Antiques & Auction News - April 10, 2026

FRIDAY APRIL 10, 2026 • VOL. 56, NO. 14

Boxed Space Toys Plus Rarities From The Batcave Dominated Sale

The Aoshin Shoten (Japan) tin friction Batmobile, large 15-inch blue version, all original and retaining its original box with Batman, Robin and Batmobile graphics, sold for $20,910.

The rare 19-inch K Okada (Japan) tin friction Space Fighter XY-105 with original full-color paper-label box, all original, complete and appearing never to have been played with, sold above the midpoint of its pre-sale estimate for $26,400.

One Bowl More

Milestone’s exciting March 14 auction of premium-quality American, European and Japanese toys offered fans their pick of the best from long-held collections, with a production timeline that spanned 125 years. Achieving a robust $732,000, the 664-lot live sale attracted an international contingent of bidders online, over the phones and at the company’s spacious suburban Cleveland gallery. A tremendous variety crossed the auction block, including Japanese robots and space toys, windups, battery-ops, pressed-steel, cast-iron and many other types of desirable but often elusive antique and vintage toys. Nearly all of the brands and categories that today’s

collectors favor could be found in the all-inclusive selection.

Postwar Japanese robots and space toys were among the most sought-after pieces. A large lithographed K Okada tin friction Space Fighter XY-105 displayed a quintessential mid-century color palette of aqua with bold red and midnight blue accent colors, and included its two original drivers under the toy’s bubble canopy. Even better, this massive 19-inch space craft retained its original full-color pictorial box with a faithful likeness of the toy on its paper label. It appeared never to have been played with and even had its original guns on the front

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A classic space toy, a Marx 12-inch tin windup Buck Rogers 25th Century Police Patrol, presented in fantastic all-original condition, sold for $5,412 against a $1,000 to $1,500 estimate.

The History Of Colonial American Drinks Set For June 12

By Karl Pass

“One bowl more and then” was a common phrase in early America that reflected the consumption of alcohol. Where did all of these beverages come from?

On Friday, June 12, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Heishman’s Mill in Carlisle, Pa., Tony Shahan will present a history of Colonial American beverages. Shahan of TC Historical Consulting and Flavors of History will talk about the type of stills that existed at the mill and the local grains used. His experience brewing

beer in an 18th-century farmhouse, an 1803 brewery, and an 1850 German brewery will be discussed, as well as his experience working in George Washington’s Distillery at Mount Vernon. Through documentary research and hands-on experience, discover the equipment and techniques used for brewing and distilling in early America. This will be paired with a tasting sample of five of the nation’s founders’ favorite 18th-century beverages. This program also includes light complimentary refreshments. Tickets are $35 and may be purchased at

www.friendsofheishmansmill.org. Preregistration is required, and it is an age 21-plus event. During his 38 years working in museums, Shahan has worked to ensure that the stories of our shared past remain alive and accessible. He also developed a passion for historic food and beverage. He mostly works with 17th- and 18th-century “receipts” (today’s “recipes”) but has recreated beverages and dishes from ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, Medieval Europe, and the 19th century. His specialty has become fundraising

First Golden Nugget Vintage Show

By Karl Pass

The Golden Nugget Antique Market, often rated among the top 10 flea markets on the East Coast, announced it will host its first Golden Nugget Vintage Show on Saturday, April 25.

For more than 50 years, the Golden Nugget has been known for its wide selection of vintage and antique items. Visitors can discover antique furniture, art, and a wide range of collectibles including coins, stamps, jewelry, vinyl records, depression glass, model trains, and more.

“We are committed to hosting more specialty shows at the market. We currently hold several model train shows each year, and last fall we had a very successful art show. The vintage dealers will be located under and in front of our pavilion, and our regularly scheduled Antique Market will take place at the same time, as always. I believe it will be a great day for collectors, dealers, and visitors alike,” stated Golden Nugget manager Mitch Freedman.

Located in Lambertville, N.J., the Golden Nugget Antique Market has been a destination for collectors and treasure hunters since 1967. The indoor and outdoor market features antiques, collectibles, art, and unique finds from dealers across the region.

The market is located at 1850 River Road and is open year-round on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. For additional information, visit www.gnflea.com.

A 1777 Copy Of The New Testament Bible Sells For $199,500

Sale In Newburyport, Mass., Wasn’t Overlooked

A 1777 copy of the New Testament Bible, printed by Edward Draper of Boston, sold for $199,500 in the virtual online auction of the estate of Peter Hickey, held on-site in Newburyport, Mass., on March 15 by John McInnis Auctioneers LLC.

“The price achieved for the Bible was very much a surprise, both to the family and members of my auction

team that cataloged the sale,” said auctioneer John McInnis. “But the sale had eyes on it, and we had seven hundred registered bidders. There was chatter. People were talking, and that led to competition and spirited bidding. In the end the buyer and the seller were both happy.”

“I’ve been in the auction business for 45 years.

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This was a classic example of things being done the right way and the items up for competitive bidding, not just the Bible, being showcased properly. Often, families hire a company to hold an estate tag sale. If this family had done that, the Bible could easily have been tagged at 10 or 20 dollars or put into a box lot,” added McInnis.

McInnis said kudos need to go out to Dan Meader and Jay Williamson, key members of his team who did a yeoman’s job of pulling it all together. “Jay did the cataloging, but to say it was a challenge for him and Dan to go through a completely packed house and have to sort, organize and re-stage everything would be a huge understatement,” he said. “The Bible could have been overlooked were it not for their keen eye.”

During the auction, the bidding was fast and furious, up to around the $80,000 mark. “Then it quickly dwindled down to two determined bidders,” remarked McInnis. “In the end, a local rare books aficionado outbid a New York City rare books firm. It was fun watching them go toe-to-toe.”

