VINELAND, N.J. - If there were a World Cup for antique toys, the name engraved on the trophy quite likely would be that of K-B Toys co-founder and toy collector extraordinaire Donald Kaufman. The late Mr. Kaufman's incomparable array of antique and vintage toys - a blue-ribbon panoply of pre- and postwar production - has fascinated and seduced hobbyists the world over since Bertoia Auctions' 2008 announcement that the collection was to be sold.

 With three Kaufman auctions from the ongoing series now completed and the $9.3 million subtotal confirmed as the highest amount ever achieved at auction by a single-owner antique toy collection, it's time for collectors to assume a "now or never" mindset, said Bertoia Auctions' owner Jeanne Bertoia.

"It's hard to believe that so much of the collection has been sold, but we're now in the midst of planning part four of the collection, which will be auctioned on September 24th and 25th," Jeanne said. "The two-day session will represent the last of the European autos from Don's collection - this is it - but I think everyone is going to be very pleased to see that the quality of the European autos in part four is just as strong as in the previous sessions. We planned it that way." Jeanne noted that in spring of 2011 there will be a final, one-day sale to conclude the auction of the Kaufman toys, but that particular session will not include European toy vehicles.

TIMONIUM, Md. - Interest was keener than ever, and the bidding action was relentless in RSL Auction's sale of antique toys and banks held May 22nd at Richard Opfer's suburban Baltimore gallery. "We started at noon and finished at 20 till three - it was about two hours and 40 minutes of very serious bidding," said RSL co-owner Ray Haradin. Internet live bidding was provided by LiveAuctioneers.com.

In all, the auction took in $1.8 million (all prices quoted include 21.5% buyer's  premium). "They came to buy; they didn't want to sit there with an auctioneer trying to milk a few extra dollars out of them," said Haradin. "When Rick [Opfer] is at the podium, you put your hand up or you don't get the toy."

The featured attraction of the 360-lot sale was the Richard C. Stevens collection, a 24-year assemblage of cast-iron mechanical banks boasting superb conditions and with provenance reflecting several of the most prestigious collections of the past half-century.

SHELTON, Conn. - Lloyd Ralston Gallery Inc. will deliver a fun-filled toy auction of nearly 500 lots on Saturday, June 12, beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern. Up for bids is a diverse selection of vintage toys and trains. LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.

There are many tin toys and cap guns along with die-cast, slush, rubber, cast-iron and pressed steel vehicles. Trains include Lionel in prewar and postwar and Marklin in HO & O gauge and modern 1 gauge.

Three 1 gauge Rheingold cars make up one of the most coveted lots in the auction. The original cars have been independently verified as originals. Each is 22 inches long and in excellent condition. The estimate for the set is $10,000-$15,000.

 VINELAND, N.J. - Auctioneers have learned to cope with a myriad of meteorological challenges year round, from bone-chilling blizzards to terrifying tornados, but the last thing Jeanne Bertoia and her team expected to deal with over the weekend of April 16-17 was a volcanic eruption.

A cloud of ash drifting from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland, which had erupted twice in less than amonth, enshrouded much of Europe in the 48 hours prior to Bertoia’s sale of the Donald Kaufman collection, part III. The volcanic ash forced the cancellation of many flights and disrupted air traffic across northern Europe, stranding thousands of passengers. Among them were toy collectors with plans to attend the 3,700-lot sale at Bertoia’s Vineland, N.J., gallery.

“Most of the Euros made it outjust before the cancellations, although [noted author and toy historian] David Pressland was one of the travelers stranded in London,” said Jeanne Bertoia. “Fortunately, we were able to move quickly to accommodate anyone who requested a last-minute phone line.Many others bid live via the Internet [through LiveAuctioneers.com], so no one was left out.” The auction went on to gross $2.38 million; all prices quoted in this report include 15% buyer’s premium.

TIMONIUM, Md. – Few categories of antique toys have been as consistently “bankable” over the past few decades as banks themselves, especially cast-iron mechanicals. And nothing brings out the collectors faster than news of a great collection coming onto the market, says mechanical bank specialist and RSL Auction co-owner Ray Haradin, who speaks from long experience. Together with his business partners Steven and Leon Weiss – the “S” and “L” of “RSL” – Haradin has handled some headline-grabbing collections in the past. On May 22, they’ll do it once again as they auction the Richard C. Stevens collection of mechanical banks in a 360-lot auction at Richard Opfer’s gallery in Timonium, Maryland.

