Toys, dolls and childhood items will often fetch a good price at auction. We publish articles on this subject from time to time, and these are all collected in this category. You can also find out more on our specialist Toys page for examples of interesting lots sold at auction.
Get in touch if you have similar or unusual items that need a valuation.
Some rare Matchbox cars have sold for £4,000–£11,000 at auction — especially boxed 1960s examples and colour variants. At Potteries Auctions, we have been selling vintage diecast toys, Matchbox models, and collectable childhood items for over 25 years, giving our specialists extensive knowledge in this fascinating and nostalgic field. If you’re curious about the value …
Sam Holmes, Toy Valuer at Potteries Auctions, shares the latest insights on Britain’s booming toy industry Sam Holmes, Toy Valuer and Auctioneer at Potteries Auctions Q: Let’s start with the basics, just how big is the UK toy market? We’re talking about a £3.3 billion industry here, which makes it one of Europe’s heavyweights. To …
Selection of unboxed Hornby OO Gauge British Rail Diesel Locomotives from 1980’s, sold for £110 at auction From Liverpool Clerk to Global Icon Hornby Hobbies Ltd began with Frank Hornby (1863-1936). A Liverpool shipping clerk who started making toys for his sons from sheet metal in 1899. Without formal engineering training, Hornby invented three iconic …
Join us as we embark on a journey into the world of Matchbox toys. Explore the fascinating history and craftsmanship of these die-cast miniature vehicles that have excited collectors and car enthusiasts for decades and join our upcoming Fine Art sale featuring over 30 lots to add to your collection! Lot 2345 The Birth of Matchbox …
Here at Potteries Auctionwe sell a variety of toys, including Meccano. However, Meccano is so much more than just a toy. It’s a popular, collectable, vintage product that has been well-loved for years. Developed by Frank Hornby in 1898, Meccano was designed with the principles of mechanical engineering in mind, with the tagline ‘Mechanics Made Easy’. Meccano …
A Dinky Leyland Martian gun tractor with 7.2” howitzer. Image credit: Flickr.com Here at Potteries Auctions, we’ve seen a whole host of diecast toys and models, including ones from famous brands such as Dinky and Corgi, pass through our salerooms over the years. From vintage toys to modern models made especially for collectors, diecast models cover …
Vintage comic collections have proved popular at our auctions in recent months, with this collection of vintage comics and annuals including titles from Detective Comics (DC) and Marvel selling for £190 at our February sale Our February 2021 online auctiontook place this month over Friday 12th and Saturday 13th February and featured an exciting array of items, from …
MECCANO Meccano is a model construction system created in 1901 by Frank Hornby, a clerk from Liverpool, United Kingdom. The toy that Frank Hornby invented, “Mechanics Made Easy”, was based on the principles of mechanical engineering. The model construction kit consists of reusable perforated metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles, gears and plastic parts that are …
CORGI TOYS Corgi Toys is the name of a range of die-cast toy vehicles produced by Mettoy Playcraft Ltd., in the United Kingdom. Mettoy was founded in 1933 by Philip Ullmann in Northampton, England. He was joined by Arthur Katz and they decided to market a range of toy vehicles as competition to Meccano’s Dinky …
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