Antiques Roadshow US Full Episodes 261 — The Most Expensive Vintage Toys

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: before you throw away that old toy or donate the doll that's been sitting in the attic for decades [00:00:06] Speaker 2: you might want to watch this first my hunch is at auction this could easily bring two thousand [00:00:11] Speaker 3: to twenty five hundred dollars perfect for auction i would put this out estimate eight to ten thousand dollars it's sold as much as eleven thousand five hundred good heavens welcome [00:00:23] Speaker 1: to our channel today we're counting down our picks for the most valuable toys and dolls ever appraised on antiques roadshow some were bought for pennies others were childhood gifts that nobody thought twice about but hidden behind their playful appearance were astonishing stories and valuations that shocked everyone before we begin don't forget to subscribe and ring the bell for more incredible hidden treasure discoveries the rarest hot wheels items are not always the die cast cars themselves sometimes the most sought after pieces are the ones nobody ever expected to preserve and this story begins with three store displays that once sat inside an ordinary variety store [00:01:05] Speaker 4: my parents owned variety stores and these are store display cases that helped promote the hot wheels in [00:01:12] Speaker 5: the early years when they first came out so these were actually in your parents store on display yeah in [00:01:18] Speaker 4: fact if you look right here in the corner there's the sticker and this whole set was on sale for fourteen dollars and ninety five cents never sold at first failing to sell a store display may not sound [00:01:29] Speaker 1: important but that simple detail saved it from the fate that almost every other advertising display eventually faced once a promotion ended displays like these were normally dismantled the cars were removed sold or played with while the display itself was discarded very few stores considered saving something designed only to attract customers for a short period that is exactly why original hot wheels displays are now much rarer than most people realize when mattel introduced hot wheels in 1968 the company did not try to compete with matchbox by making the most realistic miniature cars instead it created a completely different experience lower bodies low friction wheels bright metallic paint and orange plastic tracks made speed the main attraction hot wheels quickly became a phenomenon while the original sweet 16 models laid the foundation for a collecting market that still exists today but the age of these displays was not the only thing that caught the experts attention together they represented the first three years of hot wheels 1968 1969 and 1970 and that was only the beginning the 1968 display was the true star although the clear plastic front had cracked over time the experts saw its untouched condition as part of its originality the display had remained almost exactly as it appeared inside the store nearly six decades earlier then they noticed the two details that changed everything still sitting in their original positions were a watermelon pink fastback mustang and a chocolate brown 1968 camaro both were extremely rare color variations from the early redline era finding either car loose would already be difficult finding both still sealed inside the original store display was the kind of discovery many serious collectors might never see again but you do have that [00:03:28] Speaker 5: watermelon pink mustang and you have the chocolate brown camaro in there even in this shape as it sits 68 display is easily going to be 20 to 30 000 at auction wow not bad for a 50 cent car huh it's a lot of money for some tie cast cars the family never intended to save a treasure [00:03:48] Speaker 1: they simply kept something that had failed to sell nearly 60 years later that forgotten store display had become one of the rarest surviving records of hot wheels earliest days not every antique needs gold silver or precious gemstones to make experts stop and stare sometimes the most fascinating object is a miniature world that has quietly preserved the story of more than a century and this victorian dollhouse is one of those rare examples yes it was in my mom and dad's [00:04:18] Speaker 6: sitting room and we were never actually allowed to play with it as such but if my friends came in we could take the glass case off and look in the back and it was lovely under supervision definitely for a toy [00:04:29] Speaker 1: never being played with may sound rather unfortunate but that is exactly what allowed this dollhouse to survive almost completely intact through generations during the late 19th century dollhouses like this were not simply children's toys they were often displayed as decorative pieces reflecting how families imagined the ideal home what immediately captured the experts attention was everything happening inside each room looked as though the family had stepped away only moments earlier tiny furniture kitchen utensils lamps people reading newspapers others working and even a small front garden all remained carefully arranged together they created a three-dimensional snapshot of everyday life during the victorian era but the story became even more interesting many of the miniature furnishings appeared to be handmade rather than factory produced that suggests different generations of the family gradually added their own details over the years making this house unlike any other several small clues also helped date the piece a figure reading lloyd's weekly news the interior layout and a tiny union flag mounted on the roof all pointed to the late 1880s or early 1890s perhaps most importantly no one ever tried to modernize it a few items had shifted over time but the house had retained its original character for collectors that authenticity is often far more valuable than perfect condition its provenance also adds to its appeal having remained in the same family for generations as a result it attracts both serious dollhouse collectors [00:06:09] Speaker 7: and enthusiasts of decorative antiques because it is with the lights shining on it and i could easily see this in auction fetching perhaps 800 pounds that valuation is not the most memorable part of this story [00:06:23] Speaker 1: what truly matters is that this tiny house still preserves an entire miniature world from its rooms and garden to the little figures that have remained frozen in time for well over a century long before it became a collectible it was already part of one family's childhood and perhaps that is why no price could ever matter as much as the memories it still holds if someone walked into antiques roadshow carrying an old tupperware container most people would not expect anything extraordinary it might hold a few old toys or forgotten family keepsakes but the moment the lid came off everyone in the room realized they were looking at something completely different [00:07:03] Speaker 8: i remember a gentleman coming over he had his arm in a sling and he was holding a tupperware container and you never know when they got a tupperware container and it opens up he opens it up and my heart skipped a beat i'm looking at two faces i've seen my entire life rudolph and santa claus from the beloved 1964 special for decades [00:07:26] Speaker 1: rudolph the red-nosed reindeer has been part of christmas for millions of american families yet very few people ever imagined that the original puppets from the film could still exist in stop-motion animation every character was built entirely by hand around a small metal armature allowing animators to move it one tiny step at a time through thousands of individual frames once filming ended most of these production puppets were placed in storage taken apart or simply disappeared over time that is why surviving production puppets are far rarer than posters or mass-produced memorabilia but rarity alone was not enough what truly changed the experts opinion was their provenance in the world of movie memorabilia an artifact only reaches its greatest value when its ownership history can be clearly documented many props are advertised as screen used but very few come with a continuous story connected directly to the people who worked on the production itself and that was exactly when the family began [00:08:30] Speaker 9: sharing their story my aunt worked at rank and bass productions for about 10 or 15 years in the 70s and early 80s and she acquired all of them and they were the production puppets from rudolph the red-nosed [00:08:41] Speaker 10: ranger if i were to estimate it at an auction i wouldn't estimate it less than eight to ten thousand for the pair what it would go for at auction that's anyone's guess but that was still not the end of [00:08:53] Speaker 1: their journey several years later after careful restoration rudolph and santa were offered at auction and far