All prices reported are hammer, exclusive of the buyer’s premium. Coincidentally, a month earlier, a first-edition copy of

“The Book of Mormon” from 1830 sold for over $200,000, establishing a new benchmark for a foundational work of American religious history. The two auctions suggest that the demand for antique religious texts may be gaining traction as a collectible, one with high-dollar potential.

At the Hickey estate auction, bidders discovered thousands of objects represented in nearly 700 lots that included not only items and furnishings

accumulated over a lifetime, but also family heirlooms descended through the estate’s families. A 57-piece Wallace Grand Baroque Sterling flatware set weighing 63.3 troy ounces, in a feltlined wooden case, sold for $5,370. A large, ca. 1958 carved and painted eagle, made for Jordan Marsh’s Men’s Department by an artisan from Marblehead, Mass., realized $2,744, and a Hamilton gimballed marine chronometer, model #22, in good

Collector Anecdotes And Antics

The Changing Market For Vintage Advertising

By Shawn Surmick

When I mention the words vintage advertising, what comes to mind? Is it an aging Coca-Cola advertising sign from the 1950s? Or maybe it’s a Mobil Gas advertising sign from the 1960s featuring the iconic flying red horse known as the Pegasus? Watch any episode of “American Pickers” and you are sure to encounter coveted vintage advertising pieces like these that can easily be seen selling for thousands of dollars. Vintage advertising is and always was a popular collecting category of the Baby-Boom Generation, those individuals who were born between 1946 and 1964. But unlike some other once popular collectibles coveted by the boomer generation, the market for high-quality vintage advertising isn’t dying; it’s changing. And if you are wondering if your favorite vintage soda pop or petroleum advertising collectibles are going to still have demand long after the generation that made them collectible passes on, the answer likely depends on the item.

I was born in 1976 and am a proud member of Generation X. I belong to the generation of slackers (as we were once called) that were born between the years 1965 and 1980. The first toy line I remember getting excited for was the original “Star Wars” line released by Kenner Toys shortly after the premier of the original “Star Wars” movie that made its debut in 1977. My parents tell me that I saw it in the theater, but I don’t remember seeing the original “Star Wars” in theaters. I do however remember seeing the sequel, “The Empire Strikes Back,” in a theater, and as a child I thought it was the most magical experience. Being able to recreate all my favorite movie scenes with the actual toys and playsets brought the “Star Wars” universe to life. Today, almost all the vintage “Star Wars” toys and action figures produced by Kenner Toys between 1977 and 1985 have collector value. Most were bought as toys and immediately ripped open and played with. This is why near mint factory sealed examples can be seen selling for thousands of dollars. There is also a lot of vintage advertising displays that Kenner Toys released to retailers that can be seen selling for thousands of dollars on the secondary market as well.

Another popular innovation that my generation

witnessed firsthand was the arrival and dominance of Nintendo. Released in 1985 to a lukewarm response (believe it or not), Nintendo almost gave up on trying to bring what would be known as the Nintendo Entertainment System to American shores. After the rise and quick fall of Atari and related video game systems in the early 1980s, video games were seen as a passing fad. Retailers wanted nothing to do with anything related to home video games and still had massive amounts of unsold discounted stock sitting in bargain bins when a relatively unknown Japanese company named Nintendo tried to market their video game system, which was known as the Famicom back in Japan. Amazingly, they decided to package early units with an innovative interactive toy robot (known as R.O.B., short for Robotic Operating Buddy) and removed any mention of the words “video game” from the packaging. Slowly but surely, major retailers like Toys R Us agreed to carry the system, and once American consumers got a chance to play games like “Super Mario Bros.” and “The Legend of Zelda,” they were hooked. By late 1987, Nintendo became a household name in North America, and kids from my generation were screaming “Mario” on playgrounds everywhere. As a result, today there are a lot of coveted pieces of Nintendo advertising that sell for thousands of dollars (and in some cases tens of thousands of dollars) on the secondary market. Ask anyone my age if they know what World of Nintendo is, and you are sure to get some stories rooted in nostalgia. For the uninitiated, World of Nintendo was an advertising campaign complete with its own line of advertising that Nintendo created by granting certain retailers permission to create sections of their stores devoted to nothing but Nintendo products. I fondly remember walking into Toys R Us and specialty department stores as a kid and seeing row

McInnis

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after row of shelves devoted to Nintendo products with now coveted World of Nintendo advertising signs hanging above.

So what does all this have to do with the market for vintage advertising? Well, by now you can probably guess. Younger generations are going after the vintage advertising that means as much to them as a vintage Indian Motorcycle sign means to the average 70-year-old. This doesn’t mean that your vintage Indian Motorcycle sign is going to become worthless. It does however mean that auctioneers who want to remain relevant when the Baby-Boomer generation passes on are going to have to go after more types of advertising collectibles that cater to the changing demographics. This means along with vintage Coca-Cola signs, Mobil Gas signs, and the like, you can expect to see vintage World of Nintendo advertising signs and Kenner “Star Wars” advertising displays being sold in the same auctions.

This transition is already happening. Case in point, a few weeks ago I got to attend Zolocon 2026, which was held in King of Prussia, Pa. If you don’t know what Zolocon is, you’d be forgiven. Zolocon is an important pop culture collectibles convention, and a lot of high-profile dealers come from around the country with some of their best wares. A dealer from Ohio attended the show and had a coveted Kay Bee Toys World of Nintendo advertising display. The piece sold with an asking price of $9,500. It is coveted pieces of quality advertising like this that any true Nintendo collector would love to have. Words cannot describe the amount of nostalgia that something like this has to any avid Nintendo enthusiast who was there when a little Japanese toy company did something extraordinary by refusing to give up on making “Super Mario Bros.” a household name.

In conclusion, younger generations do collect a lot of the same coveted vintage and antique advertising signs that are beloved by Baby-Boomers

condition, sold for $2,655.

