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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 • VOL. 54, NO. 39
Wint Johnson’s Rare German Schucos And Pre-War Tin Planes Defied Estimates At Milestone’s Premier Toy Auction Schuco “Felix The Cat” Perfume Had The Scent Of Success, Selling For Nine Times Its High Estimate At $4,674
Certified Signed Baseball From 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers Coming To Auction Muller Auction Co. To Hold Sale On Oct. 9 By Karl Pass Muller Auction Company of Kutztown, Pa., will hold a special sale on Wednesday, Oct. 9, beginning at 1 p.m. live and online through HiBid.com. Preview is by appointment anytime and day of the sale starting at 10 a.m. Muller’s facility is at 301 W. Main St. The auction has over 400 lots with some marquee items. Items of note are a Babe Ruth signed check JSA certified grade 9. The check is dated from 1935, which was Ruth’s last year in the league. The check is in a matted frame with an original oil painting by Christopher Paluse, signed as well. Continued on page 4
Mineral And Fossil Collection Of James And A Schuco Germany Monkey Driving Car, mohair and felt monkey figure with Schuco logo on back of lithographed tin car, ex. Wint Johnson Amelia Stauffer collection, sold for $3,813 against an estimate of $1,000-$1,500. To Cross The Block Boltz Auction Co. To Sell Extensive Collection Over Three Days A Schuco “Felix the Cat” perfume, five inches tall, all original and in excellent condition, ex. Wint Johnson collection, sold for $4,674 against an estimate of $300-$500. A phenomenal legacy collection of German Schuco toys and fine pre-WWII airplanes joined forces to conquer the top 10 at Milestone’s Aug. 24 Premier Toy Auction. While most of the Schucos are now en route to successful bidders across the pond in Germany, France and other Continental destinations, the majority of the airplanes, mostly of European manufacture, will remain on U.S. soil. All of the toys entered in the 639lot auction came from the estate collection of Minnesotan and lifelong toy enthusiast Winton “Wint” Johnson (1937-2022). According to Milestone Auctions’ co-owner Miles King, online
participants kept their bidding cards close to their vests. “They must have all had the same strategy in mind, because they seemed to appear all at once to view the catalog and leave bids in the hour before the sale began.” “We knew that probably every major Schuco collector would be interested in Wint’s collection, there was just no way they were going to miss the opportunity, but we had no idea how strong the interest would be in his vintage airplanes, which were in beautiful condition,” continued King. Nearly 300 lots of Schucos were offered at the live gallery sale, each an outstanding original
By Karl Pass
An impressive 19-inch French tin-windup Hispano-Suiza “900” seaplane, all original, ex. Wint Johnson collection, sold for $9,225 against an estimate of $400-$600. example. Johnson was known to buy regularly at shows, auctions, online and through a global network of like-minded toy aficionados. He would upgrade whenever possible and sell his duplicates, but he never parted with anything from his core collection, which contained only the rarest and best Schuco toys and prototypes. The top seller amongst the Schucos was a 5-inch-tall “Felix the Cat” perfume in excellent,
all-original condition with a “ball-bearing” nose, red kerchief and nicely-painted facial features. Against an estimate of $300-$500, it sold for $4,674. Other novelties included three Schuco figural compacts: a scarce Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, $1,023; a patterned humpback tortoise, $1,023; and a French bulldog, $906. All were in original condition, retained their mirrors, and had Continued on page 7
The extensive mineral and fossil collection of James (Jim) and Amelia (Mimi) Stauffer is one that spans approximately 70 years of collecting and encompasses a vast amount of specimens which were personally dug from the ground by Continued on page 5
In This Issue SHOPS, SHOWS & MARKETS . . . . . . .
starting on page 2
SHOPS DIRECTORY . . . . . . .
on page 4
EVENT & AUCTION CALENDAR on page 5 AUCTIONEER DIRECTORY . . . . on page 5 AUCTION SALE BILLS . . . . . . on page 6
FEATURE ARTICLE: The Franklin Fountain Marks 20th Anniversary - Page 2
CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . on page 7