Leading the holiday sale was this 23-inch-tall pumpkin head scarecrow trade stimulator. It scored $22,800 ($3/5,000).

Review by Carly Timpson; Photos courtesy Bertoia Auctions

VINELAND, N.J. — Jeanne Bertoia reported being thrilled to see so many excited bidders for the November 17-18 Annual Fall Auction which achieved in-person numbers that had previously been dampened by the Covid-19 pandemic. Not only did Bertoia see the largest in-house audience in four years, but there were also 1,600 bidders participating online and 275 over the phone or via absentee bids. In total, the weekend performance brought in $1.8 million. Just two weeks later, Bertoia conducted another successful auction. While Bertoia usually sells holiday antiques in various sales throughout the year, that changed on December 1, when they conducted an entire auction exclusively for holiday items. In this sale, 490 lots of Christmas, Halloween, Easter and other holiday decorations were offered.

The Annual Fall Sale

Like many of Bertoia’s auctions, cast iron and tinplate toys, mechanical banks and automobiles saw strong favor among bidders in the Fall Sale. The most successful lot of the day, despite not being the highest priced overall, was a cast iron Hubley firehouse. With reportedly only one other example of this toy known to collectors, this authentic estate find was in pristine condition and soared well beyond its high estimate to sell for $36,000. The rare station will now be added to a personal collection of fire toys curated by a dedicated enthusiast in the United States.

Skyrocketing 25 times above its high estimate, a boxed friction-drive Linemar “Space Explorer S-3” rover, circa 1950s, sold for $30,000. The metallic blue and yellow lithographed tinplate rover is “driven” by a vibrant red robot astronaut. Linemar, a Japanese subsidiary of Louis Marx and Company, made cheap toys with low-quality materials following World War II, so it is impressive to find one in such great condition after so long. In addition to the rover’s quality, the value was driven by its near-mint condition box.

A different Japanese-origin atomic-age vehicle also performed well. The battery-operated Nomura “Space Patrol Car R-10” hit $15,600. This car, modeled after the Volkswagen Beetle, was also boxed and in pristine to mint condition, complete with an astronaut driver and painted with metallic blue, red and silver details.
Crossing the block on fewer wheels was a colorful Kico two-cylinder motorcycle. For an already hard-to-come-by and desirable toy, the rare teal, lime and orange colorway made the toy even more valuable for buyers. With vibrant details and an internally mounted key wind motor, this cycle and rider raced off for $14,400.

This boxed and near-mint condition Linemar friction-drive “Space Explorer S-3” rover, measuring 5½ inches long, generated $30,000 ($1,2/1,800).

A 13-inch-tall cast iron giraffe doorstop from Hubley weighed in at $18,000. These doorstops tend to be rather rare because many were donated to scrap-iron drives held to source materials for military equipment during World War II. This giraffe, however, was in pristine condition.

One of the most notable mechanical banks in the auction featured two masons building a brick wall. This mason bank was made circa 1887 by Shepard Hardware Company and earned $18,000. Originating from the Heath Hurlbert Collection, the paint on this bank has brilliantly stood the test of time and it was complete with the original coin trap key.

The $16,800 sale of a tin “Tremendous Mike” clockwork robot from ASC Japan made it one of the most expensive of its kind to ever sell at auction. This 10-inch silver and red robot was paired with its near-pristine to mint condition original box. The toy’s clockwork mechanism allows it to move and change directions, rotates the robot’s satellite dish antenna and displays “sparks” on the chest plate.

A toy replica of Santos Dumont’s No. 14-bis airplane made by Louis Maugin Paris from the Bob Davis Aeronautical Collection flew to $13,200, more than double its $4,500 high estimate.

From the Bob Davis Aeronautical Collection, this boxed Louis Maugin aeroplane has a 6½ inch wingspan and achieved $13,200 ($2/4,500).

The German-based Lehmann Company’s circa 1914-35 coil-wound Berolina car with box and instruction sheets sold for an impressive $10,200. This model has a fabric convertible roof that folds back to expose two rows of red seats behind a driver at the wheel.

An exceptionally rare and pristine condition brass and nickel still bank from 1893 sold for $10,800. This bank was a souvenir from the World’s Columbian Exposition held in Chicago to commemorate 400 years since Christopher Columbus reached America, Bertoia knows of only one other example of this bank to cross the auction block.

Holiday Exclusive Auction

Jeanne Bertoia described the company’s first holiday-only sale as unbelievable: “Things were selling for double, triple, quadruple their estimates — it was just smoking!”

While bidders in the Holiday Exclusive Auction seemed to have an affinity for Christmas decorations, a pumpkin scarecrow was the surprising top lot of the sale. Despite a small chip and minor preservation, the 23-inch-tall jack-o-lantern head scarecrow trade stimulator earned $22,800.

Leading the Christmas items was an 8-by-13-inch clockwork reindeer. The lounging reindeer figure was covered with realistic fur, had prominent antlers and had a Dresden trim collar around its neck. It sold to a buyer for $19,200.

A German 8-by-13-inch clockwork reindeer with realistic fur and a Dresden trim collar earned $19,200 ($2,5/4,500).

Among other top lots in the sale were a host of large Santa candy containers. The largest of the bunch, standing at 34 inches tall, was wearing a hooded red robe and holding an evergreen tree in one hand and a basket in the other. When opened, the massive Santa container can hold pounds of candy. It finished at $16,800.

Though slightly smaller, a 31½-inch Santa candy container earned $18,000 — more than three times its high estimate. This one, wearing a red overcoat and matching hat, blue jeans and black boots. This Santa is also holding evergreen branches in one hand; however, this one is decorated with ornaments.

The most unique of the top candy containers is the German-made Santa with a long blue robe, trimmed with leopard print. This Santa container has a red hat (which is also lined with leopard print), tan pants, black boots and is carrying a basket with various goods. At just 11 inches tall, this is the smallest of the top-performing Santa containers, but it still achieved $12,000.

A massive, 52-inch-long-by-27-inch-high clockwork Santa in sleigh with reindeer display was sold for $18,000. The clockwork mechanism on this display moves Santa’s head as he sits in the moss-covered sleigh. Interestingly, the large reindeer pulling Santa is another hidden candy container.

Towering over its estimate at $18,000, this 31½-inch Santa candy container was in excellent condition barring minor touchups ($3/5,000).

Finishing with a stunning $14,400, a 25-inch roly-poly Santa toy generated intense competition among bidders. The unusual toy, depicting Santa Claus holding a doll, a Dala horse, a clock, a pipe and a horn, had a high estimate of just $1,200.

A store display from the Old King Cole Display company in Canton, Ohio, flew across the block for an impressive $10,800, well above its estimated range of $1,500 to $2,500. This 34½-inch-tall papier mache display shows Santa riding in a whimsical green and gold “Griffin Sleigh.”

Another happy underdog story was that of a Dresden Pegasus and chariot ornament. Realizing a price 10 times greater than its high estimate, the 4-inch metallic ornament brought $10,200.

Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. Bertoia’s next auction will be in January. For information, 856-692-1881 or www.bertoiaauctions.com.