exceeded every expectation selling for a final price of 368 thousand dollars even better their new owner donated them to the center for puppetry arts allowing future generations to continue seeing the same characters that had brought christmas magic to families for decades sometimes the greatest value of an artifact is not found in the final auction price it is found in its ability to keep telling the same story generation after generation today a trading card game binder could be sitting on almost anyone's bookshelf but very few people would imagine that a stack of cardboard cards could one day be worth as much as a family car this binder simply waited quietly for more than 30 years before revealing its true story [00:09:48] Speaker 11: my husband played magic in the 90s okay and at the time he made a concerted effort to get a whole set he played with his friends and played in tournaments okay but then i think he wanted to have a complete set and so he would buy individual packs at the at the store at first that sounds like the [00:10:08] Speaker 1: story of countless magic players what the family never realized was that they had been preserving a piece of trading card game history when magic the gathering was released in 1993 the modern trading card game industry barely existed the idea of letting every player build a personalized deck completely changed tabletop gaming and eventually inspired franchises like pokemon and yugioh but the experts were not impressed by the number of cards they were looking at a beta set released immediately after the legendary alpha edition beta became one of the earliest and most important printings in magic's history then the appraiser turned another page only nine cards sat neatly together yet every serious magic collector instantly knows them as the power nine these are the most powerful and iconic cards wizards of the coast ever created they did more than shape the game itself they became the ultimate symbols of magic collecting what made this binder even more remarkable was that the complete set had remained exactly where its owner originally placed it decades earlier the cards had never been broken apart repeatedly traded or scattered among different collections instead they still carried an unbroken provenance from their original owner all the way to the antiques roadshow appraisal table [00:11:30] Speaker 12: so cumulatively you're looking at at auction between 65 000 and a hundred thousand dollars in trading cards oh my gosh so see aren't you happy you didn't lose them in your backpack i am happy [00:11:41] Speaker 1: the remarkable part is that the owner never built this collection as an investment he simply bought one pack at a time traded patiently and kept every card because he genuinely loved the game more than 30 years later that same binder tells the story of magic's earliest days it also preserves the moment when a simple hobby quietly grew into a global industry worth billions of dollars at first glance this collection looks like nothing more than a tray filled with gold objects of many different shapes but for the experts the first question was never how much they were worth it was whether these pieces truly belong to the ancient civilizations of peru [00:12:22] Speaker 13: my family grew up in south america we lived in lima peru my father was a geophysicist and he appreciated archaeological items and items of primitive art what were the dates that your father lived in peru [00:12:38] Speaker 14: we were in peru from 57 to 66 57 to 66 so then the collection process started in 1957 or so that timeline [00:12:48] Speaker 1: became the foundation of the entire appraisal with archaeological artifacts provenance can be even more important than the objects themselves a piece may be genuinely ancient beautifully crafted from gold and exceptionally rare but without a documented and legitimate history much of its value disappears that is exactly why this collection immediately captured the experts attention it was assembled during the late 1950s well before international cultural property regulations dramatically changed the antiquities market because the families collecting history could be traced back to that period the experts could begin their evaluation with far greater confidence only after establishing the provenance did they turn their attention to the artifacts themselves these were not modern pieces of jewelry most were ceremonial ornaments and personal decorations created by pre-columbian civilizations in northern peru many centuries before the rise of the inca empire for the ancient cultures of the andes gold was never simply a form of wealth or currency instead it symbolized divine power political authority and spiritual belief the necklaces funerary masks and ceremonial ornaments displayed here were created for sacred rituals elite status and burial traditions rather than personal fashion another remarkable detail was that the objects did not all come from the same historical period instead they represented several centuries of artistic development forming a miniature timeline of pre-columbian peruvian peruvian history rather than the legacy of a single civilization for the experts this was far more than a collection of gold it was a collection of stories left behind by civilizations that had disappeared long before the modern world began [00:14:38] Speaker 14: i think this material is earlier i think this could be before the birth of christ these things are a little bit later even the later ones i don't think are any later than about 800 a.d it's really early material wow a conservative price for this assuming that everything that i said is legitimate conservatively you're looking at fifty to a hundred thousand dollars that's incredible that [00:15:03] Speaker 1: valuation tells only part of the story the greater value lies in the fact that each object still preserves traces of civilizations that disappeared thousands of years ago for the owner's father this collection represented nearly a decade of passion for archaeology and ancient history for the experts it serves as a reminder that the greatest value of gold is not always found in the metal itself but in the history culture and human stories it continues to preserve a toy that spent years sailing around a backyard swimming pool is usually the last thing collectors hope to find water bumps and generations of children are normally enough to destroy both its condition and its value but this little boat survived all of that and the tiny maker's mark hidden on its rudder would eventually transform a beloved family toy into a collectible worth tens of thousands of dollars it was given as a gift to my father's brother [00:16:02] Speaker 15: for his ninth birthday in 1914 there was a quite a difference in age 10 years between my father and his brother my dad was the baby and the two of them had great memories of playing with this boat as they grew up in the chicago area normally the more a toy is played with the less collectible it becomes this boat [00:16:26] Speaker 1: proved exactly the opposite its signs of use did more than preserve childhood memories across three generations they also led the experts to one tiny detail hidden on the rudder just two letters gm they stood for gabruder merklin one of the most respected names in the history of toy making today marklin is best known for its premium model trains but during the late 19th and early 20th centuries the company set the standard for mechanical tin toys through remarkable craftsmanship and engineering its beautifully lithographed tin body enclosed a fully mechanical clockwork motor once wound the propeller would drive the boat smoothly across the water without electricity or batteries more than a century ago that kind of engineering felt almost magical to children even its name carried history murklin based the design on the famous puritan steamship that once operated between boston and new york transforming a well-known passenger vessel into a miniature toy what made this example even more special was its provenance it had never spent decades inside a collector's display cabinet instead it had been played with carefully preserved and passed from one generation of the same family to the next carrying its story with it every step of the way the last one of [00:17:48] Speaker 2: these i know at auction had an auction estimate of twelve thousand dollars wow which is quite amazing [00:17:58] Speaker 1: but it sold for twenty thousand dollars all right that was probably the perfect ending to the puritan's journey after spending decades bringing joy to children it had earned a new life as a highly desirable collectible its value comes from far more than the miracle name or a price of around twenty thousand dollars it comes from the memories it carried through one family and from the story of one of the finest mechanical toy boats ever built not every toy train is bought with the hope that it will one day become a collectible