(OCEANSIDE, N.Y.) – A 1954 Superman vs. The Robot lunch box in mint condition – widely regarded as the Holy Grail of rare and vintage lunch boxes – soared to $11,865 at a three-day multi-estate sale conducted Oct. 22-24 by Philip Weiss Auctions. Around 1,200 lots changed hands at the event, held in the Philip Weiss Auctions showroom at #1 Neil Court in Oceanside.

The lunch box, by Universal, showed Superman flying at The Robot on the front. The reverse showed Superman carrying an airliner, breaking a chain across his chest and smashing through a brick wall. The piece tied for top lot with a 1901 Caille New Century Puck upright 5-cent slot machine in good working order. The highly collectible machine also brought $11,865.

Overall, the auction grossed nearly $500,000. “There were a few surprises, hardly any disappointments, and by and large I was very pleased with the results,” Philip Weiss said of the sale. He estimated 200 people attended the event in person over the course of the three days. Phone and absentee bidding was also brisk, while online bidding was facilitated by Proxibid.

“With regard to Internet bidding, it’s quite remarkable what we see happen,” Mr. Weiss said. “At the start of the auction, we may have 100 or so registered online bidders, no more. But as the sale goes by, hour by hour, more and more bidders log on. And a lot of them are first-timers. This has been a trend, and it’s a good one. I love that our auctions are on the Internet.”

Following are additional highlights from the sale. All prices quoted include a 13 percent buyer’s premium.

An extremely rare Planter’s Mr. Peanut coin-operated scale, standing 44 inches tall and made by the X-Cello Scale Company (Toledo, Ohio), went for $9,040, key included. Also, a pair of Pennsylvania Railroad posters from the 1930s promoting Atlantic City, by the illustrator Edward M. Eggleston (1883-1941), both 23 inches by 33 inches, garnered $7,345 and $5,368.

A Tete Deposse French bebe doll, 25 inches tall with composition body, closed mouth, fixed eyes, finely painted brows and lashes, pierced ears, a ball jointed body and leather shoes went for $4,294, despite the worn and dirty dress. Also, a turn-of-the-century monkey automaton, 20.5 inches tall, with a baby monkey on its back, possibly German, brought $3,673.

A mechanical “Baker Boy” Sanitary Chewing Gum machine, patented by the Manikin Vendor Company (Portland, Ore.) and with the instructions printed on the brass name plate (“Drop penny – turn crank clear over”), breezed to $4,068, while a Schoenhut Humpty Dumpty circus tent with animals set in beautiful condition and showing only minor paint loss hit $2,712.

A single lot consisting of four albums loaded with assorted size photos and ephemeral material pertaining to the career of actress Linda Darnell made $2,938. The archive included images of Ms. Darnell during shootings as well as before, after and home shots. Also, another multiple lot – of stills, press photos, ephemera and negatives from various movies – hit $1,582.

From the toy trains category, a brass locomotive and tender by Tenshodo, made in Japan, HO scale with the railroad name “Duluth Missabe and Iron Range Railway,” in mint condition in the original box, never run, sold for $2,317. Also, a Lionel pre-war 700E scale Hudson 5344 with tender, both showing some wear with scuffs but overall in excellent shape, made $1,187.

Philip Weiss Auctions will conclude 2010 with two more blockbusting estate sales, the first of which is planned for the weekend of Nov. 20-21. The Saturday, Nov. 20 session will be dedicated to a full day of Disney, animation art, comic art, comic books and sports memorabilia – over 600 lots in all. The Disney items will feature convention pieces, rare posters (to include two 1939 Mickey Mouse posters, Standard Gasoline and National Credit Card), animation art, Lladro and other porcelains, and Snow White animation cels with Courvoisier backgrounds.

