This 19-inch French tin-windup Hispano-Suiza “900” seaplane was all original and had provenance to the Wint Johnson collection. The plane flew in for $9,225, the highest price of the sale. ($400-$600).
WILLOUGHBY, OHIO — A phenomenal legacy collection of German Schuco toys and fine pre-WWII airplanes joined forces to conquer the top 10 at Milestone’s August 24 Premier Toy Auction. Nearly 300 lots of Schucos were offered at the live gallery sale, each an outstanding original example. While most of the Schucos are now en route to successful bidders across the pond in Germany, France and other Continental destinations, the majority of the airplanes — mostly of European manufacture — will remain on US soil. All of the toys entered in the 639-lot auction came from the estate collection of Minnesotan and lifelong toy enthusiast, Winton “Wint” Johnson (1937-2022).
According to Milestone Auctions’ co-owner, Miles King, online participants kept their bidding cards close to their vests. “They must have all had the same strategy in mind because they seemed to appear all at once to view the catalog and leave bids in the hour before the sale began,” he said. “We knew that probably every major Schuco collector would be interested in Wint’s collection — there was just no way they were going to miss the opportunity — but we had no idea how strong the interest would be in his vintage airplanes, which were in beautiful condition.”
The top seller amongst the Schucos was a Felix the Cat perfume bottle in excellent, all-original condition, with a “ball-bearing” nose, red kerchief and nicely painted facial features. Against an estimate of $300-$500, it sold for $4,674. Other novelties included three Schuco figural compacts: a scarce Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, $1,023; a patterned humpback tortoise, $1,023; and a French bulldog, $906. All were in original condition, retained their mirrors and had been individually estimated at $300-$500.
This Schuco Felix the Cat perfume bottle, measuring 5 inches tall, was all original and in excellent condition. It had provenance to the Wint Johnson collection and sold for $4,674 ($300-$500).
Huddled on the auction runway, Wint Johnson’s rare, pre-war airplanes — mostly of German and French origin — were cleared for takeoff, one by one and take off they did. “We know now that Wint had great foresight in the aviation toys he acquired,” King said. “By profession, he was a mechanical engineer. His knowledge of mechanical systems no doubt fueled his interest in airplanes, the designs of which must have seemed avant-garde at the time of their release.”
This store display with five vintage scale miniature battery-operated outboard motors made by K&O Models Inc., included representations of Mercury 8, Gale 35, Buccaneer, Mercury and Green Outboard. With provenance to the Wint Johnson collection, it sold for $5,760 ($2/3,000).
Leading the category, and the sale as a whole, was a 19-inch French tin-windup Hispano-Suiza 900 seaplane finished in red, yellow and French blue with lithographed windowpanes. An all-original example, it sold for $9,225. Another high flier was a scarce, all-original 17½-inch Fleischmann tin windup pontoon seaplane, which landed at $7,072 against an estimate of $2/3,000.
This Schuco Germany windup race car with driver zoomed to $3,936 against an estimate of $1,5/2,500. The lithographed tin racer had the Schuco logo on its radiator grille and the hand-painted driver was dressed in a felt jacket, helmet and scarf with tin hands and goggles. The 6½-inch-long car had provenance to the Wint Johnson collection.
Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, www.milestoneauctions.com or 440-527-8060.
