A 1959 first-issue brunette Barbie Doll in excellent condition, $8500 (£7100) at Morphy.
Morphy’s (27% buyer’s premium) $1.3m Toys & General Collectibles Auction in Denver, Pennsylvania on August 2-3 featured a 1959 first-issue brunette No 1 Barbie with its original box, stand, and complete set of accessories.
Harder to find than its blonde counterpart, the early brunette in excellent condition was bid to $8500 (£7100) against an estimate of $6000-$7000.
Elusive toy
Tin-lithographed Space Refuel Station marked Waco Made in Japan, $9000 (£7500) at Morphy.
Sci-fi fans had their eyes on a battery-operated tin-lithographed Space Refuel Station marked Waco Made in Japan. An elusive toy, especially when complete with its original satellite, jet plane and rocket accessories, it retained its original pictorial factory box. Estimated at $2000-3000, it hit the stratosphere at $9000 (£7500).
Alps (Japan) lithographed tin friction Pacer Police Motorcycle, $4600 (£3800) at Morphy.
Another popular Japanese post-war toy was an Alps lithographed tin friction Pacer Police Motorcycle with original pictorial box. Near-mint condition including the survival of the original driver’s helmet encouraged a bid of $4600 (£3800) against an estimate of $1500-2500.