Nov. 20 will also feature vintage comics and comic art (including a Peanuts daily and a Sunday page featuring Snoopy), sports cards (including complete sets from the ’40s, ’50s and up, early sports cards by makers like Sports Kings, Play Ball, Goudey, Topps, Bowman and more), sports autograph memorabilia (including jerseys, helmets and photos), and balls (to include a single signed Babe Ruth baseball with PSA letter, and a 1942 golf benefit pass signed by Ruth.

The Sunday, Nov. 21 session will present fresh material from a fabulous Park Avenue estate, to include high-end original paintings, part of a large single-owner Hummel collection, tobacco jars, sterling silver, Armani figurines, a Toulouse Lautrec poster (La Revue Blanche), an Alphonse Mucha JOB poster, Part 2 of a collection of pig-related collectibles, fine porcelains, a Chagall china set, sconces, bronzes, and period furniture, such as a Louis XVI-style card table.

The December auction will he held the weekend of Dec. 17-19. The three-day event will kick off on Friday, Dec. 17, at 4 p.m., with approximately 200-300 ocean liner items, to include Part 2 of the Bushnell Collection, with additions. Featured will be tin signs, lithographs, prints, posters, models, paper ephemera, books, china and other assorted ocean liner memorabilia items.

Saturday, Dec. 18, beginning at 10 a.m,, will be dedicated to toy soldiers, toy trains, Fisher Price toys and more. Featured will be Part 2 of the Edward Ryan Collection, including paper toy soldiers, plus sets by Parker Brothers, McLoughlin and other makers. Toy soldiers from a variety of estates will be offered, including Britains, Manoils, Barclay, Durbar and others.

The day will also feature Part 2 of the Lawrence Kozsey “HO Brass” train collection, to include locomotives, cabooses, tenders and passenger cars by Samhongsa, Dongjin, Atlas, Tenshodo and others. Also included will be a miniature elevated railway that was built in the ’20s or ’30s, which features a power house, switching control house, floodlight towers and track. The Sunday session (Dec. 19, also starting at 10 a.m.), will be highlighted by Part 2 of the Great Lakes Collection of stamps and covers. Also featured will be four major estates loaded with album collections, a Midwest estate housed in special albums and more. Also sold will be currency, silver and gold coins (sold as single and group lots), rare books, autographs and maps. Previews will be held on the days leading up to, and including, the auction dates, for both upcoming sales.

Philip Weiss Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (516) 594-0731, or e-mail them at phil@prwauctions.com. To learn more about Philip Weiss Auctions and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auctions, to include the Nov. 20-21 weekend event, log on to www.prwauctions.com.

Some current live auctions for vintage lunch boxes:

lunch (Category: Lunchboxes, Thermoses ): lunch (Category: Lunchboxes, Thermoses )

• 1969 JULIA LUNCH BOX WITH THERMOS

US $99.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 6:37:58 PST Buy It Now for only: US $149.00 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

• 1971 HEE HAW LUNCH BOX

US $79.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 6:44:34 PST Buy It Now for only: US $99.00 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

• Vintage Metal Lunchbox/Lunch Box: Adam 12 Emergency with Plastic Thermos. 1973

US $74.00 (1 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 8:33:21 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• Three Disney Plastic Lunchboxes/Lunch Boxes with Thermoses Set 2 new with tags

US $47.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 8:58:19 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• Original Vintage 1961 Lawmen TV Series Metal Lunch Box-Warner Brothers

US $52.00 (30 Bids) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 10:45:50 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• 2 Vintage Aladdin Stanley Quart Thermos w/ carrying case & lunch box

US $49.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 13:00:40 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• lot 11 small lunch boxes still in the plastic wrapper brand new

US $60.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 14:42:14 PST Buy It Now for only: US $125.00 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

• BATMAN AND ROBIN LUNCH BOX (PLUS MINI BOX FOR THE LITTLE ONE IN THE FAMILY)

US $45.44 (7 Bids) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 16:01:09 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• Rare! Vintage Domed Disney Fire Fighters lunch box, 1969 Aladdin, Walt Disney

US $49.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 16:05:59 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• Gunsmoke lunch box and thermos

US $74.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 16:52:36 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

(RAYMOND, Ill.) – A monstrous two-day auction dedicated to farm and construction toys, Lionel toy trains and vintage toys will be held the weekend of Feb. 20-21 at a former furniture store building in Raymond, Ill., located halfway between St. Louis and Springfield, Ill. In all, nearly 1,000 lots will cross the block. Online bidding will be facilitated by Proxibid.com.