this blue comet simply made its way from one member of the family to another for many years only when it arrived on the antiques roadshow appraisal table did the experts realize they were looking at one of the most celebrated trains lionel had ever produced it belonged to my uncle [00:18:47] Speaker 16: and my cousin got it and my cousin died and his wife asked me if i'd like to have it now you're a train buff [00:18:55] Speaker 1: not until this one that is how many lionel collections begin people are not searching for rare model trains they simply want to preserve a family keepsake then little by little they discover that these miniature trains represent an important chapter in american history the blue comet is a perfect example it was not an imaginary design created by lionel instead it was modeled after the famous blue comet passenger train that operated between new jersey and atlantic city from the late 1920s through the early 1940s with its distinctive blue paint and luxurious service the real blue comet quickly became one of the most recognizable trains in the united states lionel wanted children to experience that same sense of excitement at home each passenger car was designed to reflect the full-size train from the observation car at the rear to the signature blue finish that made the blue comet so famous but collectors admire this set for far more than its appearance it represents the golden age of lionel when joshua lionel cowan believed that a toy could be built with the craftsmanship and engineering of a miniature machine that is why the blue comet was never intended to be an ordinary toy from the very beginning it was a premium product that few families could afford because production lasted only a relatively short time and many sets were heavily played with complete examples with matching cars and continuous family [00:20:23] Speaker 3: provenance have become increasingly difficult to find for auction i would put this out estimate eight to ten thousand dollars it sold as much as eleven thousand five hundred good heavens perhaps that is what makes [00:20:37] Speaker 1: the blue comet so memorable it is more than a valuable model train it carries the memories of several generations while preserving the vision of a time when master toy makers believed children deserve toys built with the same pride and care as the real machines that inspired them and perhaps those family memories are what have kept the blue comet running for almost a century most toy trains only pretend to be the real thing this locomotive does something very different it produces real steam builds pressure inside its boiler and moves using the same mechanical principles as a full-size steam locomotive more than a century later the fact that it still exists is remarkable enough [00:21:19] Speaker 7: there's a label on this box which says clyde model dockyard now i know it as a maker of all kinds of engineered models whether they were yachts or trains or whatever now did you know the shop clyde model [00:21:35] Speaker 17: dockyard when we were kids we used to go and get all our toys there as well and we used to model airplanes and it was also would you need to stick them all up together again it was a great place good quality shop [00:21:49] Speaker 1: that assumption was completely understandable but for the experts the box was only the beginning the real identity of the locomotive had to be found on the locomotive itself as they examined it more closely they spotted a tiny stamped mark just three letters gbn they stood for gabruder bing the german company that dominated the mechanical toy industry during the early 20th century this locomotive was built sometime between 1906 and 1912 at the height of bing's success it was made in gauge one a larger scale that allowed far more mechanical detail than smaller model trains of the period but its greatest feature was hidden inside this was a genuine live steam locomotive the owner would fill the burner with fuel wait for the boiler to build pressure and then watch real steam drive the pistons that turned the wheels more than 100 years ago it was far more than a toy it was a miniature engineering lesson brought to life even more impressive nearly every operating accessory had survived the funnel measuring cup oil bottle sections of track and other small components were still stored inside the same box that had protected the locomotive for over a century that extraordinary completeness is what sets this example apart from most [00:23:10] Speaker 7: surviving bing locomotives my first reaction is to say well you know is it going to be worth 5 000 pounds the answer is certainly it's going to be worth 5 000 pounds that's amazing absolutely amazing but i think in the right auction with the right buyers there you could see it going for between seven and ten thousand [00:23:32] Speaker 1: so what makes this locomotive exceptional is not simply its value it represents a time when toys were built with the same pride and precision as real machines more than a century later from its original paint and working steam mechanism to its remarkably complete accessories it continues to tell the story of one of the finest mechanical toys bing ever produced and sometimes surviving almost completely unchanged is the rarest achievement of all what can you buy with just 20 cents for this owner the answer was an old biscuit tin picked up at a charity sale held by a retirement home nobody paid much attention to it years later however that same little tin would make the experts on antiques road shows stop in their tracks [00:24:18] Speaker 18: well at an old people's home and they were around someone came into the home and sort of all the stuff from the house was put into a fair and i bought it after the fair for about 20 pounds at first glance [00:24:30] Speaker 1: it looks like nothing more than a tin shaped like a racing car but it was never meant to survive for this long during the first half of the 20th century british biscuit companies competed with one another through eye-catching tin packaging as much as through the biscuits themselves once the biscuits were gone most tins were thrown away or reused to store sewing supplies nails screws and countless household odds and ends that is exactly why well-preserved examples have become increasingly difficult to find this particular tin is called the meteor a design inspired by the fascination with speed that swept across the 1930s its streamlined body bold colors and flowing art deco lines give the impression of motion even while standing completely still originally the front of the car even contained a small light allowing children to push it through the dark after the biscuits had been eaten turning the package itself into a toy that creative idea is one reason collectors continue to love antique biscuit tins today they are not simply collecting old containers they are preserving pieces of advertising history industrial design and childhood memories from another era this meteor stands out even more because of its remarkable condition after nearly a century its lithographed finish remains vibrant the body shows very few dents and there is little evidence of restoration how about 200 pounds do you think that sounds good well i have been told it [00:25:59] Speaker 18: was a bit worth a bit more than that have you what were you told well about a thousand no no i think [00:26:05] Speaker 19: that's a bit i i would say that was too much i would say in the condition it's in with the light and everything like that missing two or three hundred would be about right it may not be the highest valuation [00:26:15] Speaker 1: ever seen on antiques roadshow but it perfectly illustrates how the collecting world works collectors are not simply buying an old biscuit tin they are preserving a piece of art deco design and a surviving reminder of commercial history that was never expected to last this long and remarkably that entire story began with a purchase that cost only 20 cents at a charity sale not every collectible is discovered in an antique shop or purchased at auction some pieces never leave the family from the moment they are created [00:26:48] Speaker 20: and these three dolls began as simple childhood gifts your aunt was dorothy heiser dorothy wendell heiser [00:26:57] Speaker 21: dorothy wendell heiser she would give me a doll every time i came to visit to the owner they were simply [00:27:05] Speaker 1: a presence from a beloved aunt but to the experts the name dorothy heiser immediately changed the entire story she was a highly respected american doll artist during the first half of the 20th century instead of using porcelain heads or industrial molds dorothy shaped each face from carefully treated layers of silk she then painted every eye complexion and expression by hand as a result each doll developed its own personality looking more like a miniature portrait than a mass-produced toy the clothing received the same level of