To learn more, visit www. mcinnisauctions.com.

as well. Coca-Cola and Harley Davidson are still in business, and there is just something about the iconic look and feel of those older signs, especially ones made of porcelain. And while prices for most pieces of vintage soda pop and petroleum signs are not as high as they were when the market peaked around 2013, there still is a lot of demand for them, and I don’t see that ending any time soon. That said, this is one market to watch due to the changing demographics.

Shawn Surmick has been an avid collector since the age of 12. He currently resides in his hometown of Boyertown, Pa., and is a passionate collector of antiques and collectibles. His articles focus on various topics affecting the marketplace.

“Self-Made: A Century Of Inventing Artists”

Museum Takes Innovative Look At How Self-Taught Artists Define Themselves

This spring, the American Folk Art Museum will present “Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists,” an exhibition that takes a critical look at the historical definition of the “self-taught artist” in the United States from the early 20th century to today. “SelfMade” examines how artists without academic training have depicted, conceptualized, and identified themselves on their own terms.

Foregrounding self-portraits, alter egos, and autobiographies as deliberate strategies of authorship, agency, and artistic intent, the exhibition offers the first sustained museum exploration of artistic self-fashioning within this field with a tightly curated selection of over 90 works. The show will run from Friday, April 10, to Sunday, Sept. 13.

“‘Self-Made’ represents the essence of the American Folk Art Museum, as the nation’s home of folk and self-taught artists. It also reaffirms our longstanding commitment to expand the story of art in America and around the world by leading projects centered on artists’ intentions and authorship beyond academic tradition,”

stated Jason T. Busch, Becky and Bob Alexander Director and CEO.

“In 2023, AFAM launched a reparative cataloguing project, ‘Rethinking Biography,’ to strengthen its stewardship of the 20th- and 21st-century art collection. This initiative prompted a broader reassessment of how works are defined, exhibited, and interpreted. ‘Self-Made’ grew out of that effort, foregrounding artists’ voices and placing their art at the heart of interpretation,” added Valérie Rousseau, Ph.D., curatorial chair and senior curator of 20th-century and contemporary art.

Drawn primarily from the museum’s collection, the exhibition includes drawings, paintings, and sculptures alongside photographs, artists’ notebooks, and videos. Many of the works are recent or rarely-seen acquisitions, providing new perspectives on both canonical figures and lesser-known artists associated with this artistic area.

that include affirmative spaces like art workshops for individuals with disabilities, domestic environments, and contexts of forced confinement like psychiatric hospitals and prisons. “Self-Made” is organized around three methods of “self-making”: self-portraits, alter egos, and autobiographies, each presented chronologically in a cumulative experience that provides historical grounding for artists’ personal agency.

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Works by U.S.-based artists Nicole Appel, Joe Coleman, Henry Darger, Thornton Dial Sr., Morris Hirshfield, John Kane, Bill Miller, Sister Gertrude Morgan, Martín Ramírez, Janet Sobel, and Bill Traylor are presented in dialogue with those of key international figures such as Marcel Bascoulard, Aloïse Corbaz, Madge Gill, Augustin Lesage, and Adolf Wölfli. Together, these works illuminate a defining period in which artists articulated their creative identities against, and often in resistance to, institutional, social, and cultural constraints.

The works on view attest to diverse modes of learning and knowledge production, from professional expertise to community-based traditions, emerging in settings

17th-Century Publications Excel

Printed in 1665, “The Discovery Of Witchcraft” Conjures $18,000

Potter & Potter Auctions is

Auctions’ 20 percent buyer’s premium. Antique magicana ephemera and 17th-century publications made many of the top lots.

Reginald Scot’s “The Discovery of Witchcraft,” estimated at $8,000 to $12,000, sold for $18,000. It was printed in London in 1655.

The American Revolution And Mennonites: A Crisis Of Conscience

Historic Rock Ford’s Untold Stories of the Revolution Lecture Series welcomes Kenneth Sensenig as he presents “The American Revolution and Mennonites: A Crisis of Conscience.” In 1777, during the defense of Philadelphia, the peaceful Ephrata Cloister became an unlikely battlefield of conscience as wounded soldiers were brought there for nursing.

On Wednesday, April 29, at 6:30 p.m., Sensenig will explore the story of John and Anna Baer, Mennonite pacifists who faced an impossible dilemma: how to care for wounded soldiers whose cause contradicted their deepest beliefs. From political tensions to the tragic involvement of their own son in horse trading with the British, the Baers’ story is one of unwavering compassion in the face of suspicion. Though they eventually gave their lives to the typhus epidemic while nursing the wounded, their graves remained forgotten for over a century, until a chance discovery by a local farmer in 1980 changed everything.

Christa Mylin from Mennonite Life will also be

Harry Kellar’s (b. Heinrich Keller 1849-1922) “Kellar in His Latest Mystery. “Self Decapitation,” a linen backed stone lithograph poster, sold for $19,200. Printed in 1898 in Cincinnati, Ohio, by Strobridge Litho., it was illustrated with the performer seated in a chair, his disembodied head floating within a vaporous blue ring above his outstretched arms. Reginald Scot’s (1538-1599) “The Discovery of Witchcraft” delivered $18,000. This third-edition, first issue copy was published in London in 1665. It featured wood-engraved illustrations of conjuring apparatus and the decapitation illusion.

The book was bound in contemporary full calf, rebacked and re-cornered, and included the bookplate of Sir Samuel Hannay, Bart. on the frontispiece.

An illuminated lobby display photograph of Howard Thurston (1869-1936) traded hands at $18,000. This 1930sera silver print bust portrait, likely from the Baker Art Gallery, was mounted to a wooden frame. When slid into a light box or lit from the rear, the portrait glowed brightly while the background remained dark. This unique relic was from the Ken Klosterman’s Salon de Magie estate.

Presenter Kenneth Sensenig

assisting with this lecture regarding material artifacts that will be on display at the end of the lecture. There will also be a question-and-answer session.