The sale will be a collaboration of two auction houses: Matthews Auction Company, based in Nokomis, Ill., and Gavin Pope Auction Company, headquartered in Raymond. A crowd of around 80 people is expected for the two days, while pre-registration for Internet bidding has been brisk, according to Dan Matthews. “I expect many of these items will sell online,” he said.

The Saturday, Feb. 20 session, beginning promptly at 10 a.m. (CST), will comprise over 500 lots of farm toys and construction toys. Featured will be a fabulous John Deere memorabilia collection, to include oilers, pencils, pens, pocket knives, calendars and more. The Sunday, Feb. 21 session will boast over 300 lots of Lionel toy trains (mostly new in the box), circa 1950s-’90s.

Feb. 21 will also feature more than 75 intriguing vintage toys, to include pedal cars, toy wagons and more. A partial listing of what will be offered both days may be viewed on the Matthews Auctions, LLC website, at www.MatthewsAuctions.com. A full catalog will be posted online soon. A 10 percent buyer’s premium will be charged on Sunday only (none on Saturday).

The Feb. 20 session will have four primary components: custom toys, John Deere items, International and other farm toys, and construction toys. The custom toys will feature Ertl trucks, highly coveted by collectors. Sold will be a rare IH Loadstar cement mixer (possibly with box); an IH Loadstar wrecker; an IH Loadstar equipment trucks; white cab-over box trucks; and more.

The Ertl brand will cross over into the John Deere category, too. Sold will be Ertl John Deere precision models #1-25, all new in the box (including all the hard-to-find ones); an Ertl John Deere A, with drive and arcade wheels; and an Ertl John Deere A, with two-hole flywheel. Also sold will be John Deere 2-cylinder tractors (1990-2008), all new in the box, in great shape.

Other John Deere pieces to be offered include 620, 720 and 820 industrial examples; a Plow City 1010 crawler; a 430 crawler; 4320 and 6030 examples, new in the box; 4960 and 8400 MFWD; a restored 12A and 30 augur combine; a 6600 combine with metal gear drive platform; a near-mint dirt scraper; combines (Turbo and Titan II); and disk plows and other implements.

International toys will include a 5288 farm set; three Precision F-20s; 1206 and 806 models, both repainted; a 1026 gold; a model 560; an F-20 Iowa Welcome Center; several Cubs; an MTA SE; and several other pieces. Additional farm toys will feature a Tru-Scale combine; an Oliver OC-3 Crawler, new in the box; and Ertl Texaco truck and airplanes banks (No. 1 thru 22).

The farm toys category will also feature a large selection of other Texaco toys; a Buddy L Texaco tanker; a Brown Bigelow jet fuel tanker; and pedal tractors, to include a Case CA; John Deere small 60, 20, 730 and 4430 models; a small Massey model 44; and several other examples.

Custom toys will include a Weber Case with dual elevators; an Allis WD-45, with picker; a Woods Brothers one-row picker; a Cottonwood Acres State Highway truck; a Standard tank truck; a Riecke F-20; a Freiheit International Harvester Farmall 300; a Hartz-Partz John Deere 330; a Nolt John Deere L; a custom John Deere AR; and a custom Yoder John Deere model 730.

Construction toys will be abundant and feature Revell Caterpillar scrapers, graders and bottom dumps; an Ertl Cat motor grader; an NZG or Conrad Caterpillar 1/50 scale truck, almost new in the box; a 2-944 Wheel Loader NZG; D8N and D9N, silver edition; a 797 off-highway truck; a D11R track-type tractor, gold and silver edition; and a 793D off-highway toy truck.

