Morphy Auctions' Dec. 11 sale of toys, trains, Barbies and antique advertising

Morphy's celebrates the holiday season with a Dec. 11 auction

of toys, trains, Barbies and antique advertising

DENVER, Pa. - This year collectors won't have to wait till Christmas to add a great toy, train or Barbie doll to their shelf or showcase. The second session of Morphy's Dec. 10-11 antiques auction can make that happen two weeks early - if you're the winning bidder on any of approximately 850 choice lots.

There will be two separate catalogs for the Dec. 11 session - one for lots 1 through 150, which consists entirely of Barbie dolls and vintage accessories from the Cristol/Glickman collection, and a second catalog for all subsequent lots, which are predominantly toys, trains, mechanical banks and antique advertising.

The auction will open with a fantastic selection of more than 1,000 vintage Barbie dolls and related items, apportioned into 150 lots. All are from the revered Cristol/Glickman collection of Chicago, which was amassed over two several decades.

Among the top dolls in the collection is an original 1959 blond No. 1 Barbie in a striped swimsuit and high heels, complete with posing stand and original box. It is expected to make $3,500-$5,000 at auction.

Another important entry is a 1959 brunette No. 2 Barbie boxed store display, with the teen fashion doll dressed in a "Sweet Dreams" negligee and complete with a brass alarm clock and wax apple bedtime snack. Bradley Justice, the expert consultant who cataloged the Barbie section of the sale, explained why the set is so rare. "The pink silhouette box was given to dealers only in 1959, for display purposes in their stores. It's a very special box," Justice said. Estimate $4,000-$6,000.

Other dolls of note include a 1965 American Girl Barbie doll in its original box, $600-$800; a brunette Barbie No. 3, $600-$800; and an original 1961 Ken doll with its original wrist tag and packaging, $200-$350.

A wide array of fashions and accessories will be available not only for Barbie, but her entire entourage. "Sometimes accessories are more popular at auction than the dolls are," said Justice. "There's something in the sale to represent every character in Barbie's life. In addition to Barbie's original, boxed Austin-Healey, we have Ken's hot rod and items for Barbie's little sister Skipper, her best friend Midge, and her cousin Francie."

Overall, the Barbie items are in excellent condition or better. "The collector was very picky about choosing really nice examples. Some look as thought they are right out of the package, store bought and new," said Justice.

Morphy's will also be offering 250 high-quality hand-painted and lithographed pre-war German and American trains from a 40-year collection. Many premium brands and rare examples will cross the auction block, including scarce productions by Continental manufacturers Marklin, Bing and Carette; and early American trains by Carlisle and Finch, Knapp, Howard, Voltamp and Ives. Additionally, the inventory includes a fine selection of golden age Lionel and American Flyer standard and O-gauge trains, engines, engine and tenders, complete sets, and some postwar items.

"There are many pieces in this collection that you rarely see, especially the early American trains by Knapp, Voltamp and Howard," said Morphy's chief operating officer and train expert Tom Sage Jr. "There's also a 2 7/8 gauge Lionel that's quite rare."

Sage explained that many of the lesser-known train companies were not in business for very long and would be bought out by larger firms. "They couldn't compete with the bigger companies like Lionel, which had a strong marketing presence. Many collectors like the early trains from the short-lived companies and consider them more interesting and realistic looking."

Train highlights include: Lionel standard gauge State set, $6,000-$9000; Marklin gauge 1 Tramway Trolley, $4,000-$6,000; Marklin gauge 1 FE loco, $4,000-$6,000; Knapp No. 221 steeple cab electric train locomotive, $4,000-$6,000; and Lionel Mickey Mouse Circus Train set, $4,000-$6,000. A Voltamp No. 2100 locomotive and tender freight set could reach a $5,000-$6,000 auction destination, while an American Flyer blue Presidents Special set coule reach $4,000-$5,000.

An individual estimate of $2,000-$3,000 estimate has been placed on both a Bing gauge 2 live steam #4000 locomotive and a Bing live steam Black Prince loco and tender.

