Unique collection of important 19th century toys fetches whopping £193,000 at Newbury auction

A single owner collection of 19th century toys went under the hammer at Special Auction Services in Newbury on Tuesday, and realised a whopping £193,000.

Bidders travelled from all over the world to attend the auction.

David Finn’s Collection of toys from Thüringia and Erzgebirge comprised 501 lots of quirky ‘cottage industry’ created toys made out of wood, papier-mâché or composition depicting soldiers, characterful people and animals.

The Top Lot was a late 19th century German composition and wood French Napoleonic Cavalry (above) which sold for £10,912 to a US collector.

Other highlights include an 1830s Sonneberg papier-mâché and wood hand-cranked mechanical toy of a shepherdess which sold for £8,060 to a US collector.

:An 1820s Seiffen/Olberhau region turned wooden set of Hussar soldiers with provenance which sold for £5,210 to a US Collector.

A mid-19th century Sonneberg composition eight-piece band which sold for £4,464 to Spielmuseum Soltau (Germany)

An 1830s Sonneberg papier-mâché and wood hand-cranked mechanical toy of a student playing a flute which sold for £3,720 to a US Collector.

An 1820s Seiffen/Olberhau region turned wooden scissor toy of Hussar soldiers which sold for £3,600 to Spielmuseum Soltau (Germany).

A late 19th century Thüringen six-piece anthropomorphic animal military band nodders which sold for £3,100 to a Private UK Collector.

A 19th century Erzgebirge painted wooden kitchen house crank toy which sold for £3,000 to a US Collector.

A mid to late 19th century Erzgebirge small belt crank toy which sold for £2,480 to a German Collector.

A mid-19th century Thüringen composition and wood British mounted soldier pull along toy which sold for £2,300 to a German Collector.

Daniel Agnew, Toy Expert at Special Auction Services, in Hambridge Road, said: “It was a great to sell such a unique and fabulous collection of very important 19th century toys; people travelled from all over the world to attend and prices were amazing!”