This presentation will take place in the Langmuir Education Room on the first floor of the Rock Ford Barn. Admission is for the lecture only and does not include the Snyder Gallery or Hand Mansion. General admission tickets are $10 and may be purchased at www.HistoricRockFord.org/ special-events.

Ken Sensenig has made a

John Baptista Porta’s (1535-1615) “Natural Magick” realized $11,400. This first English edition from 1658 was published in London by Thomas Young and Samuel Speed. According to Potter’s experts, this was “a handsome example of this important work on all types of curious and pseudo-magical experiments.”

“As they say in Brooklyn, ‘Books are magic.’ That was certainly the case during our

‘Literature of Legerdemain’ auction. Perhaps the special nature of the day (leap years happen so rarely) or perhaps it was the special nature of the material, but whatever the reason, bidders across the board were actively competing for early and modern conjuring books alike,” remarked Gabe Fajuri, president at Potter & Potter Auctions.

To learn more, call 773-472-1442.

Strong Demand For Pre-Code Horror Comics Showcase Auction Realizes $161,965

Heritage Auctions’ March 13 Horror Comics Showcase Auction realized $161,965 across 118 lots, achieving a 100 percent sell-through rate and drawing participation from 451 bidders, a strong showing for the ever-popular Horror Comics genre.

Many of the comics

offered dated to the pre-Comics Code era, when horror titles flourished before the Comics Code Authority was introduced in 1954. The genre was among those most heavily scrutinized during the era’s public debate over comic books, making surviving examples

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The top lot in the sale was “Witches Tales #25” File Copy (Harvey, 1954), graded CGC NM- 9.2, which realized $13,420 and set an auction record for the grade.

“Witches Tales #22” File Copy (Harvey, 1953) CGC VF+ 8.5, with a zombie-filled subway cover by Lee Elias, sold for $2,684, an auction record for the grade.

Rock Ford

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career of education, much of it through the international aid agency known as the Mennonite Central Committee. His perspectives have been shaped by years in Africa as well as by teaching in area schools. Sensenig has a keen interest in local history and shares this interest in nearby retirement communities.

Historic Rock Ford, located at 881 Rock Ford Road, Lancaster, Pa., is comprised of the General Edward Hand Mansion and the John J. Snyder, Jr. Gallery. It is owned and operated by the Rock Ford Foundation, a private, not-forprofit corporation.

SHOP DIRECTORY

18944 Perkasie 215-257-3564 TREASURE TROVE, 6 S. 7th Street. Estate jewelry, furniture, linens, vintage clothing, glass, china, books, toys, kitchenware, advertising, postcards. Primitives to Deco. Dealers

Heritage

Continued from page 6

from the earlier period particularly desirable among collectors today.

Heritage Auctions has hosted numerous Horror Comics Showcase auctions in recent years, reflecting the genre’s growing collector base.

“Pre-Code horror continues to resonate with collectors because the material is so visually striking and historically significant,” said Rick Akers, vice president of comics and comic art at Heritage. “These books capture a moment when artists pushed boundaries, and collectors clearly respond to that.”

The top lot in the sale was “Witches Tales #25” File Copy (Harvey, 1954), graded CGC NM- 9.2, which realized $13,420 and set an auction record for the grade. Featuring a striking decapitation cover by Howard Nostrand, the issue represents one of

the highest-graded copies Heritage has encountered, with interior story art by Nostrand and Bob Powell.

“Black Cat Mystery #37” (Harvey, 1952) CGC VF- 7.5, with a skull-and-graveyard cover by Warren Kremer, realized $7,320, an auction record for the grade, and “Dynamic Comics #11” (Chesler, 1944) CGC GD/VG 3.0, featuring a classic cover by Gus Ricca and art by George Tuska, brought $5,368. “Crime SuspenStories #22” (EC, 1954) CGC VG3.5, the infamous decapitation cover by Johnny Craig, famously cited during the U.S. Senate investigation into comics and juvenile delinquency, sold for $5,124. The issue ranks #1 on Overstreet’s Top 10 Crime Comics list and includes art by Reed Crandall, Bernie Krigstein, Joe Orlando and Jack Kamen. “Dark Mysteries #10” (Master Publications, 1953) CGC FN 6.0 realized $4,392, setting an auction record for the grade. The issue features a dramatic

witch-burning cover by Hy Fleishman and interior art by Al Hollingsworth and John D’Agostino.

The auction also produced additional record results for specific CGC grades, underscoring the strength of the Horror Comics market. Some of those records included “Witches Tales #22” File Copy (Harvey, 1953) CGC VF+ 8.5, with a zombie-filled subway cover by Lee Elias, realizing $2,684, an auction record for the grade, and “Witches Tales #21” File Copy (Harvey, 1953) CGC VF+ 8.5, featuring a cover by Lee Elias, realizing $2,318, an auction record for the grade.

The results reflect continued enthusiasm for preCode horror comics, one of the most distinctive and historically significant areas of comic-book collecting.

Additional results from the March 13 Horror Comics Showcase Auction can be found by visiting www. HA.com.

Dotta Auction Co. To Hold Antique Doll

Sale

Consultant Earl Bethel Organized April 18 Specialty Auction

By Karl Pass

Richard L. Dotta Auction Company, LLC of Nazareth, Pa., has been providing¬†antique and general-line auctions for over 50 years. Behind the hammer at Dotta’s are key experts in advertising; toys; firearms; coins; and, most notably, collectible dolls.

Earl Bethel is Dotta’s antique doll consultant. Doll auctions have been highlighting Dotta’s auction calendar twice a year. Their next is set for Saturday, April 18, at

10 a.m. and titled “Three Centuries of Childhood Dreams.” It is a combination in-person and online sale. The catalog features automatons, many antique bisque head dolls (French and German) from 1890 to 1930, dolls from 1940 to 1950s with wardrobes, 1960 to 1970s mint dolls with packaging, and Littlechap Family dolls along with over 20 boxed outfits.

