The Payson building.
STRATFORD, CONN. – An extremely rare mounted knight by the English maker Richard Courtenay topped all other lots at the first combined Lloyd Ralston-Henry Kurtz Ltd toy and miniature soldier auction, selling for $2,310 (including buyer’s premium) after spirited competition among salesroom participants as well as mail and online bidders.
The sale, conducted December 8 at the Lloyd Ralston Gallery, featured toy soldiers by Britains, Ltd, Mignot, Elastolin, Lineol and Dimestore figure makers and was nearly a 100 percent sellout, with only nine of 450 lots bought in.
Other highs of the day included a rare Britains, Ltd prewar British army Display Set #73, which sold for $1,237, and a French Napoleonic Lancer Band by the French firm of Mignot, which went for $1,100, far exceeding its $350/450 estimate.
Prewar Britains boxed sets generally did well, with a set of the 4th/7th Dragoon Guards going for $616 ($250/350). A Britains 10-wheeled Lorry with anti-aircraft Gun also sold for $516 ($250/350).
Among the 32 Courtenay figures sold, top dollar was achieved by a mounted tournament Knight that fetched $1,045 ($600/800) and an unusual foot figure of the French Knight Thierry D’Auffay, which went for $605 ($250/350)
Some other high prices included $374 for three small Marx plastic figure sets, modestly estimated at $100/$125; a group of Radio Premium figures that fetched $308 ($150/200); and a Britains set of the Royal Company of archers that sold for $550 ($300/400).
