Models, Toys, Dolls & Games

John Wallis was one of the leading publishers of board games in the early 19th century. One of them, Science in Sport, or the Pleasures of Astronomy, was first issued in 1804 and revised in 1815.

Star of the show at Auktionhaus Heilbronn’s (21.7% buyer’s premium) latest sale of tinplate toys was a rare three-carriage Märklin train from the Rheinuferbahn, the line from Cologne and Bonn along the banks of the Rhine.

In the early years of the 20th century toy trains made in Germany were also aimed at the British domestic market, eagerly sold by retailers such as Gamages.

Two examples of substantial model presentation cannon came up at different salerooms recently.

“Extremely scarce” was the description of a Scalextric C70 Type 59 Bugatti offered at auction in Lewes and it certainly lived up to that billing.

Our selection of lots from 12 upcoming auctions

A medieval gaming piece found in a sock drawer sold for £50,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) at Gorringe’s in Lewes – smashing its estimate of £10,000-15,000.

As a reminder that merchandise is nothing new, take a look at this board game offered at North Yorkshire saleroom Tennants (24% buyer’s premium).

It may be a “small” collection according to Daniel Agnew, but the array of teddy bears coming up at Special Auction Services on December 3 is also “perfectly curated” and “by far the finest and most exciting collection of teddy bears ever to come to auction”.

An Adelaide Huret bisque shoulder head fashion doll with accessories hammered for £16,000 at Cheffins’ (25% buyer’s premium) teddy dolls and bears timed online sale on September 5, four times the high estimate.

The Heyde Ernest Shackleton 1908 Antarctic Exploration Set is one of the rarest and sought-after productions from the German toy maker.

Despite the catalogue note “would benefit from sympathetic restoration to exterior”, the overall appeal of a rare 19th century folk art dolls’ diorama of a kitchen was enough to take the hammer price to £7000.

An early clockwork model wheeled into a Buckinghamshire saleroom to get bidders into gear for an estimate-busting result

Its survival a mystery for years, a rare 1950s Meccano store display figure has surfaced in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

A medieval walrus ivory gaming piece, recently found by a Gorringe’s valuer in a sock drawer, comes for sale in Lewes on October 8. As part of the Interiors & Decorative Arts Sale it has an estimate of £10,000-15,000

Such is the size of the ‘museum of collectables’ formed by the British toy designer Patrick Rylands, Hansons (26.5% buyer’s premium) in Derbyshire is selling the array in five separate auctions.

Sometime c.1900, a craftsman or accomplished amateur spent a lot of time building or converting a 6ft 7in (2m) cupboard into a fully fitted dolls’ house.