“Earl’s wisdom, experience, care of products, and excellent customer service help make us an industry leader,” said James Dotta.

“Working with Earl to help bring vintage and mint-condition dolls to the auction block has been very exciting. I laugh because sometimes Earl and I get called ‘Doll Bros.’” Bethel’s interest in dolls began as a child. He remembers puppets, animations, cartoons, and Betsy McCall dolls from “Women’s McCall” magazine and reminisces about attending shows with his family in New York City and walking through F.A.O. Schwartz. Also having a major

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CALENDARS

INDIANA

04/22/2026, Shipshewana - Wed 9 AM, shipshewana tradingplace.com. Antique toy auction. Shipshewana Trading Post

05/27/2026, Shipshewana - Wed 9 AM, shipshewana tradingplace.com. Sign/ Advertising auction. Shipshewana Trading Place

MARYLAND

04/11/2026, Historic Frederick - Sat 9 AM, parzow auctions.com. Antique furniture, glassware, fine art & framed prints, clocks, lamps, oil lamps, old musical instruments, Stieff teddy bears, coins, antique tools, vintage toys & more! Howard Parzow, Auctioneer

04/14/2026, ParsonsburgTues Ending starts at 5PM, Online only, AMauctions. com. Musical instruments & a musicians dream! More than 50 instruments including 25+ guitars, amplifiers, horns, brass instruments, drums & more! A & M Auctioneers & Appraisers

04/29/2026, ParsonsburgWed Ending starts at 5 PM, Online Only, AMauctions.com. 100+ firearms, decoys, original artwork, hunting & shooting accessories & more! A & M Auctioneers & Appraisers

PENNSYLVANIA

AUCTIONS

04/09/2026, Kinzers - Thurs., 10 am & Online, www.embassy auctionsinternational.com. Antiques, furniture, large pottery collection. Embassy Auctions International, LLC 04/10/2026, Dillsburg - Sat 9 am, www.haars.com. Vintage toys, jewelry, collectibles & more! Hardy’s Auction Service 04/11/2026, SoudertonSat 8:00 AM, auctionzip.com #25403. Steam engine, tractors, combine, farm equipment, sawmill, antiques, tools, books, HH goods, furniture & more! Tim Weaver Auction Service 04/11/2026, Boyertowncloses Sat 4PM, Online only, www.bid.geyerauctions.com. Antiques, folk art, primitives & more! Geyer Auction Companies 04/11/2026, Ephrata - Sat 9 AM & Online, horstauction. com. Coins & Currency. Horst Auction Center

com. Silhouettes & vintage sports. Embassy Auctions International 04/17/2026, Boyertown - Fri 4 pm closing, Online, www.bid. geyerauctions.com. Vintage decor, metalwork, & signage. Geyer Auction Companies 04/18/2026, Andreas - Sat 9AM, deanarnerauctions.com. Quality antiques, crocks, advertising cone top beer cans, signs, tins, tip trays & thermometers, vintage Christmas, Roy Rogers items, tulip Fire King nesting bowls, Fire King Harlequin diamond & cereal bowls & more! Dean Arner Auctioneer

04/18/2026, Mount Joy - Sat 9 AM, boltzauctions.com. Moyer’s Furniture Auction. After 40 years of business, it is time for retirement and selling off remaining inventory. Plenty of great selections still available. Boltz Auction Company

04/18/2026, Ephrata - Sat 10 AM, Online Only, www. gehmanauctions.com. Vintage toy variety. Gehman Auctions

04/18/2026, Allentown - Sat 8 AM, unionhistoricalfire society.com. Fire Antique Memorabilia. Union Historical Fire Society

04/04/2026, Willow StreetSession 1 - Sat 9 AM, Session 2 - Sat 12 PM, auctionzip.com #1643. Jewelry, coins, antique & vintage smalls, ephemera & more! Jessica Shaub Meyer 04/04/2026, OrwigsburgSaturday 10 am, www.auction timebidboard.com. 1953 Mickey Mantle & Satchell Paige baseball cards & other sports collectibles, firearms, jewelry, non-sports trading cards, coins, marble collection, vintage slot cars, toys, video games, musical instruments, furniture & more! Auction Time Bid Board

04/12/2026, Ephrata - Sun 3 PM & Online, gehman auctions.com. Vinyl records. Gehman Auctions 04/14/2026, Glen Rock - Tues., 9 am, www.wehrlysauction. hibid.com. Antiques & primitives, stoneware, vintage toys, decoys, instruments, dry sink & more! Wehrly’s Auction Service, Inc. 04/14/2026, Glen RockTues 9 AM & Online, wehrlys auction.com. St. Jude Children’s Hospital benefit auction.Wehrly’s Auction Service 04/15-17/2026, Downingtown - Wed - Fri 9 AM & Online, pookandpook.com. The collection of Alice & Art Booth. Pook & Pook, Inc.

04/16/2026, York HavenEnds Thurs 6 PM, Online only, jenningsauction.com. Jukeboxes, records, racing memorabilia & more! Jennings Auction Group

04/16/2026, Kinzers - Thurs 10 AM & Online, embassy auctionsinternational.