attention every dress hairstyle tiny shoe and accessory was created specifically for the individual character that is why collectors described dorothy heiser's creations as art dolls works that combine sculpture painting costume design and traditional craftsmanship but the detail that truly astonished the appraiser was not the dolls themselves it was the boxes these were not replacements or later reproductions dorothy heiser personally prepared decorated and signed each box turning the packaging into an extension of the artwork inside finding a dorothy heiser doll is already difficult finding one still preserved in its original artist decorated box is far rarer and on this table there was not just one example there were three that's the provenance could hardly have been clearer the dolls passed directly from the artist to her niece and remained in the same family from that moment onward that unbroken connection gave the collection something the market could never recreate a direct link between the artist the objects and the person who [00:28:50] Speaker 20: received them as childhood gifts i believe the box is so rare on this first doll even with all the even with all of the scotch tape tape yeah i believe that doll in its box would retail between five and six thousand dollars so i would think these small dolls with the original box would be somewhere in the two thousand dollar range and you have two of those then the doll with the extra clothing i think would probably be in the range of a [00:29:24] Speaker 1: thousand to twelve hundred dollars those figures confirmed just how unusual the collection had become but what made it truly irreplaceable was the connection that had never been broken between the artist her work and her family from dorothy heiser's hands to the gift she gave her niece each doll still carried the same personal story it had held for more than a century for many years everyone in the family called this bronze sculpture clarence the lion no one ever questioned the name then the appraiser smiled pointed to the stripes across its body and quietly changed the entire story clarence had never been a lion he was a tiger and that charming misunderstanding opened the door to something far more remarkable i inherited it actually [00:30:10] Speaker 22: from an aunt of mine who purchased it during the war right um she heard that this lady had got this line and she went to see it this lady said to my aunt well if you have him you can have this and the sewing table and i will throw you two old paintings in for 30 bob which was 150 in today's money that price alone [00:30:34] Speaker 1: sounds almost unbelievable but what immediately caught the expert's attention was not how little the ant had paid it was the quality of the sculpture itself the crouching posture revealed everything this was not a mass-produced decorative ornament it was the work of a highly skilled japanese bronze artist during the meiji period animal sculptures became one of the finest achievements of japanese bronze casting artists carefully studied anatomy capturing every muscle every shift of weight and every moment of tension before movement this tiger demonstrates that mastery perfectly its raised shoulders gently arched back lowered front legs and tightly balanced pose create the feeling that it is only seconds away from pouncing even the rocky base was designed as part of the sculpture rather than added afterward making the tiger appear as though it is stalking across a natural outcrop then the appraiser noticed another important detail a small foundry seal hidden underneath although the mark could not be fully identified on the spot it confirmed that the sculpture came from a respected japanese foundry and was created sometime between 1900 and 1910 during the golden age of meiji bronze craftsmanship collectors value it even more because it still retains its original patina original base and shows almost no signs of restoration those are exactly the qualities serious collectors hope to find well i would put the value somewhere in the region of [00:32:07] Speaker 22: between three and five thousand pounds goodness me for 75 pens it's not too bad that valuation surprised [00:32:17] Speaker 1: everyone but perhaps the most memorable part of the story was clarence himself after spending years as the family's beloved lion he finally returned to his true identity a meiji tiger created by the hands of master japanese craftsman sometimes one small detail is all it takes to completely transform the story behind a work of art at first glance all the attention seemed to belong to a french ceramic service that was more than two centuries old with its matching terrine and nine original plates it looked like the obvious centerpiece of the appraisal it was exactly the kind of antique most people would expect to steal the show but as the conversation seemed to be winding down the appraiser's eyes drifted toward a small pottery cat sitting quietly beside it within seconds the entire focus of the appraisal changed we've got [00:33:11] Speaker 19: nine plates oh the same thing go with it really yes and it's supposed to be 17 50 i think from [00:33:19] Speaker 1: la rochelle 50 to 60. the dinner service was certainly fascinating it belonged to the french tradition of faion a tin glazed earthenware that was highly prized throughout europe long before hard-paced porcelain became widely available even the terrine revealed the remarkable skill of its maker a small firing flaw had been carefully disguised with a painted leaf instead of being discarded turning an imperfection into part of the decoration yet none of that was what truly captured the appraiser's attention everything changed the moment he turned over the little cat stamped beneath the base was a simple signature e galle those few letters identified the work as an early creation by emile galle one of the most influential figures in french decorative arts and the artist who would later become one of the defining masters of the art nouveau movement before his spectacular cameo glass and botanical lamps made him internationally famous galle spent years experimenting with artistic pottery this charming cat belonged to that formative period its value wasn't simply in its appearance the expressive pose the softly modeled features the rich multicolored glaze and the flowing lines already revealed the artistic language that would later define galle's career collectors treasure these early ceramics because they offer a rare glimpse into the beginning of one of france's greatest artistic journeys condition also played a major role the signature remained crisp and easy to read the original glaze had survived beautifully and there were virtually no signs of restoration those are exactly the qualities serious [00:34:57] Speaker 19: collectors hope to find but this one this one this one perfect condition it's 70 for that 70 pounds [00:35:03] Speaker 23: and that was how long ago oh about 20 years 20 years ago there's a very good 70 pounds of investment that was this is now worth between three and five thousand pounds is it really [00:35:15] Speaker 1: very nice pussy that valuation became the biggest surprise of the entire appraisal the most valuable object was not the french pottery that had survived for more than 200 years instead it was the quiet little cat resting beside it the moment perfectly illustrated an important lesson in the antiques world age alone does not determine value the right artist the right moment in that artist's career exceptional originality an outstanding condition can transform even a small ceramic sculpture into the true star of an entire collection as a little girl she wanted only one thing she wanted a barbie just like the ones all her friends had instead her parents returned from germany with a doll she had never seen before at the time it felt like a disappointment but decades later that very same doll would leave the experts on antiques roadshow genuinely excited i was given [00:36:12] Speaker 24: this doll by my parents when they used to go to europe and bring back foreign dolls and i was probably about eight or eight or nine years old and where did they purchase her in europe you know germany what's [00:36:24] Speaker 1: her name her name is lily what the owner never realized was that bill lily came several years before barbie and became one of the key inspirations behind the world's most famous fashion doll lily was never originally created for children she first appeared as the star of a popular german newspaper comic strip in the early 1950s before being turned into a doll in 1955 in those early years bill lily was marketed more as a novelty souvenir for adults than as a children's toy everything changed when ruth handler the co-founder of mattel encountered lily during a trip to europe she recognized that children might enjoy a doll with the appearance of a young woman rather than the baby dolls that dominated the market at the time