Other construction toys certain to get paddles wagging and online bidders juiced include a 245 excavator; a 245 shovel excavator; a P-450 Profiler; a 988B wheeler loader; a 627push-pull scraper; a D400 articulated dump truck; a 615 scraper; a 769C truck; a 416 backhoe; a 966D wheeler loader; a 215 excavator; a 224 wheeler loader; and a 416 backhoe loader, silver edition.

Matthews Auctions, LLC’s next big sale after this one will be a Spring 2010 Peotone Petroliana and Advertising Auction scheduled for Friday, Mar. 5, in Peotone, Ill., starting at 12 noon (CST). Featured will be the Gulf collection of Pat Lutz. Then, on Saturday, April 24, the firm will conduct a Petroliana and Vintage Advertising Sale in Redlands, Calif., at 2 p.m. (PST).

On Saturday, May 1, Matthews Auctions, LLC will hold a Classic Car, Petroliana, Gas Pumps and Vintage Advertising Auction in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc. Offered will be over 20 classic cars, a great selection of gas pumps and signs, and more. Then, on May 15, an Absolute Petroliana and Automotive Advertising Auction will be held, in Loveland, Colo. Featured will be the single-owner collection of Clyde Hodge. Signs, globes and other collectibles will be offered.

Matthews Auctions, LLC is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign an item, an estate or a collection, you may call them toll-free, at (877) 968-8880. Or, you can e-mail them at danm@matthewsauctions.com. To learn more about the firm and its calendar of upcoming sales, to include the Feb. 20-21 auction, log on to www.MatthdewsAuctions.com
To learn more about Gavin Pope Auction Company, you may call them at (217) 825-8682.

Not much to go on without a product number, but we did track down a Buy it Now on eBay listed as “Lionel Uncle Sam Box Car – #6-7700 – 1975” with a price of US $59.00.

As far as price guides go for Lionel Train products, Allan W. Miller (managing editor of Antique Trader Books) writes on www.lionel.com that, “In the area of Lionel train collecting, there are two respected, affordable, and long-established guides that are considered to be the most comprehensive and authoritative: TM’s Lionel Price & Rarity Guide (two volumes) and Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 1901-2010 (Greenberg’s Pocket Price Guide Lionel Trains). Both are updated and published annually, and each has, over many years, developed a devoted following.”

The Greenberg guide is available through the link above from Amazon, and it looks like the TM guide is no longer updated (see www.tmbv.com). Used copies are available on Amazon, though -follow this link: TM’s Lionel Price & Rarity Guide.

For some current live auctions for Lionel train products, see our previous post here >>.

Even though we may only realize it in retrospect, children often display behavior very early in life that points to their destiny. In the early 1890′s seven year old Joshua Lionel Cowen whittled a miniature locomotive from a scrap of wood. It was a remarkable likeness considering his young age. He then tried to fit it with a tiny engine. …and it exploded. He was unharmed, but his mother’s kitchen sustained considerable damage. Many years later, in his early twenties, he would try the experiment again. This time he met with success. He gave his invention his middle name, and the model train was born.

Cowen sold his first model train to a Manhattan shop owner in 1901, by convincing him the small train running through his Christmas window display would draw attention to his other merchandise. The shop owner returned the next day to order half a dozen more tracks and trains. It appeared while the merchandise in his window was getting attention, the customers main question was… “where can we buy the train?” Lionel quickly provided the shop with a dozen train sets consisting of of one electric flat car and thirty feet of track and dubbed it the “Electric Express”. With in twelve months Cowen acquired enough capital to start his own company, The Lionel Corporation.

Though a prolific inventor, Cowen’s marketing skills would prove just as valuable to his success. Working from a German tradition, linking toy trains to Christmas, Cowen approached a number of large department stores in New York City convincing them to incorporate elaborate train set ups around their Christmas tree displays. He provided the trains, tracks, building and landscapes. The public reaction to the displays was overwhelming, sales boomed, and America had officially entered the “Golden Era of Toy Trains”.