04/24/2026, Lebanon - Fri 9 AM, martinauctioneers. com. Coaches, horse drawn carriages, sleighs, appointments & antiques. Martin Auctioneers

04/24/2026, Belleville - Fri 10 AM, Hutches, old sewing machines, cast iron pots, quilts, flatware, cast iron figurines & more! Chesney Auctioneering

04/25/2026, Annville - Sat 12 PM, Online, shirksauctions. hibid.com. Antique collector cars and Harley Davisdon motorcycles. Roy D. Shirk Auctioneer

05/03/2026, Ephrata - Sun 3 PM & Online, gehman auctions.hibid.com. Vinyl records. Gehman Auctions

GEORGIA

06/13/2026, Mullica Hill - Sat 9

04/09-12/2026, AtlantaThurs 10 AM - 4 PM, Fri & Sat

9 AM- 6 PM, Sun 10 AM - 4 PM, 3650 & 3850 Jonesboro Road, Scott Antique Markets

05/07-10/2026, AtlantaThurs 10 AM - 5 PM, Fri & Sat

9 AM - 6 PM, Sun 10 AM - 4 PM, 3650 & 3850 Jonesboro Road, Scott Antique Markets

MARYLAND

05/02-03/2026, Poolesville - Sat 10 AM - 5 PM, Sun 10

AM - 3 PM, 275 Bridgeton Pike, The Yellow Garage Antiques & June Festival of Antiques 11/13-14/2026, Allendale - Fri 5pm - 9pm & Sat 10am - 4pm, 165 West Crescent Avenue, North Jersey Depression Glass Club Show & Sale OHIO

04/25/2026, Berlin - Sat 9

04/19/2026, Allentown - Sun 9 AM. 302 N 17th Street, Union Historical Fire Society Spring Melt

04/25-26/2026, Allentown - Sat 9 AM - 5 PM, Sun 9 AM - 3 PM, 17th & Chew Streets, Allentown Paper Show

05/08-09/2026, Wayne - FriSun 10 AM - 6 PM, 153 Swedesford Road.

AM - 3 PM, 3558 US Route 62, Simple Goods Show 11/28-29/2026, ColumbusSat & Sun., 717 E 17th Avenue, Scott Antique Markets

06/20/2026, New Oxford - Sat 8 am - 3 pm, 200 West Golden Lane, New Oxford Antique Show

AM - 4 PM, 19120 Jerusalem Road, Mid Atlantic Antique & Garden Festival

NEW JERSEY

05/02/2026, Landisville - Sat

PENNSYLVANIA

10/18/2026, New Oxford - Sat 8 AM - 3 PM, 200 West Golden Lane, New Oxford Antique Show

11 AM - 6 PM, Buena Spring Festival Artisans, Antiques & Collectibles

05/17/2026, Ringoes - Sat 10

01/02-12/31/2026, Lewisburg - Every Sun. 8-4 (except Easter), 150 Silvermoon Ln. 01/02-12/31/2026, Berwyn - Every Sat. & Sun. 10-5, 288 Swedesford Rd.

04/04/2026, Lancaster - Sat 9

TENNESSEE

AM - 4 PM, 1207 Route 179, Hunterdon County Antiques Fair

AM - 3 PM, 1383 Arcadia Road, Red Rose Coin Club

05/01-02/2026, Clinton - Fri 12 PM - 7 PM, Sat 9 AM - 5 PM, Historic District, Clinch River Antique Festival

AUCTIONEER DIRECTORY

It’s Weird! It’s Wacky! It’s Kreiss! “Smack Dab In The Middle: Design Trends Of The Mid-20th Century”

By Donald-Brian Johnson

Kreiss “Psycho Ceramics” were first sprung on an unsuspecting public in the late 1950s. They’re the three-dimensional equivalent of the era’s popular (and usually snarky) “studio cards.” Kreiss specialized in jokey themes, offered up by what one reviewer called “deformed blobs, eccentric hillbillies, and fat, drunken Santas.”

Although the jokes were barbed, Psychos were successfully marketed as novelty gifts. Hopefully, the recipients had thick skins. One tubby Kreiss gremlin, perched on a bathroom

scale, came with the hang tag, “Want to lose 10 ugly pounds? Cut off your head!”

On the tag reverse, the giftgiver had added this message: “Eloise - have a good time on your birthday - Earl.” It’s safe to assume Earl was dropped from Eloise’s party list.

Ceramics importer Murray Kreiss founded his California company in 1939, in association with sons Howard and Norman. World War II stalled the company’s progress, but things picked up postwar, with Kreiss focusing solely on Japanese imports. Early products followed familiar themes, such as cuddly animals, pretty girls, and romanticized ethnic interpretations. The objects themselves were also familiar: figurals, saltand-peppers, ashtrays, and holiday knickknacks. Many of these initial offerings were at the low end of the quality scale. Often indifferently designed, with slapdash detailing and gaudy paint jobs, they were no match for ceramics being turned out domestically, primarily on the West Coast. Then again, Kreiss ceramics

Any room for compromise? Left: “When I Want Your Opinion I Will Give It To You.” Right: “I’m The Brains Of This Outfit!” This Psycho vase exclaims “I Need A Vacation!”

were a lot cheaper, benefiting both the customer and the company.

And suddenly, everything changed. Following the passing of Murray and Howard, Norman Kreiss came up with the idea for a never-before-seen line, best described as “quirky.” In 1958, the first Psycho Ceramics waddled their way into stores. Different than absolutely anything else on the giftware market, these ... ah ... “unusual” figurals won over buyers in search of something off the beaten path.

Unlike earlier Kreiss imports, the Psycho line paid close attention to quality and detail. Here, garish colors were a plus, and exaggerated, zany features (bulging eyes, toothy smiles) were right at home. Many of the figures, averaging 5 inches high, were hand-embellished with rhinestones and cold-painted accents. Sometimes adding to the goofy aspect were stringy plastic or rabbit fur hair. Even when cast from the same mold, no two Psychos were exactly the same, since the artists doing the by-hand applications

The card reads “Smile. Later Today You Won’t Feel Like It.”

after glazing were given significant leeway.

With Psycho figurines capturing the country’s fancy, Kreiss carried through the theme on objects such

as ashtrays, mugs, vases, salt-and-peppers, and even bobbleheads. Selling for under a dollar, Psychos gave studio cards a run for their

top, power windows and locks, we believe it is 106,000 miles and the fiberglass on the front and rear bumper is chipping off; 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 XL convertible, automatic on the floor, bucket seats, 352 cubic inch V-8 engine. The speedometer shows 122,870 miles; 1965 Ford Galaxie

engine, manual

Kreiss

Continued from page 8

money. Why insult your pals with a card when, for about the same price, you could

insult them in 3-D?