that idea eventually evolved into barbie because of that remarkable history bill lily is now regarded as the missing link in the story of how one of the world's greatest toy icons came to life not every billed lily however carries the same value the appraiser's attention immediately focused on the outfit over the decades many lily dolls lost their original clothing or were dressed in barbie outfits because the sizes were so similar this example was different she still wore her original dress complete with the authentic snap fastener made by the german manufacturer it was a tiny detail but one that served as an important confirmation of originality the doll had also remained with the same family ever since it was purchased new exactly the kind of uninterrupted provenance serious [00:37:58] Speaker 21: collectors hope to find so the retail value on your doll in today's market because of the rare dress she would retail somewhere between thirty eight hundred and forty five hundred dollars i guess i'll take her rather than a barbie insurance value insurance value i would probably put around [00:38:28] Speaker 1: five thousand to fifty two hundred that was probably the perfect ending to the story the doll that once disappointed a little girl had become a piece that even experienced collectors rarely have the opportunity to own build lily's importance is about far more than rarity or condition it occupies a unique place in the history of the toy industry before barbie became a global icon there was build lily sometimes the gift we appreciate the least as children becomes the object with the most extraordinary story many decades later at first glance these look like nothing more than a few porcelain dogs sitting on a shelf but as the owner kept placing pair after pair onto the table the collection grew so large that the appraiser couldn't help but laugh by that point he was no longer looking at a handful of decorative ornaments he was looking at an entire kennel that had been patiently assembled over several decades [00:39:27] Speaker 25: how many have you got 24 or 25 you've got a whole kennel in here how long have you [00:39:36] Speaker 1: i haven't bought any for uh at least 15 years today staffordshire dogs are among the most recognizable forms of 19th century british pottery when they were first made however they were simply decorative ornaments created for middle-class homes produced in the pottery district of staffordshire these spaniel figures were usually displayed in matching pairs on mantelpieces or parlor shelves they symbolized loyalty protection and prosperity that is why collectors today care less about their size or color than whether the original pair has remained together after nearly two centuries countless examples have been broken separated or lost finding an original pair has become increasingly difficult this collection also contains something even more unusual several of the figures are actually inkwell dogs working ink pots cleverly disguised as porcelain dogs they are much scarcer because they combined everyday function with decorative appeal even traces of old ink inside some examples provide evidence that they were genuinely used generations ago. Another reason this collection stands out is its remarkable consistency. Most of the figures still retain attractive original glazes, remain matched with their partners, and have survived in impressively well-preserved condition. That did not happen by accident. It was the result of many years of patient searching, careful collecting, and knowing exactly what to look for. Well, I think that each pair, as we go through here, [00:41:11] Speaker 23: let's give you an average. Each pair is probably worth between four and seven hundred pounds. Each pair, two and a half thousand to four thousand pounds for that lot. [00:41:29] Speaker 1: Perhaps that is what makes this collection truly special. Its value does not come from a single spectacular figure worth a fortune. Instead, it comes from the owner's quiet dedication to bringing so many original Staffordshire pairs back together over the years. Each pair preserves a small piece of 19th century British ceramic history. And standing together today, they tell a story that is far richer than any one figure could ever tell on its own. Sometimes the best discoveries begin with nothing more than a simple feeling. That was exactly what happened with this pair of cats. They were picked up at an ordinary estate sale for just $75 because their owner simply fell in love with them. Years later, the biggest question was no longer whether they were beautiful. It was when they had actually been made. [00:42:18] Speaker 26: We went to an estate sale in Canton, Ohio, Akron, Canton area. Okay. When was that? It was about seven years ago, and I just adored them. Purchased them for $75. From the very first glance, the appraiser recognized [00:42:32] Speaker 1: them as Chinese cloisonné figures. Cloisonné is a celebrated metalworking technique in which delicate metal wires are attached to a bronze body to form tiny compartments. Each compartment is carefully filled with colored enamel, fired repeatedly at high temperatures, then polished until the surface becomes smooth and brilliantly luminous. The process demands extraordinary patience, precision, and craftsmanship. For centuries, it has been one of the defining decorative arts of China. But identifying the technique was only the beginning. The real challenge was determining the age. In the world of Asian antiques, a difference of only a few decades or a few centuries can completely transform an object's value. That is why the appraiser began examining every small clue. Old restoration along the neck and back, natural wear beneath the feet, and a traditional Chinese coin motif on the base, all became important pieces of evidence. None of those details proved anything on their own. Together, however, they strongly suggested that the pear had been produced during the early 20th century. Rather than diminishing their appeal, that conclusion made perfect sense. Early 20th century Chinese cloisonné remains highly respected by collectors. Especially when a matching pair survives with vivid enamel colors, lively modeling, and such an [00:43:56] Speaker 27: impressive level of preservation. We believe that even with the damage and everything else, they're so amusing. They're really terrifically modeled. They're fun. And in the current market, these would likely sell in the $2,500 to $4,000 range at auction. Wow. That's at auction. Perhaps the most fascinating part of this [00:44:18] Speaker 1: story is not that $75 became several thousand. It is the way the cats revealed their true significance one clue at a time through the knowledge and experience of an expert. Sometimes an object does not need a famous signature or a dramatic backstory to become valuable. Given enough time, exceptional craftsmanship, and authentic traces of age, even an impulse purchase can become one of the most memorable discoveries ever seen on Antiques Roadshow. Some antiques amaze people because of their value. This little pig won hearts for an entirely different reason. The moment its owner saw its mischievous face and sparkling glass eyes, she knew she could not leave without it. At the time, $200 felt like a considerable amount of money. Yet 25 years later, that emotional purchase would become one of the most memorable [00:45:11] Speaker 28: toys ever examined on Antiques Roadshow. I found this pig about 25 years ago, and I found it in an antique junk shop and collectibles, and I had to have it. Just couldn't resist. And what did you pay for it? [00:45:25] Speaker 1: It was around $200. The appraiser immediately recognized that this was no ordinary toy. It was a German pull toy, a type of wheel toy that delighted children across Europe during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At that time, Germany stood at the center of the world's toy industry, earning an international reputation for remarkable craftsmanship and ingenious mechanical design. This pig is a wonderful example of that tradition. Its sturdy wooden body rides on cast-iron wheels built to withstand years of play. The head and snout are crafted from hand-painted paper mache, while the glass eyes give the animal an expression that feels surprisingly lifelike. But the real surprise is hidden inside. As the toy is pulled forward, an internal mechanism transfers the motion of the wheels to the jaw, causing the mouth to open and close continuously. The result is the charming illusion that the pig is trotting along while happily squealing. That clever movement sets it apart from many other pull toys of its era. The appraiser also explained that most surviving German pull toys depict horses, goats, or sheep. Large pig examples like this are far less common, making them especially desirable to collectors. Even more impressive, after more than a century, the mechanical action still works smoothly. The original