INDEX antiques
Forbes’ collection of tinplate toys went under the hammer and amazed the antique industry by raising the astonishing sum of more than £1.47m. One piece alone – a 1912 Märklin model of the Lusitania – realised £124,700. Forbes was a collector extraordinaire – everything from autographs to Faberge eggs – but it seems that it was tinplate toys
Tinplate toys are often sold in specialist auctions such as the one being held by Bonhams next month (01865 853640,
www.bonhams.com for details) but can still be found in fl ea markets and antique shops but, as always, do be on the look out for Chinese and Hungarian reproductions masquerading as originals – these are only worth around a fi ver so don’t be tempted to fall for them.
that really fi red his imagination. At the time of his death in 1990, Forbes had more than 100,000 tinplate items in his collection – despite only starting the collection at the tender age of 53. Tinplate toys have been around since the mid-18th century and some are still being manufactured today. But, in collecting terms, tinplate toys of the 19th and early 20th centuries are the most sought after. Most tin toys are made of thin sheets of iron coated with a layer of tin. Tin is a good metal to use for toys because it’s lightweight, sturdy and easy to decorate. Originally the toys were hand painted, but by the late 1800s it was possible to decorate them with quite sophisticated and intricate designs using lithographic printing. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries German factories were at the forefront of tinplate toy production and dominated the market. Factories such as Märklin, Lütz, Rock & Gräner, Tipp & Co and Bing were producing the most fantastic
Toy story C
Originally made cheaply and sold on street corners for a few pennies, tin toys are now fetching huge sums at auction, says Jennie Buist Brown
ollecting antique toys, it would seem, is not child’s play. In 2010, the last of publishing tycoon Malcolm
models of boats, cars and other vehicles – many of them with clockwork motors. By the late 1960s and ‘70s, plastic had taken over as the material of choice for toys and the days of the mass-produced tinplate toy were over.
When it comes to collecting tinplate toys, condition is everything. Today, an example in mint condition of a model boat or car with opening doors from one of the key factories is worth upwards of £2,000. More often than not, though, when you spot old tin-plate toys the paint is chipped off. That’s because paint does not adhere well to tin and the more paint missing, the less valuable the toy. As toys were made to be played with and not stored neatly in boxes not many survive unscathed – what child could resist the charm of a clockwork train, drum-beating monkey or quirky dancing bear? Serious collectors won’t touch anything that is damaged, chipped, rusty or re-painted, but if you are just starting your collection and can’t afford the high prices commanded by perfect examples then don’t let a little bit of damage put you off. I think the beauty of tinplate toys is evident even if they are not perfect. Although the early German toys are
sought after, there is also a big market for later tin toys – cars, motorcycles, aeroplanes and Japanese made robots, which made their appearance in the 1950s and 60s. Rare robots such as Machine Man and Target make up to £4,000 although some can still be bought for a few hundred pounds. Collectors prefer their robots to be boxed, a factor that can add considerable value.
www.indexmagazine.co.uk
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The INDEX magazine January 2012
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