A colorful mix of toys and pedal cars will follow, with more than 150 pieces of pressed steel from a single-owner Midwestern collection. Buddy 'L,' Keystone and Smith-Miller are among the brands featured. A buddy 'L' No. 500 handcar is estimated at $2,500-$4,000, and the fleet of snappy-looking pedal cars includes such highlights as a blue "Paige" convertible, $4,000-46,000; a Skippy tandem two-seater car, $3,000-$4,000; and an American National "Cord," $2,000-$3,000.

The auction also includes more than 150 general toy lots, American toys such as a lithographed-tin Harley-Davidson motorcycle, $3,000-$5,000; and a grouping of mechanical banks. The top bank is a Panorama with 95%-plus original paint. "This is a beautiful bank, and it was consigned by its original owner, which is unusual," said Morphy Auctions CEO Dan Morphy. Estimate $15,000-$20,000.

More than 30 European tin windups have been cataloged, by Lehmann, Gunthermann and other desirable manufacturers. Also featured in the European tin section is a hand-painted Carette limousine, $6,000-$9,000; a Radiguet live steam boat, $3,000-$5,000; and an M&K go-around toy, $3,000-$4,000.

Known for its strong following in the antique advertising community, Morphy's will present several outstanding collections in that category. The single-owner collection of more than 60 occupational shaving mugs includes examples emblazoned with images for a Dodge dealership, a taxi service - dated 1929 and with a taxi on it - an ice cream delivery truck, and a race car. Perhaps the most unusual shaving mug is the one depicting a carnival horse performing a vaudeville-style trick in which the equine spells his name in the sand with his hoof. Morphy's has sold occupational shaving mugs in several of its past sales, but overall, Dan Morphy believe the collection to be auctioned on Dec. 11, which is fresh to his company, is "the best grouping yet."

Other antique advertising in the sale includes more than 100 lots of Coca-Cola items, numerous advertising signs, and a specialty collection of more than 40 items touting the soda pop brand Orange Crush. "The collection includes a couple of one of a kind pieces. There's an Orange Crush light-up sign that's estimated at $7,000-$10,000." Other rarities include an Orange Crush oversize syrup dispenser, $4,000-$6,000; and a 3-D die-cut display, $2,000-$3,000.

Many other examples of antique advertising will be sold. Among them are a Winchester shotgun display board with ammo, $15,000-$25,000; and a Hires root Beer syrup dispenser, $10,000-$15,000.

On Friday, Dec. 10, 2010, Morphy's will conduct a day-long auction of fine and decorative art. A separate catalog is being produced for the Dec. 10 session.

All forms of bidding will be available for both the Dec. 10 and 11 sessions, including live via the Internet through Morphy Live or LiveAuctioneers.com. For additional information, call 717-335-3435 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

CAPTIONS:

CaretteLimo -
 

Carette (Germany) hand-painted clockwork limousine with beveled-glass windshield, rubber tires, 12 ½ inches long. Estimate $6,000-$9,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Barbie -
 

Brunette Barbie No. 2 in original store display box. Estimate $4,000-$6,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Marklin Train -
 

Marklin gauge 1 FE locomotive and tender. Estimate $4,000-$6,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Panorama Bank -
 

J. & E. Stevens cast-iron Panorama mechanical bank, near mint, all-original paint. Estimate $15,000-$20,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Jukebox -

Wurlitzer Model 1100 jukebox, made in 1948, plays 78 RPM records, one of only 2,500 made. Estimate $3,500-$4,000. Morphy Auctions image.

PedalCar -
 

Circa-1930 convertible Cord pedal car in striking lime green and orange color scheme, 44 inches long. Estimate $2,000-$3,000. Morphy Auctions image.

M&KGoAround -

M&K (Germany) go-around toy, hand painted and lithographed tin with six original bisque doll riders. Original French and American Flags. Estimate $2,000-$4,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Lionel Train -

Lionel train with 408E engine and four-car set that includes Illinois, Colorado, New York and California cars. Scarce matching set, 100% original. Estimate $6,000-$9,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Racecar Mug -

Occupational shaving mug for renowned 1920s/'30s race car driver Denis Gleason. Estimate $2,000-$4,000. Morphy Auctions image.

Orange Crush -

Reverse-on-glass Orange Crush neon illuminating sign, working order, 18¼ inches in diameter. Estimate $7,000-$10,000. Morphy Auctions image.