glass eyes remain intact, and most of its original components have survived. That remarkable level of originality is exactly what serious collectors hope to find. [00:46:58] Speaker 2: My hunch is at auction, this could easily bring $2,000 to $2,500. Perfect. [00:47:03] Speaker 1: So, I mean, I think he's just a winner. Perhaps the greatest value of this little pig is not simply its auction estimate. It is the fact that it still does exactly what its German makers intended more than a century ago. With nothing more than a simple mechanical movement, it can still make people smile. And that is why charming survivors like this continue to hold such a special place in the hearts of collectors around the world. Not every toy train set preserves nothing more than childhood memories. This one also preserves a remarkable chapter in the history of railways and the European toy industry. It has remained with the same family since around the time of the First World War. For decades, it was simply regarded as an old family keepsake. Only when it reached the antiques roadshow table did the experts realize they were looking at a rare Bing train set built specifically for the British market. It's been in the family since we [00:48:04] Speaker 29: think the First World War, when the Great Uncle Eric brought it back from Germany. This was made by [00:48:12] Speaker 19: Bing, who was the greatest train maker of that period. The appraiser immediately recognized the unmistakable [00:48:18] Speaker 1: workmanship of Gebruder Bing, the world's largest model train manufacturer during the early 20th century. Long before Hornby became Britain's best known name in model railways, Bing was exporting finely crafted train sets throughout Europe and North America. What makes this locomotive especially interesting is its livery. Although it was built in Germany, it carries the colors of the London and Northwestern Railway, one of Britain's most important railway companies, before the railway grouping of 1923. It represents a fascinating period when British retailers commissioned Bing to produce trains that looked like the locomotives children saw every day at home. This locomotive is also powered by live steam rather than a simple clockwork mechanism. The natural signs of wear around the firebox show that it was genuinely enjoyed as a working toy instead of spending its entire life inside a display cabinet. Behind the locomotive are several freight wagons. Yet one of them immediately captured the appraiser's attention. It is the car carrier wagon. The real surprise is not the wagon itself. It is the tiny automobile that is still sitting exactly where it belongs after more than a century. Normally, that would have been the very first piece a child removed to play with separately. Finding both parts still together is extraordinarily uncommon. That single detail dramatically changes the importance of the entire set. Now let's come to that. In relative terms, [00:49:46] Speaker 19: that is a very rare wagon. So I'm going to stick my neck out and say about three, four, five hundred pounds for that, simply because it is such a rarity. But it means that altogether you've got getting on for [00:50:00] Speaker 1: eighteen hundred, two thousand pounds. The most valuable part of this collection is not the live steam locomotive. It is a small freight wagon that somehow managed to keep the one accessory most examples lost long ago. In the world of antiques, the smallest surviving detail can sometimes make the greatest difference. More than a century later, this being train set still tells the story of the years when Germany led the model railway industry and of one family that carefully preserved that history across generations. Not every little boy dreamed of trains or toy cars. The Christmas gift this owner wanted most was a miniature garden. Each year, he hoped for nothing more than a few new flower beds, another winding pathway, or a small fence to expand the garden he imagined in his mind. Nearly a century later, that very toy would capture the attention of the experts on Antiques Roadshow. [00:50:55] Speaker 30: Well, I think it was the Christmas that I was five, that Father Christmas, after much pressure from me, brought me a little starter set. It's quite a small one. I think there were a few flower beds and flowers, a bit of grass and some crazy paving. I was absolutely thrilled with it. There was nothing else I wanted in the world except this garden set. This collection was [00:51:18] Speaker 1: produced by Britons, one of Britain's most celebrated toy manufacturers. Around the middle of the 1920s, the company introduced its miniature garden range with a wonderfully original idea. Instead of selling children one complete toy, Britons encouraged them to build a garden of their own. Every birthday or Christmas brought the opportunity to add another flower bed, shrub, pathway, fence, or even a tiny greenhouse. The result was a garden that could continue growing year after year with no two layouts ever looking exactly alike. The concept quickly became a cherished part of childhood for countless British families. What impressed the appraiser most, however, was not simply the number of accessories that had survived. The owner had also preserved both original boxes. That is exceptionally rare. Most children threw the packaging away away as soon as the presents were opened, making original boxes almost as difficult to find as the toys themselves. Even more remarkable, the collection still includes numerous original packets of flowers and plants. These tiny accessories were inexpensive when new, yet they became the easiest pieces to lose over the decades. Their survival makes this collection especially appealing to Britons collectors today. [00:52:34] Speaker 31: And so with that. So you then add all your plants that cost two pence a packet. Yes. And I think you've got something in the region of 20 packets. Yes. Which probably would make in the region of five to six hundred, something like that. Yes, I see. [00:52:52] Speaker 1: Perhaps the greatest treasure in this miniature garden is not its final valuation. It is the way it still preserves the excitement of that Christmas morning so many years ago. Every flower bed, every pathway, and every tiny fence reflects the imagination of a little boy who patiently expanded his dream garden one piece at a time. Sometimes it is those carefully preserved childhood memories that transform a simple toy into something truly extraordinary. Not everyone would spend $250 on an old toy at an estate sale. But that's exactly what this owner did. Among countless dusty objects, she was drawn to a small car with a cheerful little monkey sitting behind the wheel. She couldn't quite explain why. She simply felt there was something special about it. Ten years later, Antiques Roadshow proved that her instinct had been absolutely right. [00:53:47] Speaker 32: I got that in an estate sale in West L.A. about ten years ago. And what did you pay for it? Two hundred and fifty. [00:53:54] Speaker 2: That's a lot of money at a estate sale. [00:53:57] Speaker 32: Yeah, I had the feeling it was kind of rare. [00:54:00] Speaker 1: The moment the appraiser saw it, he recognized it as a product of Schuko, one of Germany's most celebrated toy manufacturers. Founded in Nuremberg during the early 20th century, Schuko built its reputation on ingenious, mechanical toys that combined clever engineering with remarkable personality. This little car is an animated pull toy. As it rolls forward, the turning wheels drive a series of gears and internal linkages that make the monkey wave its arm and open its mouth at the same time. Today, that mechanism may seem simple. But when it was created, it represented an impressive level of mechanical craftsmanship. What impressed the appraiser even more was the toy's remarkable condition. After many decades, the internal mechanism still operates smoothly. The paint remains bright, the body shows very little wear, and the monkey continues to perform exactly as it did when it first left the factory. Those are the qualities Schuko collectors value most. With mechanical toys, original working condition is often just as important as appearance. A single replacement gear, or an incorrect repair, can significantly reduce a toy's desirability. That is why an example that still functions perfectly is far rarer than its attractive appearance alone might suggest, making this little monkey car a standout piece among vintage mechanical toys. [00:55:25] Speaker 2: First, let's show you the action. What's really cool, when you push it, he waves and he opens his mouth. It's a great little action toy. As far as value, this could bring somewhere between $1,500 and $2,000 at auction. [00:55:40] Speaker 1: Perhaps the most fascinating part of this story is that the owner bought the toy purely on instinct. In fact, she didn't know the name Schuko. She had no idea she was holding a toy sought