Out and About Spring 2021

D uring 2020 and 2021 life has changed. Life has become more home based and has given everybody time to re-evaluate. It has seen an increase in exercise as people are commuting less and a surge in de-cluttering. The age-old excuses for not clearing out the attic or the garage and tidying out the childrens’ rooms, even though they left years ago, have worn thin. With the majority of people now working from home and the inability to visit shops, the auction world is thriving. Auctions are more accessible to a much larger audience as there is more time for auctions to be viewed and indeed bid on online. The desire to have something unique – a talking point – has never been so highly sought after. And now is the time for plastic kitsch toys to come into their own. Previously these types of toys were looked down on by ‘toy experts’, but now they have really come into their own. Not only that, the majority of people have history with them – whether they played with them themselves, their parents did or their grandchildren do. Lego has always been a firm family favourite. Originally developed by Ole Kirk Christiansen who was renowned for his craftmanship of wooden toys, the construction blocks earned their name Lego from the Danish phrase leg godt, which translates as ‘play well’, circa 1934. Lego is a toy which has followed the trend and grown and developed with fashions. From the foundations of coloured construction blocks to motorised movements, construction sets and themes and now the Technic range, in total there more than 3500

different Lego elements. Polly Pocket by Blue Bird models from the 1990s frequently realise high hundreds and even thousands of pounds when offered by auction. The most valuable Polly Pockets were made between 1989-1998 with the 1992 Partytime Stampers demanding multiple thousands of pounds. Polly Pocket compacts vary from small keyrings to large castles, each with their own theme and scheme which generates the interest and in turn collectability. Usually centred around a specific scene, models range from sea shells and shops to beaches and castles often with moving elements and of course Polly. Not forgetting dolls, launched in 1963 by Pedigree Toys Ltd, the Sindy doll is an icon. Big enough to dress up and accessorise, but small enough to carry around if one wasn’t fortunate enough to have a dolls pram. These plastic figures, similarly to Polly Pocket, rocketed in value albeit, as is often the case, condition is paramount. SAS were fortunate enough to sell a New Look Sindy from 1968 for £100 + BP. As well as the Sindy Doll, SAS have recently sold a Miss Sweetheart fashion doll from 1962 for £120 + BP and a Trendon Sasha Doll Gregor for £70 + BP. On February 25, SAS Dudley had a huge single owner Lego collection of some 200 plus Lego lots going under the hammer. Coupled with Polly Pockets, memory games, hand-held table top computers, Tamagotchi’s and much more, there was something to rekindle every individual’s youth from the 1970s to the 2000s SAS Newbury had their Toys for the Collector auction on March 9. All details and auction catalogues can be found on our website www.specialauctionservices.com SAS have regular monthly auctions of toys and collectables in both Newbury and Dudley.

O&A SPRING 2021 48