The success of the Psychos called for the addition of other oddballs to the Kreiss lineup. Among them were the

way-down-at-their-heels “Elegant Heirs”; the cool-as-cucumbers “Beatniks and Beatchicks”; the perpetually soused “Goodtime Charlies”; the Flintstones-like “Crazy GreenEyed Monsters”; and the self-explanatory “Nudies.” Most came with a paper or metal tag on a string or chain, although some figurines were mounted on wood bases with an attached plaque. The I.D.’s told the recipients precisely what they were in for. A menacing “Psycho” creature with enormous teeth and devilish eyebrows announced “We

Welcome Your Suggestions With Enthusiasm,” an “Elegant Heirs” hobo popped out of a garbage pail proclaiming “They Warned Me This Is Where I Would End Up,” and a buxom blonde bellowed “She’s My Mother And I Say She Stays!”

Psycho Ceramics continued to captivate during the 1960s and ‘70s; then, decorative tastes moved on. Fortunately, a twisted sense of humor never seems to lose its unique appeal, which means that Psycho Ceramics, in all their crazed glory, continue to attract fans. They’re offered regularly online,

Linked for life is this “Cave Family” from the “Crazy GreenEyed Monsters” Kreiss line. “A Prehistoric Parent Thought The Kids Should Stay At Home, But Tied Them All Together, And Together They Did Roam! Crazy!” The tallest figure stands 4.75 inches high.

Lifetime Collectors Auction #3:

Antiques, Folk Art, Primitives & More

Sinking Springs, PA

This is the third Auction that features items from a lifetime collection of a retired Antiques & Collectibles Dealer. Bid on one-of-a-kind pieces rarely offered at auction, including an impressive selection of antiques, folk art, primitives, vintage decor, & much more!

Don’t miss this opportunity to bid on truly unique & hard-to-find items. These items have been sitting in a controlled climate storage area for over 20 years!

View the Auction & register to bid on our ONLINE BIDDING PLATFORM: bid.geyerauctions.com

Preview & Inspection: Saturday, April 11th from 10:00am to 12:00pm Location: 140 Evans Hill Rd. Sinking Spring, PA 19608

Online bidding closing Saturday, April 11th at 4:00pm

Pick-up & Removal: Sunday, April 12th from 12:00pm to 4:00pm & Monday April 13th from 3:00pm to 6:00pm

This auction features: Vintage Signaling Horns; Thomas Kloss Folk Art Bird Sculpture; Antique Fire Engine Priming Ball; Child’s Antique Carriage; Antique Shoeshine Chair; Vintage & Antique Decorative Accessories; Folk Art & Handcrafted Pieces; Glassware, Lamps & Home Décor; Primitives & Rustic Items; Collectibles & Conversation Pieces; & MUCH MORE!

most priced in the $25 to $75 range (“Beatniks” rule the coolness price chart, averaging $75 to $100).

Kreiss Psycho Ceramics. Definitely weird. Definitely wacky. And definitely worth collecting. (But as a birthday gift? Well, maybe not).

Kreiss ceramics courtesy of Mark Dickmeyer.

Photo Associate: Hank Kuhlmann. All photos by DonaldBrian Johnson. Donald-Brian Johnson is the co-author of numerous books on design and collectibles, including “Postwar Pop,” a collection of his columns. Please address inquiries to: donaldbrian@msn.com.

A backhanded “Happy Birthday” wish. The hobo’s original tag read “If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?”

Side Street Salvage:

Vintage Decor, Metalwork, Signage Auction Elverson, PA

Biannual excess inventory auction for Side Street Salvage. This auction features an eclectic collection of vintage finds, decorative pieces, hand-forged metalwork, garden sculptures, signage, & specialty items you don’t come across every day.

From rustic farmhouse accents & galvanized pieces to custom welded signs, cast iron décor, & vintage collectibles, this auction is packed with character-rich inventory perfect for resellers, collectors, designers, or anyone looking to add distinctive pieces to their space. View the Auction & register to bid on our ONLINE BIDDING PLATFORM: bid.geyerauctions.com

Preview & Inspection: Thursday, April 16th from 3:00pm to 6:00pm

Location: 19 Park Ave Elverson, PA 19520

Online Bidding Closing on Friday, April 17th at 4:00pm

Pick-up & Removal: Sunday, April 19th from 10:00am to 2:00pm & Monday, April 20th from 10:00am to 4:00pm

1955 International Pickup Truck; Custom Welded Metal Signage; Cast Iron Décor & Garden Accents; Vintage & Antique Decorative Items; Galvanized Farmhouse Pieces; Hand-Forged Metalwork; Garden Sculptures & Outdoor Décor; Rustic & Industrial Furniture Accents.

Geyer Auction Co. PA # AY-000243-L Phone 215-259-8852

Dotta

Continued from page 7

Bethel graduated in 1970 from Kansas Wesleyan University with an education major

and history minor. Following college, Bethel was a teacher for 40 years, including at the Schilling Manor Army Air Force base in Salina, Kan., and Hanover Elementary in Bethlehem, Pa. He used animation and cartoons to inspire creative arts.

He is a member of the Letitia Penn Doll Club, known impact on Bethel was the marionette puppet scene in “Sound of Music” performed by pioneering puppeteers Bill and Cora Baird.

as the oldest such club in the United States and an organizer of the Dublin Doll Show and Sale. The club’s next show is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, at the Dublin Fire Hall at 194 N. Main St. in Dublin, Pa. The fall show will take place on Sunday, Oct. 11.

“The Letitia Penn Doll Club brings quality antique to

modern dolls and accessories from our many dealers to the public,” said Bethel. “There is definitely something for everyone at this show.”

Bethel believes his involvement with Dotta has increased buyer interest.

