additional information on any item in the sale call Matt Protos at 301-416-2854 or email sales@oldtownauctions.com. To view the fully illustrated auction catalog or leave absentee bids online, log on to www.OldTownAuctions.com or www.AuctionZip.com.

Lambertville, NJ:  The Rago Arts and Auction Center hosts an open house on Tuesday, November 29, featuring a talk by Newark Museum curator Ulysses Grant Dietz.

“Silver in America 1840-1940: Jewelry’s Sister Industry in America’s Gilded Age”  looks at the development of silver production from the 1840s, when foreign competition was first halted, to World War II, when silver manufacturing began its long slow decline.  Mr. Dietz will discuss the impact that silver – in all its diverse forms, fashions and functions – has had on the everyday life of the American home.

Ulysses Grant Dietz has been the curator of Decorative Arts at The Newark Museum since 1980.  He has been collecting silver for the Newark Museum for over 30 years.

The talk takes place during preview week for Rago’s Silver, Jewelry and Great Estates auctions, to be held on December 2, 3, 4, 2011.

It is co-sponsored by the Appraisers Association of America, the premier association of personal property appraisers serving the arts, legal, and financial communities. The certified members of the Appraisers Association of America provide USPAP-compliant appraisals for the fine and decorative arts, jewelry, and household contents for purposes of insurance, estate tax, charitable donation, equitable distribution, liquidation, purchase, and sale.

The auction house opens on Tuesday, November 29 at Noon. A reception begins at 5 pm. Mr. Dietz will speak at 6 pm.

RSVP to 609.397.9374 ext. 119. Unable to rsvp in advance? Please join us if you can. All are welcome.

Consignments invited for Rago’s  February 25th – Arts and Crafts/Early20th c.and February 26th – Modern 20th/21st c. Auctions. Consignment deadline January 9th.

Prominent art-world figure Vito Schnabel transforms Sotheby’s new private sales gallery S|2 for the exclusive selling exhibition These Days. Works by The Bruce High Quality Foundation, Dan Colen, Terence Koh and David Benjamin Sherry will be on view in S|2 – a newly-constructed gallery space within Sotheby’s York Avenue headquarters dedicated to hosting private selling exhibitions. The gallery itself has been re-imagined and designed to recall Mr. Schnabel’s own bedroom, offering a truly unique visitor experience within Sotheby’s New York location during the height of the fall auction season.

From the introduction to the exhibition catalogue, Vito Schnabel writes, “These Days is an exhibition I have had in mind for some time now. As I think about the art and artists I choose to work with, the exhibition setting always becomes an immediate concern. Whether a cloistered garden in Venice, a cornfield on Long Island or an empty storefront on West Broadway, I’ve sought to find environments that ‘fit’ – that create an experience of art suited to the particular magic of the art itself. For These Days I’ve brought the location with me. Within Sotheby’s new second floor gallery, S|2, I’ve recreated the interior of my own home. I’ve installed works by young artists that many may find unfamiliar, an unusual experience at an uptown auction house. But, these paintings, sculptures and photographs do for me what I ask of art. They help me understand how I ‘fit’.”