A child’s play from years past with a lot of fun. A competition to reach the finish line, while jumping in a potato bag as quickly as possible.
This toy was made in 1906 by Fernand Martin and currently very rare and therefore a very popular piece. A toy from the second “Martin” period and it was given the Martin number 205. At the top the potato bag is kept closed by a red thread Height 19 cm ( 7,5 inch)
The Martin logos are depicted on both sides of the bag.
At the bottom there are two slots, after turning up two bars per slot come forward to simulate the jump, it makes a very nice almost natural movement.
The drawing below shows the inside. This drawing is from the old French magazine La Nature from 1908
THE TOY AND THE CATALOG ARE FROM MY OWN COLLECTION.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
After 15 years, in 1933, the lease of the factory at the location 88 boulevard Ménilmontant expired and Bonnet moved the production to another Bonnet factory in the Rue des Tourelles Paris 20 number 8. (This Victor BONNET’s privately held company was, producing household items from the early 1920’s.) Until the end of the production at the location 88 boulevard Ménilmontant, Victor Bonnet still used the old Fernand Martin logo and on one of his Account overview / Payment reminder’s shows that he also advertised that he had over 200 Patents, additions and deposits in France and abroad, but that includes the patents from Fernand Martin and George Flersheim
The first Martin of the “bonhommes” series from the second Fernand Martin period (1895 -1912) with number 147 and produced from 1895
The very first examples were produced with the famous “rubber band” mechanism. Later they were executed with a “clockwork mechanism” they are easy to keep apart. The model with the rubber band has the handle on top of the head to turn on, the model with the clockwork mechanism has the well-known Martin key on the back. The difference can of course also be seen at the bottom when you look for the kind of mechanism.
The rubber band model has two different places where it can be marked, one is a tin / lead seal against the metal skirt with the FM symbol on it. The other is marked with an embossed FM logo against a bracket underneath the skirt. The clockwork mechanism model is not marked she only has a Fernand Martin key.
The rubber band mechanism basically consists of three separate parts, the handle, the elastic and the movement part. If the rubber band breaks, the mechanism will fall out at the bottom and the wind-up liver at the top so they may have been lost over the years.
Two different boxes are known, with and without numbering, but on both boxes the “Ma Portiere” is equipped with a winding handle visible on the head, so the “first” version. It is therefore not entirely clear when the boxes with or without a number were issued exactly. Also striking is that in the catalog from 1898 the drawing was numberd left above. (see the first image at the top of this blog)
The first version is therefore with a “rubber band” drive, with this version you can clearly see the winding handle on top of the head. The versions thereafter received the winding mechanism, but in the first copies the hole on the top of the head was sealed with a round plate. Later versions have been given a head without a hole or plate.
Another separate component is the weight mounted on the left shoulder, meant as a counterweight for the movement of the mechanism. The other counterweight is under the skirt at the end of the mechanism.
The mechanism moves her upper body from right to left. If the movement to the right or left is at its end, the mechanism will be forced again by the two counterweights to move to the other side, so it looks like she is sweeping the floor.
The brandnew catalog of the 85th Toy Auction is online!
As usual, a good amount of very rare and wanted collectibles will be auctioned: More than 1900 lots of Tin Toys, Trains, Figures, Model Cars and Antique Advertising are waiting for you!
In this auction is 1 Fernand Martin toy
Auction number 6234 Le Gay Violoniste
Because of the current circumentances the 85th Toy Auction will be a Live-Auction without floor bidders.
You can take part in the online bidding via Liveauctioneers, lot-tissimo or the-saleroom, live via telephone or register your written predids.
We hope you enjoy reading and browsing through the new catalog!
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
The translation of a French article about the manufacture of mechanical tin toys from Fernand Martin in the late 1800s and early 1900s, written by Paul Peltier and published in 1902 in the magazine “La Vie Illustree”
ABOUT THE 1902 TOY COMPETITION OF M LÉPINE
There are many toys about the upcoming October 10th (1902) Exhibition, organized by the small manufacturers of these tiny and delicious things, whose appearance on the family table will provoke the joyful laugh of enthusiastic toddlers. This exhibition, moreover, is the reedition or, if we wind, the extension of the competition organized by M. Lepine, prefect of police, last year. The moment, therefore, seems to have come to introduce our readers to the mysteries of the manufacture of the mechanical toy, and to reveal to them the secrets of those curious arcana from which articulate blacksmiths and little merchants pushing their cars on the sidewalks conscientiously. The mechanical toy, as a very popular toy, very wide spread, very loved, is a very modern invention. The difficulty & indeed, It’s much less a matter of moving a character than of being able to make this articulate and animated personage very cheaply.