The years brought many changes as Cowen constantly improved upon his original concept. In 1902 a train set with a “City Hall Park” trolley and a two foot suspension bridge met with great success. 1903 saw the introduction of the B&O locomotive and the motorized Derrick car. And in 1906 Lionel added a third rail which carried the current and the outer rails, which were the ground rails. Three trolleys, two steam engines, two passenger cars, seven freight cars and a small wall transformer completed this ground breaking set.

In 1907 the Cowen’s became the parents of a son, Lawrence. Not unlike other parents showing off pictures of their little ones, the proud papa placed his son’s likeness on the company emblem. From that year forward it would be seen on all Lionel train boxes and featured in the catalogs. To no ones surprise, Lawrence went on to become the company’s president.

In 1929, Cowen unveiled the “Transcontinental Limited”, which stretched nine feet from its massive headlight to its ornate observation platform, complete with brass rail. It cost an unheard off $110, more than price of a used Model T. Lionel was at the peak of their success when the Depression of the early 1930′s hit. People were struggling to feed their families and very few had money to spend on toys. Obtaining government contracts for his other manufacturing concerns, Cowen managed to keep the Lionel Corporation afloat.

The war years of the 40′s left toy manufacturers with a metal shortage. Lionel stepped up their production of plastic accessories, and once again kept their doors open. When production resumed in the mid-40′s, Lionel turned out trains and accessories that are considered by many to be the best in their long company history. By the mid-1950s, public interest had shifted from trains to airplanes and slot-cars. Christmas of 1953 saw the first considerable drop in sales and with no resurgence of interest to save it, the Lionel Train Corporation and it closed in 1965.

In 1995 a group of investors, headed by singer/song writer Neil Young formed what is known as Lionel Limited Liability Corporation or Lionel LLC. The trains produced by this company, while of fine quality. are of little interest to collectors.

In 1999 the Lionel electric train was recognized as one of the top ten toys of the twentieth-century. The little seven year old boy, who had once blown up his mothers kitchen died in 1965, the undisputed “king” of the toy train industry.

{Linda Hamer Kennett is an associate member of the International Society of Appraisers specializing in the valuation and liquidation of antiques and may be reached at 317-356-8967 or lkennett@indy.rr.com}

Some current live auctions on eBay for Lionel Train items:

Lionel: Lionel

• Lionel 464-51 Mint Packet of 464 Timbers

US $44.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 5:41:20 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• Lionel 3656 Post War Operating Cattle Car and Platform with 9 Cattle and Boxes

US $89.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 5:43:23 PST Buy It Now for only: US $119.99 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

• LIONEL POST WAR 0-4-0 SWITCHER # 1615

US $65.00 (2 Bids) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 5:44:38 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• ORIGINAL LIONEL POST WAR V TRANSFORMER 150 WATTS-FOUR TRAIN OPERATION WOB

US $75.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 5:44:38 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• 1958 BLACK TWO DOME GULF TANKER-6465 TYPE ll

US $49.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 5:44:39 PST Buy It Now for only: US $69.99 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

• MIB LIONEL TRAINS WINSTON ,CAMEL, WHITE OWL BOXCARS 6-7708 6-7701 6-7707

US $250.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 5:44:46 PST Buy It Now for only: US $299.00 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

• Marklin H0 heavy goods electr engine E44 SET 800

US $139.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 5:46:55 PST Buy It Now for only: US $155.00 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

• LIONEL FASTRACK REMOTE LEFT-HAND SWITCH #6-12045 036

US $75.00 (8 Bids) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 5:51:43 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• LIONEL 3927 TRACK CLEANING CAR EX.COND.

US $50.99 (2 Bids) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 5:53:54 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

• LIONEL # 6-36847 POLAR EXP TRAINSOUNDS TENDR -NEW

US $94.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 6:00:38 PST Bid now | Add to watch list