Top honours went to a selection of motorcyles. The sale featured 138 examples from manufacturers in Germany, Spain, Japan, Italy, Russia and the US.
There was keen interest in this section. “Absentee and opening bids were insane, right off the bat,” said Milestone co-owner Chris Sammet.
The greatest demand came for two rare prototype motorcycles from the American firm Marx (pictured above).
“The Marx prototype bikes were Speedboy 4 military-themed windups finished in the distinctive colours of early Marx toys and with hand-painted details. One had a rear-mounted cannon and the other had a camouflage-patterned box on the back. We started getting calls about them a good month before the sale.
There was no doubt they were going to fly,” said Sammet.
In the event each bike was pursued to $19,000 (£13,870), more than double their estimates of $6000-8000 at the October 2 sale.
Other sought-after models were a 12in (30cm) long tinplate friction powered motorbike in original working order which exemplified the high quality of post-Second World War Japanese bikes.
A Japanese post war tinplate motorbike – $4700 (£3430) at Milestone’s toy sale.
It was lithographed in colours with an image of the planet Saturn on the petrol tank and operated by a helmeted and goggled male driver, with a female passenger and sold for $4700 (£3430).
It was lithographed in colours with an image of the planet Saturn on the petrol tank and operated by a helmeted and goggled male driver, with a female passenger and sold for $4700 (£3430).
Small-scale 4½in (11.5cm) long Japanese Hunter motorbike – $3200 (£2335) at Milestone’s toy sale.
Making a multiple of its estimate was another Japanese model, a diminutive Hunter motorcycle that measured just 4½in (11.5cm) in length. Despite the small size it was finely detailed and complete down to the attached rifle and the fowl enclosed in a net at the back.
Moreover, it was in mint condition with its factory box. It finally sold for $3200 (£2335).
Lehmann selection
The sale also included an 86-lot array of early clockwork and flywheel toys from the German firm Lehmann many of them retaining their original boxes.
Notable here was a good example of the ‘Boxer Rebellion’ toy – inspired by the secret society that was active during the Chinese rebellion of 1899- 1901.
Included in a section devoted to early toys by Lehmann was this rare Boxer Rebellion toy – $14,500 (£10,585) at Milestone’s toy sale.
The clock powered tinplate toy features four figures representing England, Russia, France and Germany, the powers that repressed the revolt. They are tossing a fifth figure of a Chinaman in a blanket.
This is one of the rarest of Lehmann toys and commands highsums when it appears at auction. Milestone’s version, which was complete and in working order, sold for $14,500 (£10,585).
Also notable for its excellent condition (it appeared seldom, if ever, to have been taken out of its original box), was a Lehmann Halloh clockwork tinplate motorcycle that sold for $5750 (£4195).
Cat skittles
And far exceeding the price predictions of $1000-1500 was a hand painted composition cat skittles set of unknown German manufacture.
Included in a section devoted to early toys by Lehmann was this rare Boxer Rebellion toy – $14,500 (£10,585) at Milestone’s toy sale.
It comprised a 17in (43cm) long striped cat vessel containing seven smaller cat skittles and was mounted on cast iron wheels and was pursued to no less than $13,500 (£9855).