It is certain that, in a pinch, the automaton of Vaucanson can be considered like a toy, but certainly the hawkers of the time could not have sold it for some grounds at the time of the New Year’s Day. Thanks to the kindness of Mr. Fernand Martin, who has attached his name to the cheap mechanical toy industry in France. We will introduce the reader in this world of the toddlers where articulated “Eves” and automatic “Adams” wait for the moment to leave their paradise quickly. Like medicine and literature, the toy industry has its specialists.
The main specialties are:
1 Mechanical toys, in a general way.
2 The dolls, these cute little creatures with eternally pink cheeks, eternally constant heart, which not only delight the girls, but still know how to inspire, if need be, the novelists- Cosette’s dolls: Miserables, doll dresses from Dickens- like the musicians – the Nuremberg Doll, • the Infant’s Dolls, and, a few years ago, the Doll.
3 The lead soldiers; here we fall in the operetta, with the lead soldier of Mire Nitouche
4 Railways, racing games, etc., etc.
But it is the mechanical toys that are most interesting. The first toys of this kind were created around 1879. Their little “soul”, which no Paul Bourget will ever try to analyze, was essentially composed of an inert motor pelit composed of twisted rubber wire with escape wheel. One of the worst “hurts”, none of which will ever be analyzed, was essentially a small engine, composed of a twisted rubber wire with an escape wheel. It was obviously not very complicated, but as for the egg of Christopher Columbus, it was all about thinking about it !! It was first the le Poisson Nageur, then the Les Forgerins Infatigables, Les Scieurs, Le Suiveur Endiablé, who delighted the Boulevards. Another invention, very curious and amusing, made its appearance around 1883. It was – said without wanting to do the least course of mechanics! – a steering wheel whose shaft operated on two wheels. This engine, very simple as we see, was first applied to the loco-motive road that – I call the fathers! – made a sensation. There was much talk about it at the Tuileries ( formal gardens next to the Louvre in Paris, the gardens are all that remain of the Tuileries Palace, a royal residence begun in 1564 and burned down in 1871 during the Commune of Paris.) the old five-year-olds discussed it with interest in Luxembourg, and the little world of Parc Monceau was very satisfied.
Then came the Les Valseurs, Les Pompiers, Les Duellistes. In 1888, the Deliveryman and the Pousse-Pousse had a big success, which reached its peak during the Exhibition of 1889. Then we see the L’Autruche, Le Cab, Le Perroquet, Le Pêcheur á la Linge, etc., etc. Around 1894, a new series of little automatons appeared: “Ma Portière”, Le Petit Décrotteur, the Violoniste, La Blanchisseuse.
Finally, in 1900, we have the Le Pochard and the Le Bamboula. The mechanical toy industry is also inspired by the news, as an in-depth review of the end of the year, so that among the recent creations we have seen: the L’Agent with the white baton, the Le Vieux Marcheur, a delicate allusiun to the success of the Varieties, Le Chinois, finally the Le Boer and the L’Anglais.
We will consider, in the photographs attached, (photo above) a bloody meeting between the L’Anglais and the Le Boer, and (photo below) a suggestive group of agents, policemen and gendarmes: a true International Police Congress!
Finally, as the latest creations, the Le Clown Marchant, walking on the hands, and the Le Petit Pianiste whose fingers agile and tiny. He performs fantastic scales on a diminutive piano, and one can judge the marvels of skill and ingenuity which must be displayed in order to obtain a similar toy for a few pence, all the more so, oh joy! really what’s going to be saying Reyer? … Needless to say, the division of work reigns supreme in mechanical toy factories. First of all, it is the forge, where workers do all that one could call the “big work”, because everything is relative.
