Kovels Antique Trader October 2023

Ruby Lane founder Tom Johnson…Fright Night Fun…Sporting Art…Gustav Stickley Furniture…Swatch Watches…Disneyland Memorabilia…Batman Toys…Gripoix Glass Jewelry…Gold Rush Country…American Porcelain Marks…Collector’s Gallery  

Pow! Zap! Blam! Batman Toys a Hit at Heritage

An ultra-rare wind-up Batmobile tin toy from 1966, with a painted plastic Batman at the wheel and made for the Japanese market, sold for $150,000 to highlight Heritage’s two-day “Ultimate Batman Collection Signature Auction,” Aug. 4-5. The red open-top Batmobile was made by Yonezawa, one of the most imaginative and successful Japanese tin toy makers […]

Look, Up in the Sky! It’s 8th Man and Astro Boy 

In the world of antique toys, desirability, condition and rarity are three of the top criteria collectors look for. The antique toys sold recently at Bertoia Auctions in Vineland, New Jersey, satisfied them all. The auction featured toys representing more than 600 comic book characters, vehicles and Japanese space toys, with prices ranging from $60 […]

Market Report — Comic Books

Comic books are hot collectibles, with those published between 1938 and 1979 being the most collectible. Many superheroes, including Batman and Superman, made their first appearances during that time in what are called “origin issues.”   “Batman is always very collectible. He’s still the No. 1 seller even today. Early Supermans are also on the top,” […]

Action Figures and Superheroes

Hasbro bought the rights to a “doll” designed for boys from its creator Stanley Weston, and in 1964 began producing G. I. Joe, the toy industry’s first action figure. Like Barbie, G. I. Joe came with a wide range of accessories—uniforms, weapons, and military gear. By 1965 G. I. Joe was the top-selling toy for […]