Richard Stevens began collecting banks in 1984, but his most active period of buying was in the early 1990s. “Mr. Stevens has always sought out the very finest examples, and his collection contains probably 30 banks that qualify as ‘world class,’” said Haradin. “These banks have exquisite pedigrees and rival or surpass the conditions seen in many major collections. The quality is simply spectacular – it tops anything we’ve ever had in our past sales.”

Rich with provenance, the Stevens collection carries on the tradition of many legendary collections of the past. An Atlas Bank formerly in the collections of Leon Cameto and Larry Feld is estimated at $25,000-$35,000 and is “as close to mint as you can get,” said Haradin. A Boy Scout Camp bank, made by J. & E. Stevens and in near-mint condition, was once part of the fabled Perelman Museum collection and is expected to earn $20,000-$30,000.

VINELAND, N.J. - The dreams of thousands of toy collectors worldwide have come true since last March when Bertoia's launched a semiannual series of auctions to disperse the renowned Donald Kaufman Collection. Last September when the hammer fell on the closing lot for part II of the series, the incomparable collection of American, European and Japanese toys had already taken in $7.2 million, with much more to come. But many wondered if the massive Kaufman toy box had finally been depleted of its premier examples. Rich Bertoia, who cataloged much of the Kaufman collection, chuckled at the thought of the ultimate wellspring of antique toys running dry. 

"If you liked parts I and II, you'll love part III," he said. "It's absolutely the same high level of quality plus there's the added attraction of part I of Don's wonderful comic character toys. The only difference collectors will note this time around is that, sadly, Don will not be with us." Donald Kaufman passed away on Oct. 12, 2009, knowing his toys were in the best of hands at Bertoia's, and delighted that so many had already gone to fellow collectors in dozens of countries. 

The third installment of the ongoing series, which will take place on Friday and Saturday, April 16 and 17, 2010, at Bertoia Auctions' gallery in Vineland, N.J., will feature Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com. Collectors can expect to see a diverse mix of classic cast-iron, pressed-steel, comic character and European toys in superior condition. "There was only one way that Don liked his toys - factory fresh, or very close to it," said Rich. 

DENVER, Pa. - Dan Morphy Auctions will pack 2,100 quality lots into a big two-day sale, Feb. 26 and 27, 2010, at the company's state of the art gallery on the Adamstown antique strip. The main categories in the auction are historical antiques, firearms and militaria, jewelry, toys and antique advertising. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet. 

The Friday session opens with more than 150 lots of fine jewelry and Bakelite from a single estate. All types of jewelry will be offered, including rings, necklaces, earrings, watches and brooches. Among the highlights are an 18K gold bracelet with turquoise stones, a 14K gold bracelet with diamonds, and many other gold Victorian-era fine jewelry designs. 

Blake, the Emmy-nominated TV and film editor, began collecting toys in the 1970s. Included in the sale will be cast iron, lithographed tin, die cast, hard plastic and rubber vehicles. Hubley, Arcade, Champion, Dent, A.C. Williams, Marx, Paya, Corgi, Dinky, Tekno, Birk, Sabra, Solido, Cherryca Phenix and Tootsietoy are some of the toy makers represented along with Japanese manufacturers.

The auction will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern with the sale of a Corgi 262 Lincoln Continental Limousine in its original display box. Rated at C9, the car already has multiple bids.

Among the top items in the auction Saturday is a Tootsietoy Buck Rogers 25th Century Rocket Ships set complete in its original box. In C8 condition, it carries a $4,000-$6,000 estimate.

DENVER, Pa. - A 25-year private collection of steam toys amassed by New Mexico couple Pat and Lowell Wagner headlines a 3,100-lot holiday-themed Winter Sale to be held Dec. 10-12 at Dan Morphy Auctions' gallery in Denver, Pa.

The acclaimed 545-lot steam toy collection includes many great rarities, said Morphy's CEO and owner, Dan Morphy. "The Wagners bought only the best pieces - like the steam-driven motorcycle with sidecar, and extremely desirable steam-driven boats," Morphy said. "By anyone's assessment, it's a premier collection."