Then comes the welding, where the little automaton will begin to feel the clever stroking of feminine fingers. From there, we move to the manufacture of “skeletons”. This macabre expression refers to the assembly of all the parts of wire and metal that make up the body of the character. Then it’s dressing up, and really this part of Mr. Martin’s factory is quite reminiscent of the workshop of a great couturier, whatever Doucet for dolls! consists, for the fingers, always feminins, to illuminate quickly and well the hands of the Le Bamboula or the trowel of the Vieux Marcheur. Finally, the filling: this is where we put the last hand to the little toy, where, for example, we stick the piece of music in front of the eyes and the pianist is incredibly enthusiastic.
And when our babies, already ferocious, tear the tunic or the bodice to see “what’s inside”, they will certainly suspect the amount of work and pain that will have cost their toy a few French cents ! In fact, it is thought that to make toys like the ones we are talking about and sell them cheaply, we need personnel and tools of extraordinary complexity, and our readers have realized this. The equipment is so multiple, and the meeting of raw materials relatively so long, that the French manufacturer has time to cast a good part of his invention, before the German manufacturer finds the opportunity to counterfeit and sell himself. It is, indeed, in Germany, the classic country of the Nuremberg doll, that the French mechanical toy is pillaged with the greatest cynicism. There are, it seems, in Germany only two manufacturers of mechanical toys who do not copy our objects ! …
We were talking about the tools and personnel of a big toy factory mechanical. Some typical details will serve to fix the ideas. Do we know how much the house we have visited employs dressers, who, as their name implies, are exclusively employed in re-covering the skeletons of iron wire, hidden in the small chest of tin plate? It are thirty dressers! These thirty dressers, some of whom work in the workshop, the others at home, can dress up to three thousand figs a day. In addition to the dressers, the toy houses still use machine-made stitches. To dress ten thousand little “ bonhommes”, it takes six hundred meters of a cloth having 80 cm wide.
Another detail borrowed, no longer from the mechanical toy industry, but from that of small rifles. The tiny arms, which sell for about fifteen cent, are provided with a shoulder strap, attached to a small staple nailed to the edge of the butt. To obtain these staples, we use a machine that can drill in a minute a zinc plate a meter long: well! the cuts, the small trimmings that fall by the thousands, are precisely the staples. This detail shows how frighteningly rapid it is to satisfy consumption.
In Paris there are in 1902, about 25,000 toy workers employed by 500 employers. Not included in this number, of course, watchmakers, molders, seamstresses, etc., who are used, but who are not dedicated to the toy. Men can earn 5 francs the piece, about 50 francs per day; women 3 francs. The work is done either by the pieces, or by the day. We see that the toy – at least the mechanical toy – is not what a vain people thinks. It’s not just “the joy of children and the tranquility of parents”. It is also one of the objects on which our national industry has made its mark, and from this point of view the public can not be too interested in it.
All workshop images are insights from the Fernand Martin factory in 1902
The French auction house: Galerie de Chartres has a very nice and extremely rare Fernand Martin toy with his original box in this coming auction. Furthermore, there are many more Martin toys and other beautiful toys in this auction that we can look for.
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for this Martin
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction .
Don’t miss the June 2020 issue of Antique Toy World Magazine. And especially for the Fernand Martin enthusiasts: This month, on pages 54 till 58 an article about a newly discovered original 1908 catalog from Martin.
An overview of the contents of the new Antique Toy World Magazine June 2020.
Antique Toy World is the leading publication for toy collectors worldwide.
At the end of 1800 and early 1900, Fernand Martin was a highly regarded businessman in Paris. His toy factory flourished and his toys were hugely popular and well-known This of course also attracted people who wanted to get a piece of his popularity and now I mean it in the good sense of the word. One of those people was an artist who made bronze sculptures. At that time, bronze statues were enormously popular and in many living rooms these statues were to be admired. The name of this artist was Jose (Josep) Cardona Furro, he was born in Barcelona Spain and lived from 1878-1922. He left for Paris at a young age. Martin often made his toys about what he saw in daily street life and that was the same thing Jose Cardona did. His bronze statues were mostly statues of people and often of children he saw busy in the street.
One of his images is of a street vendor with clearly recognizable Fernand Martin’s the Ma Portiere. on his back a sack full of boxes of toys, in his hand he is busy turning up a Ma Portiere and there is also a clearly recognizable Ma Portiere at his feet. The Ma Portiere was made by Martin from 1895, so this image will also be designed and made by Jose Cardona in 1895 or a little later, so at the age of 17. The sculpture is very detailed and approximately 36 cm high and weighs more than 5 kg. ( 11 pound ) There are versions known with a marble base and versions without this base.