after by collectors. Sometimes, however, intuition leads to the most memorable discoveries. After so many decades, the little monkey still waves happily, just as it did on the day it was made. And perhaps that is its greatest value. More than a century later, it still brings smiles to people's faces, just as the German craftsman who created it had always hoped it would. For more than 70 years, the owner believed this little car could move in only one way. He would climb a board, push himself along with his feet, and imagine he was racing down a Grand Prix circuit. He never suspected there was anything hidden beneath the metal body. Then, during Antiques Roadshow, one simple question from the appraiser sent the entire story in a completely different direction. [00:56:39] Speaker 33: I received it as a present when I was probably about four, and the judge of that is the fact that I could sit on it, and with my little legs paddled along, it had nothing, no mechanical propulsion, so I was the engine. [00:56:58] Speaker 1: The appraiser immediately recognized that this was far more than an ordinary ride-on toy. It was modeled after the legendary Alfa Romeo P2, the famous racing car that helped establish Alfa Romeo's reputation during the Grand Prix era of the 1920s. From its classic Italian racing red finish, to the large rear fuel tank, the side-mounted exhaust, and the wire-spoke wheels, the designers had recreated the full-size racing machine with remarkable accuracy. This toy was made in France during the 1930s. Unlike many ride-on toys of the same period, it was fitted with a clockwork motor. With the correct winding key, an internal spring and gear mechanism could actually propel the car forward under its own power. The astonishing part was that the owner had never known the mechanism existed. Throughout his childhood, he simply pushed the car with his feet, completely unaware that a genuine mechanical engine had been hidden inside all along. That discovery transformed the entire story. Even after so many decades, much of the original construction had survived. The body still showed honest signs of childhood use, yet the clockwork mechanism remained in place. That level of originality is exactly what collectors hope to find. It appeals not only to antique toy enthusiasts, but also to admirers of Alfa Romeo's remarkable racing history. [00:58:22] Speaker 7: But even so, I would have thought we're talking about around 1,200 to maybe 1,500 pounds. So, when you get it home, see if you can find a clock key to fit this, and you'll never have to sit on it again. [00:58:37] Speaker 1: Perhaps the most remarkable part of this story is not the final valuation. It is the fact that, after more than seven decades, the owner was still able to discover something completely new about the toy that had shaped his childhood. As a little boy, he believed his own legs were the car's only engine. Many years later, Antiques Roadshow revealed that a real mechanical motor had been waiting inside the little Alfa Romeo all along. Very few toys can still surprise the very person who has owned them for a lifetime. That hidden clockwork mechanism turned a treasured childhood memory into an unforgettable antique discovery. At first glance, this collection looks as though the pages of a beloved children's storybook have come to life. Mole, rat, toad, and badger are all gathered together. But what immediately caught the appraiser's attention was not simply these charming wooden figures. It was the remarkable story behind them. [00:59:33] Speaker 34: Kenneth Graham was a patient to my grandfather. He was a doctor in Goring-on-Thames. And when was this roughly? Around about 1930s. [00:59:43] Speaker 1: The owner explained that his grandfather had been the personal doctor of Kenneth Graham, the author of The Wind in the Willows. And this set has remained with the same family for nearly a century. That provenance alone makes the collection extraordinary. First published in the early 1900s, The Wind in the Willows became one of the greatest classics of British children's literature. Inspired by the River Thames, the novel introduced generations of readers to characters such as mole, rat, toad, and badger, turning them into enduring symbols of childhood. This wooden set brings that world to life. Each figure was cut from wood, carefully hand-painted, and fitted with small, movable joints so the heads and limbs could be posed. The craftsmanship immediately reminded the appraiser of Talford Toys, a small workshop celebrated for producing hand-crafted toys based on famous works of English literature. One delightful surprise is the inclusion of Winnie the Pooh. At first, that seems like an unusual addition. In reality, the connection makes perfect sense because both The Wind in the Willows and Winnie the Pooh share the legendary illustrator Ernest H. Shepard, whose artwork helped define the visual identity of both stories. Collectors are especially impressed by the collection's condition. Most of the original characters are still present, the hand-painted surfaces remain remarkably well-preserved, and the entire set has stayed within the same family for generations. That uninterrupted history of ownership is exactly the kind of Providence collectors value most. [01:01:16] Speaker 7: There is quite a following as far as the collectability of these toys are concerned, and the little figures can fetch a hundred, perhaps two hundred pounds apiece. So my feeling is that, including Pooh, who is really enjoying his time by the riverbank, I would put the estimate at perhaps a thousand to fifteen hundred pounds. Really? [01:01:41] Speaker 1: Perhaps the most memorable part of this collection is not its valuation. It is the journey it has taken through several generations of the same family. From its connection with Kenneth Graham to the beautifully preserved figures that have survived for nearly a century, this set preserves far more than childhood memories. It also preserves a small piece of British literary history. Sometimes, the toys created to spark a child's imagination become the very objects capable of bringing an entire fictional world back to life many decades later. At first glance, this appears to be nothing more than a traditional Japanese doll and a kimono, carefully preserved by an English family. But the more you hear the story behind her, the clearer it becomes that she was never just a gift. She became the symbol of a family reunion that once seemed impossible. After years of separation, heartbreak and disapproval, two families from very different cultures finally found their way back to one another. [01:02:41] Speaker 35: So it was a terrible tragedy and Komaichi was so shocked to lose a child that he relented, forgave his son and invited the whole family to Japan. Then the doll you got in Japan? Well, grandfather, very generously, he loved my mother, he loved his grandchildren, and he commissioned this doll to be made by the master doll maker in Kyoto. [01:03:07] Speaker 1: That story alone made this doll remarkable before the appraiser even began examining it. She is an Ichimatsu Ninyo, one of Japan's best known traditional dolls, long associated with good health, happiness, and blessings for children. In many Japanese families, dolls like this were treasured keepsakes rather than ordinary toys. Looking more closely, the appraiser explained that the head and hands were not porcelain, as many people assume. Instead, they were crafted from paper mache and finished with multiple layers of a special coating that creates the smooth, porcelain-like surface. The kimono was also made in the same layered construction as traditional Japanese clothing, with carefully matched fabrics and finely finished details. Everything pointed to the work of a highly skilled doll maker from Kyoto. Collectors also value the doll because of its remarkable condition. The kimono remains largely original, the colors are still beautifully balanced, and there is very little evidence of replacement or restoration over the years. That is especially important because clothing is often the first part of an antique doll to disappear or deteriorate. Yet above all, the doll's greatest value lies in its provenance. For almost one century, she has remained with the same family, preserving the memory of forgiveness, reconciliation, and a reunion that changed their lives forever. [01:04:32] Speaker 7: She really is the symbol of the family reunited, isn't she? [01:04:36] Speaker 35: Yes, she is. [01:04:37] Speaker 7: Well, she ought to be priceless, but everything has a price. And I would say that her value to a collector would be something around a thousand pounds. [01:04:45] Speaker 1: Perhaps the final valuation was never the most important part of this story. What this family has preserved for so many decades is far more than a beautiful example of traditional Japanese craftsmanship. It is the memory of a journey that healed a family once divided