“Each year more consignment calls come into the Dotta Auction,” he said. “This leads

to great merchandise of all types, styles, and elite quality. It’s amazing to see dolls from various countries and many

different decades come in.”

For further information on the upcoming sale, visit www.dottaauction.com.

Horse Drawn Coaches, Carriages, Sleighs, Appointments & Antiques Select 55th Annual Spring Auction

Friday, April 24, 2026 at 9:00 AM

Preview: Thursday, April 23, 10am-6pm

Lebanon Fairgrounds Expo Center Lebanon, PA 17402

LARGE ONE-DAY AUCTION

For More Information, Updates, Large Photo Gallery, terms & conditions, view our websites www.martinauctioneers.com

AuctionZip - ID#1891

Plan to attend our 55th Select Auction! We will be selling with 2-3 Auction Rings! This auction will offer approximately 150+ carriages & sleights

Preview: Thursday, April 23, 10am-6pm Friday, April 24, 8am-6pm

Auction Highlights: Horse Drawn Coaches, Carriages, & Sleighs; Driving & Riding Appointments; Assortment of Harness; Framed Prints & Pictures; Coach & Carriage Lamps; Coaching Horns, Inventory of Top Hats; New & Used Tack; Saddles & Bridles; Stable Fixtures; Agricultural Equipment & Items, Slot Machines & Coca-Cola Machine; Equine and Non Horse Related Collectibles; Antiques & Memorabilia

This is only a brief listing at the time of publication Call now to be placed on our emailing list for this

Continued from page 4

“Self-Made: A Century of Inventing Artists” is curated by Valérie Rousseau, PhD, curatorial chair and senior curator of 20th-century Folk Art

and contemporary art, with Suzie Oppenheimer, Ponsold-Motherwell curatorial fellow, City University of New York, Graduate Center, and research associate. For further information, visit www.folkartmuseum.org.

This Joseph E. Yoakum (1891-1972) work titled “Mt. Swan of Darling Mtn. Range Near Perth of Western Australia,” from Chicago, Ill., Jan. 8, 1968, is a colored pencil, pastel, ballpoint pen on paper, 12 by 18 inches, from the American Folk Art Museum, New York, Anthony Petullo Collection.

This is Lee Godie (1908-94), “Untitled (‘Lee in a large hate.’),” Chicago, Ill, 1970s, ballpoint pen on photograph, 5 by 3.75 inches, from the American Folk Art Museum, New York, gift of Charles B. and Janice M. Rosenak.

deck. “It had everything going for it, size, color, originality and incredible condition,” said Miles King, Milestone Auctions’ co-owner and principal auctioneer. “It was the finest, most-original example we had ever seen. We knew collectors would fight for it.” Impressive from tip to tail, it landed above the midpoint of its estimate, commanding $26,400.

An Aoshin Shoten (Japan) 15-inch tin friction Batmobile was a showstopper with its rich blue color scheme and distinctive rear fins. All original and appearing virtually untouched, its graphics included red pinstriping and red bat graphics on the hubcaps and above the name “BatMobile” on the car’s sides. A full-body figure of a confident-looking Batman sits at the wheel of this pop-culture gem, which came with its original box

boasting Batman, Robin and Batmobile graphics. “It would pose quite a challenge to find a better example of this toy,” observed King. Against an estimate of $6,000 to $8,000, it roared across the auction finish line for $20,910. At the other end of the size spectrum, a 9-inch-long blue version of an Aoshin Shoten’s battery-operated Batmobile was another crowd-pleaser. All original and in great condition, it had its original fullbody Batman driver and correct battery box remote control. The toy also came with its scarce, original Japanese-market box with bold graphics and Japanese writing. It easily glided to $9,840.

A Daiya (Japan) 11-inch battery-operated tin Space Conqueror dazzled in its rare dark lime green color with perfectly executed red, yellow and black details. All original and appearing never to have been played with, it retained its original “radar” antenna

Crossing the categories of both Disney and tin windup toys, a Linemar Mechanical Minnie Mouse rocks back and forth in her rocking chair and knits when activated. Crisp and colorful pictorial box boasts bright yellow and red colors. In excellent condition, appearing never to have been played with, it sold for $1,620, more than twice its high estimate.

for $2,583 against an $800 to $1,000 estimate.

The ca. 1870s wood toy with weighted clockwork-style mechanism and two doll figures marked “I.G. Williams Hamilton Marion Co Iowa” was a rarity, selling for $6,765 against a $2,000 to $3,000 estimate.

and had a clean battery box. Its original pictorial box identified the toy as “Space Conqueror - Man of Tomorrow” and described its features as “Stop-Go (Action) and Pop Pop Noise.” The sought-after bot sold for $11,700.

One of the earliest Marx space toys, a classic 12-inch tin windup Buck Rogers 25th Century Police Patrol presented in fantastic all-original condition, even retaining its original tailfins and exhibiting bright colors and a nice shine. Its accompanying original box describes the futuristic toy as “a flashing, roaring, speeding model of Buck Rogers’ famous Inter-Planetary Police Patrol.” The auction example was so complete, it even came with an envelope containing extra flints for the toy’s sparking feature. It was chased to $5,412. Going way back in time, a ca. 1870s American wood toy with a weighted clockwork-style mechanism came with two doll figures reflecting an aspect of American domestic life during the post-Civil War Reconstruction Period. A Black woman, made of china, is shown tending to a white child, made of porcelain and resting in a cradle. Marked “I.G. Williams

Hamilton Marion Co Iowa” on its back side, this survivor was described in Milestone’s catalog as “possibly the only known example of a very rare, museum-quality toy.” It sold for $6,765.

For more information, email info@milestoneauctions.com or visit www.milestoneauctions.com.

All images courtesy of Milestone Auctions.

This Aoshin Shoten (Japan) 9-inch battery-operated Batmobile, small blue version, all original and in great condition, correct battery box remote control and scarce, original Japanese-market box, estimated at $4,000 to $6,000, rose to $9,840.