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This rare Japanese battery-operated Mars Explorer, all original and complete and in wonderful condition with a clean battery box, was the sale’s top lot, selling for $42,120 against an estimate of $12/15,000. That may have been a record price for what the catalog notes described as “a very cool looking car.”
Review by W.A. Demers; Photos Courtesy Milestone Auctions
WILLOUGHBY, OHIO — Toys opened a desirable box for collectors at Milestone’s January 13 New Year’s Antique Toy Extravaganza, a 732-lot sale totaling $1.27 million and including some of the category’s most favorite European, American and Japanese playthings. Spanning the golden era through postwar-production years, rare toys and even more rare factory boxes and conditions that were mint and original added to the extravaganza. Those who have been watching the series For All Mankind on the Apple TV streaming channel no doubt would marvel at how early Japanese toymakers envisioned extraterrestrial autos designed to explore the Red Planet. In this sale, a rare Japanese battery-operated Mars Explorer, all original and complete and in wonderful condition with a clean battery box sold for $42,120. That was against an estimate of $12/15,000. Featuring great colors, graphics and chrome accents, the 8-inch example was, according to catalog notes “a very cool looking car.”
Japanese robots also rocked this sale, with a Yonezawa 10-inch windup Diamond Planet Robot represented in a rare variation featuring a silvery-blue body and red arms and ears. “Any Diamond Planet Robot is like a Faberge egg to robot collectors,” observed Miles King. “It was made in two color variations — red body with blue arms and ears, and the even rarer blue body with red arms and ears, like the one in our auction. They simply do not turn up for sale anywhere.” The robot, the largest windup robot ever produced, went out at $34,440. It was complete and all-original with great design and paint in very nice condition. Cataloging noted that the “gauges” on the robot’s chest were in great shape. “It’s a great example of what is arguably the most sought-after of all robots,” King said. “Only a few have ever come to market.”
A Yonezawa 10-inch windup Diamond Planet Robot came in the rare blue body with red arms and ears variation, one of two variations for this toy. “They simply do not turn up for sale anywhere,” observed Miles King. The robot, the largest windup robot ever produced, went out at $34,440.
Milestone sold a similar rare Japanese tin friction Friendly Motorcycle in October 2023 for $10,000. In this sale, a “Red Version” did even better, the motorcycle toy with male and female passengers finishing at $19,305. It was an all complete example with nice colors.
Toy robot collectors salivated over the prototype for Marx’s Big Loo Giant Moon Robot, identical in form to the production robot that followed. The unpainted silver prototype stood 38 inches tall. It had been acquired directly from the toy’s designer, Harry Evanoff, in 1963, according to catalog notes. With production numbers on its back and retaining a Marx sample tag reading “7650, Big Loo, Erie, Return to Harry E.,” Big Loo earned $17,550.
Fetching $16,380 was a toy of days past, a rare German tin windup Walking Down Broadway. Erns Paul Lehmann immortalized himself and his wife Martha with this toy, according to catalog notes. All original and complete, he with a cane and dog on leash, she with bonnet and purse, the toy, accompanied with its scarce box, was “one of the best examples of this toy we have ever seen,” wrote Milestone in the sale’s catalog.
Not everything in the sale was whiz-bang space and vintage motorcycle and car toys. This rare German tin windup, Walking Down Broadway, in which Erns Paul Lehmann immortalized himself and his wife Martha, earned $16,380. It was all original and complete, he with a cane and dog on leash, she with bonnet and purse, and the toy was accompanied with its scarce box.
Also featuring a flywheel mechanism was a rare German tin motorcycle with rider. It was a great looking early single-cylinder motorcycle. Large and impressive it was bid to $14,040 against a $5/7,000 estimate.
Childhood nostalgia ran high when a Marx Flash Gordon signal pistol crossed the block. It was in the rare light blue color. Most important, the original tray sported a never-been-played-with condition. With great looking decals and accompanied with its colorful box, it flashed to $8,775.
A fortunate bidder rode away with a rare prewar Japan tin windup Gun-Yo military trike motorcycle, paying $14,040 for the toy having great details. Its Japanese soldier with gun and dagger forever rides on the wonderful 10½-inch windup motorcycle.
Another scarce toy in working order was a Yonezawa Batman Tank, all-original and complete with its vinyl Batman driver. One of the rarest of all Batman toys, the bright red tin friction vehicle came emblazoned with Japanese writing, bat logos and cartoon images of both Batman and Robin. It captured $16,965, a bit above its low estimate.
This Yonezawa Batman Tank, all-original and complete with its vinyl Batman driver in a bright red tin friction vehicle, came emblazoned with Japanese writing, bat logos and cartoon images of both Batman and Robin. It captured $16,965, a bit above its low estimate.
Pedal cars, another touchstone of kiddie nostalgia, were led in this sale by a rare 1930s Gendron Skippy Shark Nose Graham pedal car. In all original condition and with great paint and original parts, i.e., hood ornament, hub caps, windshield, lights, seat pad and more, the 51-inch example was driven to $11,115.
Also looking like it had never been played with was a 16-inch-long Japanese tin friction Atom Racer #27 in the Deluxe version. All original and complete with bright colors and shine, it retained its original chrome accents, original rubber tires and friction works with motor sounds. It commanded $11,070.
A childhood without monsters is no kind of childhood at all. Thus, attention must be paid to a box containing an 8½-inch-long, battery-operated handmade in Japan by Cragstan Industries in the 1960s. The box lid features a creepy image of the Frankenstein monster reaching towards viewer and an illustration of a boy at lower right with word balloon reading “It Will Kill You.” Thankfully, according to catalog notes, this version was deemed to be offensive and was left off later versions of the toy. The tin battery-operated hand was designed with thin rubber, that is always found in distressed condition. This example had a lot of intact rubber skin. Due to its fragile construction, the toy was sold in “as-is” condition, but still it does not appear on the market often and brought a respectable $8,100.
A Strauss tin windup Circus Monkey Truck motored to $4,680.
Notable results were also recorded for a Strauss tin windup Circus Monkey Truck at $4,680; a Gely tin windup motorcycle with riders, $8,775; and a German hand-painted tin windup motorcycle with rider, $8,190.
Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. For information, www.milestoneauctions.com or 440-527-8060.