by distance, tradition, and loss. Sometimes, an object becomes priceless not because of its age or the skill required to make it. It becomes priceless because every time someone looks at it, an entire story of love, forgiveness, and reunion comes back to life as vividly as it did almost 100 years ago. At first glance, this looks like nothing more than an old dollhouse that has faded with age. Its owner believed she was simply rescuing something that was about to be thrown away. A friend passed it on, hoping someone would care enough to restore it instead of letting it disappear forever. But the moment it arrived at Antiques Roadshow, the experts realized they were looking at anything but an ordinary dollhouse. How long have you had it? [01:05:44] Speaker 36: Well, I've only had this particular house since the beginning of the year. I acquired it from a friend they had in their family from what I understand for a while. It was a gift. Do you have any idea who made this house? I'm going to destroy the name. I think it was Gut Shock. [01:05:58] Speaker 1: After only a quick look at the front facade, the appraiser confirmed that it was indeed a creation by Moritz Gut Shock, a name regarded as legendary in the history of German dollhouses. In the late 1800s, when most children's toys were still relatively simple, Gut Shock produced miniature mansions with glass windows, balconies, steep roofs, and beautifully detailed architectural features. This example belongs to the famous Blue Roof House series, one of the most desirable designs among collectors. Although time has faded much of the finish, traces of the original Blue Roof are still visible, allowing the appraiser to date the house to around 1885 or 1886. Its value comes from far more than the wooden structure. Originally, the exterior was covered with printed lithographed paper that recreated brickwork, windows, and decorative architectural details instead of relying on painted wood. Inside, much of the original wallpaper has survived, providing important evidence of the house's original construction. That is why the appraiser emphasized one of the most important principles in collecting antique dollhouses. For pieces like this, preservation is often more valuable than making them look new. Every fresh coat of paint may improve the appearance, but it can also hide a piece of history that has survived for almost 150 years. [01:07:22] Speaker 37: In this current condition, I think the auction estimate that I would expect to see would be something like $6,000 to $9,000, and I think we'd expect it to fetch something between $7,000 to $10,000. [01:07:33] Speaker 1: Perhaps the greatest stroke of luck for this dollhouse was never its final valuation. It was the fact that someone chose to save it before it disappeared forever. After nearly 150 years, it still tells the story of the golden age of German craftsmanship, when even a child's toy was built with the care and pride of a miniature architectural masterpiece. And sometimes, the greatest achievement is not making an old object look new again. It is preserving its history so that future generations can continue to see the story it has carried for so long. What first made the owner stop wasn't the dog's age or its value. It was simply the face. The bright glass eyes, the slightly tilted head, and the expression that seemed to be waiting for a gentle pat made it impossible for her to walk away. She bought it simply because she felt she shouldn't leave it behind. Many years later, Antiques Roadshow revealed that her instinct had brought home a remarkably rare antique. [01:08:34] Speaker 31: I don't think it's stuffed. I think it's papier-mâché. I'm absolutely positive it's papier-mâché. And I would have thought it's probably about 1910. I don't think it's any earlier than that. [01:08:47] Speaker 1: As soon as the appraiser examined it more closely, he realized this was not an ordinary stuffed toy. Its body was formed from papier-mâché, a layered paper material widely used in high-end European toys during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. What makes this example even more remarkable is the genuine cowhide stretched over the body. That gives the little dog a soft, natural appearance unlike most toys of its era. Combined with its carefully modeled muzzle, sparkling glass eyes, and cast-iron wheels underneath, it feels far more like a real animal than a simple plaything. Judging by the wheel design and construction techniques, the appraiser believes it was made around 1910, most likely in Germany. He is also careful not to attribute it to a specific maker without convincing evidence. That caution only reinforces the object's genuine significance. Large papier-mâché dogs like this were uncommon even when they were new. After more than a century, the paper body, leather covering, and rolling mechanism are usually the first parts to deteriorate. Yet this example still retains its balanced form, its wonderfully expressive face, and the lively personality that first caught the owner's attention. Those are exactly the qualities collectors hope to find. [01:10:08] Speaker 31: I mean, I think it would have been a rich family who would have given their child something like this for Christmas. I just liked it. It was the look of the head. Such a lovely dog. [01:10:19] Speaker 1: I would put it probably between five and eight hundred pounds. Perhaps the greatest value of this little dog has never been its auction estimate. What makes it so memorable is its ability to stop people in their tracks with a single glance, a little bit more and more. More than a century has passed, yet it still carries the warmth and personality that European craftsmen carefully built into every detail. Sometimes an unforgettable antique doesn't need a famous maker's name. With exceptional craftsmanship, remarkable originality, and a face that still brings a smile, it tells its own story beautifully. With nothing more than a single coin and the pull of a small lever, this savings bank instantly transforms into a miniature circus performance. The elephant swings its trunk, tossing the coin into the slot, while the clown standing on its back spins around as if performing for a cheering audience. This is far more than an ordinary coin bank. It was designed to make children want to drop in another coin simply to watch the performance all over again. [01:11:24] Speaker 7: You see quite a lot of money boxes on the roadshow, but I haven't seen one that's quite as unusual as this. Most of the money boxes were produced in America and were then exported or brought in to this country by people who traveled overseas. Now, show me how it works. You put one penny. As soon as the mechanism sprang [01:11:43] Speaker 1: into action, the appraiser recognized it as the elephant with three clowns, a famous mechanical bank made by J and E Stevens Company in America. Introduced during the early 1880s, mechanical banks like this were created with a clever purpose. Instead of simply storing coins, they turned saving money into a game that children wanted to repeat again and again. Every coin became part of a tiny theatrical performance. The elephant, the three clowns, and the operating lever were all cast as separate pieces before being assembled into an intricate system of springs and levers. Without electricity, batteries, or a motor, every movement relies entirely on precision mechanical engineering. What makes this example especially memorable is the way each figure plays a role. One clown holds the circus hoop, another stands behind the elephant, while the clown on its back spins at the exact moment the elephant's trunk sends the coin into the bank. Together, they create the feeling of watching a miniature circus rather than an ordinary savings bank. After well over a century, many mechanical banks have lost their trunks, broken their figures, or no longer function at all. That is why an example that still retains its original parts, and performs exactly as it was designed, has become highly desirable among collectors. [01:13:05] Speaker 7: And a lot of bank presidents collect. And some of the banks really can fetch a great deal of money. This is a more unusual one than the type that we normally see. And because of that, I think that we would be talking about perhaps between four and six hundred pounds at auction. Perhaps the most remarkable thing [01:13:25] Speaker 1: about this mechanical bank is not its final valuation. What truly makes it special is the imagination of the craftsman who, well over a century ago, turned a lesson about saving money into an entertaining mechanical performance. With the drop of a single coin, the entire little stage comes to life. And after all these years that simple mechanism can still make people stop, smile, and want to watch it one more time. That is exactly why mechanical banks like the elephant with three clowns continue to hold such a special place in the hearts of collectors today.