CROTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – A rare, never-used 1966 Batman parachute toy retail display, an equally scarce example of a clear-body toy Hess truck made exclusively for the John Hess family, tin advertising signs, and dozens of quality, mostly Japanese tin vehicles from the mid-20th century, are just a few expected top lots in SeriousToyz'™ Auction #58, a website-only sale that can also accommodate “old-school” collectors who bid by phone from a printed catalog.

Bidding will begin on Friday, September 23rd, and end on September 29th (for character toys and advertising items) and September 30th (for toy vehicles and classic toys). All bidding will be driven through the SeriousToyz website, at www.SeriousToyz.com. Many of the items can be previewed now, online, or by appointment, at the SeriousToyz gallery in Croton-on-Hudson.

“This is the first time that I can remember where we’ve had such an incredible assortment of high-end, one-of-a-kind pieces, in such a broad range of categories,” said Tom Miano, owner of SeriousToyz, adding, “but items will be selling at price points that should appeal to the novice collector as well as the seasoned veteran. Allowing all levels of bidders to participate is one of the hallmarks of a SeriousToyz auction.”

More than 600 lots from over 35 consignors will be sold, featuring additional rare Hess trucks (including chromed special editions); 44 different and pristine examples of 1st and 2nd generation Matchbox vehicles from a find of forgotten store stock; advertising signs and retail displays; tin cartoon character toys, to include many scarce Hanna-Barbera favorites; and Britains civilian farm figure sets, all of them mint-in-the-box.

Also in the sale will be vintage movie and concert posters, including The Who and the Grateful Dead; over 30 Soaky toys; more than 140 Ramp Walkers, to include early wood pieces; mint-in-the-box Corgi toys; Mego figures, including 1st and 2nd generation and carded pieces; space toys, featuring robots, space ships and ray guns; Japanese market character toys; promo toy cars; early Speed Racer cars from both Japan and Argentina; and seven different Dick Tracy toy cars.

The Batman parachute display is the sale’s expected top lot, with an estimate of $3,000-$5,000. It is one of only a few known, and this is the only example in existence that has never been assembled or displayed. This rarest of all Batman pieces had been in the Ray-Line factory (the maker) and was bought by a dealer when the factory closed in the 1970s.

That dealer eventually sold it to the consignor, for just $25, along with some other Ray-Line boxed inventory. The outside of the box reads “Parachute Display” and has the Ray-Line logo. Inside, the retail display has a heavy base, with an electric fan pointing up. If assembled, the toy would be suspended over the fan, so when it’s activated it would appear the parachute is floating down.

There are other scarce Batman items in the auction, including rare Ideal pre-production mold tests of Batman JLA figures; a scarce 1966 Batman Rocket Gun by Baravelli, 22 inches long, still in the box; and two different Batman utility belts, including the highly desirable 1966 Ideal issue in a high-quality reproduction box. Also sold will be James Bond 007 toy guns, including the scarce Topper briefcase, and a rare Italian “Goldfinger” gun, still in the original box.

Among the one-of-a-kind items being offered is an early Japanese version of the board game “Go Fish.” It was purchased in the 1970s by Vinny Nauheimer, a toy designer for Empire Toys who’d gone to Japan on a buying trip. Inspired, he brought the game home and developed it from this very example for Empire in the US market. This piece of toy history comes with a letter of authenticity from Mr. Nauheimer.

Another lot to watch is a mint-in-the-box example of Nintendo’s first “Duck Hunt” game, made in 1975 exclusively for the Japanese market. It plays just like the TV-based version, except the ducks are projected onto a wall. The toy was produced nearly 10 years before the introduction of the classic TV video game and should be considered a genuine, classic piece of video game history.

Not every lot in the sale will be toy-related. Offered will be scarce and unusual Beatles items, to include original glossy prints of unpublished fan photos; a nice group of baseball memorabilia, to include a photo signed by the Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio and former Brooklyn Dodger Dolph Camilli; and a book (7, The Mick) signed by Mickey Mantle (both with certifications from JSA).

Toy vehicles will be featured prominently throughout the sale. Featured will be a large group of Redline Hot Wheels and Rrumblers cars; nearly 30 1960s Aurora “Vibrator” and “Thunderjet” slot cars, including several rare color variations; and “Weird-Oh’s” and “Rat Fink” items, including two different 1963 “Rat Fink” slot car kits by Revell, both in mint condition and factory sealed.

The category continues with a gorgeous example of a 1950s Japanese Yonezawa Tin Atom Racer, 16 inches long; a collection of toy Go-Carts; and over 125 tin Japanese toy cars from the 1950s and ‘60s, including highly sought-after examples.

Doll collectors will be completely charmed by the group of incredibly detailed, vintage hand-made doll house rugs, all made by a single talented needlepoint artist from the 1960s to the 1980s. Each piece is a perfect reproduction of a real, traditional rug style. Also sold will be early 1900s Marx tin dollhouse rooms and furniture.

Rounding out just a few more of the sale’s expected top performers, offered will be a hard-to-find variation of a 1940s-era Coca-Cola tin button, 36 inches in diameter; a set of hand-carved (possibly bone) Popeye, Wimpy, Bluto and Sweet Pea early figural production molds, and an early etched metal “pie-eye” Mickey Mouse production printing (or embossing) plate.

Online bidders may preview, register and bid live exclusively on the SeriousToyz website, at www.SeriousToyz.com. The site is sophisticated yet easy to navigate, with spectacular photos of every item in the auction, most having multiple, oversize views. Full and detailed descriptions and accurate grades are also given, with live and convenient countdown clocks on every lot page.

In-person previews may be made by appointment and will be held in SeriousToyz’ retail facility in Westchester County, N.Y., at #1 Baltic Place in Croton-on-Hudson (zip: 10520). Interested parties are encouraged to call before traveling. An 18% buyer’s premium will be applied to all winning bids, with a 3% discount given to those paying by cash, money order or personal check.

To learn more about SeriousToyz and Auction #58, please visit www.SeriousToyz,com. You may call Ton Miano directly with any questions, toll-free, at 1-866-653-8699; or, you can e-mail him at tom@serioustoyz.com. SeriousToyz guarantees satisfaction on all purchases in its sales.

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