With just five of the 630 lots of toys and models failing to get away and an £80,000 total well above top hopes, Special Auctions Services’ Newbury sale was, said auctioneer Hugo Marsh, “just like the old days – even better”.

Extracted from Antiques Trade Gazette | Terence Ryle

The February 11 sale featured no great rarities with estimates pitched to a knowledgeable collectors’ market.

World first

An exception, however, was something of a job-lot of incomplete Bayko sets.

Patented in 1933 by Liverpool plastics engineer Charles Plimpton, the construction toy using Bakelite was a world first and became a worldwide brand until it closed in 1967. Lego, although established in 1932, was a wooden toy until the switch to plastic in 1960.

The pre-war pieces at Newbury were pitched at £100-200 and sold at £1600.

Also going well above estimates were a Corgi Gift Set 3 including the Batmobile and Batboat and a fine example of a mechanical flatbed Foden made by Shackleton Toys.

The 1st issue 267 Batmobile and 107 Batboat was in its original window box complete with four figures and 12 rockets. The buff card was not only a rare survivor in itself but also protected the cellophane sleeve which gets brittle if exposed to light. Such key points for the serious collector helped the toy, rated VG, to a double-estimate £1500.

The Foden flatbed illustrated above had been bought for the vendor around 1950. They were deluxe toys and relatively shortlived. In its original box with key and wrench, it was, said Marsh, “the best example we have seen” and sold at £1300 against a £250-300 estimate.

The buyer’s premium was 20%.