(WJW) – A unique assortment of vintage toys and trains amassed over $2.5 million during a late May auction, with the top-priced toy selling for $156,000.
The assortment was sourced from the illustrious antique dealer Tom Sage Sr., based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, as stated in a press release by Morphy Auctions. According to his obituary, Sage began collecting Lionel trains in the 1960s, eventually expanding his collection to include tin toys, mechanical banks, and boats.
“He had an eye for the finest things and only kept an item if it was in excellent condition,” per his obituary in The Morning Call.
Held on May 29 by Pennsylvania-based Morphy Auctions, the collection featured nearly 300 items. The piece that commanded the highest bid was a 1904 Ferris Wheel produced by the esteemed German company Marklin.
“One of only three or four of its type known to exist, it was likely the nicest of that elite handful of survivors, retaining its six original gondolas, attractive stained glass, and original figures,” read the release. “It had passed down through the family of a gentleman who worked for a Brooklyn department store and had received the toy when the business closed down sometime before World War I. Its auction ride concluded at a buoyant $156,000.”
A clockwork-powered Marklin toy boat and a detailed Marklin limousine were also highly coveted items, going for $79,950 and $72,000, respectively, at auction.
“Part II” of the toy lot is going up for bid with Morphy Auctions in October.