In one of the following blogs I will cover this “Ma Portiere” extensively,
Exactly 1 year ago I started this blog. In the course of this year I have written about 80 articles. The number of readers watched has also increased considerably, from about 30 a month to currently an average of over 120 a month. The number of hits on articles has also increased, there are days with only 3 hits but also days with more than 40 hits, the total number of hits is currently more than 2200 and that is an average of 29,5 hits per article. Also, from the number of positive responses, many readers are satisfied with this blog. So for me again the challenge to work hard on new articles.
I thank everyone for the good words and especially the auctioneers, traders, museums, private collectors, etc. who have given permission to use images in this blog.
And if you have any questions or material that I can process please send it to me and I will make sure that I find it right and if it is interesting for the readers, I will put it in a blog. Thanks again everyone.
(All photos in this article are of my dear and early deceased friend Arthur Verdoorn.)
Now we serve you the auction results of the Martins and Martin related toys in the Bertoia Annual Spring Auction May 7-8 2020
All prices price is US $ and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors. Always check the auction site for the results.
For the complete overview, results, Auction terms & Info, Shipping & Payment look at this site: http://www.bertoiaauctions.com/
Regarding the objects and prices described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
This Martin is in the provisional auction list. The complete list will be published 15 days before June 13, if there are other interesting Martins among them, I will edit this blog.
The French auction house: Galerie de Chartres has a very nice and extremely rare Fernand Martin toy with his original box in this coming auction Furthermore, there are many more other beautiful toys in this auction that we can look for, after the complete list is published.
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for this Martin
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction .
Don’t miss the May 2020 issue of Antique Toy World Magazine. And especially for the Fernand Martin enthusiasts: This month, on pages 60 – 63, an article about the manufacture of Martin toys in 1902.
Antique Toy World is the leading publication for toy collectors worldwide.
In the year 1900 the 13th universal World Exhibition was in Paris. Fernand Martin participated in this exhibition and was also a jury member of the “Hors Concours Médaille D’or ” as can be read on the box and on the catalog picture of the Bamboula no 179.
This World exhibition lasted from April 15 to November 12, 1900.
During this exhibition many products were sold to the public by business exhibitors, but street vendors in the streets of Paris also sold more than normal during that period.
I have found three boxes of the Le Pochard number 172 produced from the year 1899 with a additional reference to this exhibition.
This “Le Pochard” is familiar to all Martin collectors and it has also been produced for a long time and is one of the most renowned Martin’s .
This additional reference is a loose sticker that is stuck on the boxes The sticker on the first box is difficult to read but the other two boxes are much clearer to read. The sticker on box three is not on the front but on the top of the box
We can assume that these pieces were sold during this world exhibition in 1900, but it is also possible that the stickers were placed as advertisements well before the world exhibition to draw attention to this exhibition. These boxes with toys are therefore very easy to date. You also see that both drunks are dressed the same.
I do not know if boxes of other Martin toys were also provided with this sticker, but perhaps one of the readers of this blog has an answer, please let me know.
This rabbit is produced from 1890 and quite rare In the 2014 book: Fernand Martin Toymaker in Paris, the Le Lapin Vivant is listed on page 59 with the number 32 but the new number is 114 I know some color varieties such as white, light brown and dark brown.
It is a fairly small bunny with a height of 13 cm. After winding up, he moves forward and his ears and arms move. Immediately below the winding roll it is marked with the old known logo of Martin, the circle with the letters “F.M.” and “depose”
So far I have only seen versions with a flywheel drive. Recognizable on the side where the wheel is to wrap the rope.
With the rubber band version I have never seen myself I recently bought a series of 4 little etchings from 1892 with images of toys. On one of the etchings this Le Lapin Vivant with the version with a rubber belt drive is shown. The original etching is very small; approximately 8×10 cm In the French technical year magazine: La Nature from 1892 on page 45 this drawing / etching is depicted on which a beautifully open worked Le Pantin Vivant can be seen.
This etching is made by mr. Louis Poyet Mr Poyet made many etchings of toys for the technical magazin “La Nature”, he therefore regularly visited toy factories, including of course the Fernand Martin factory to make a lot of etchings of the latest new toys.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition, authenticity or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Top quality auction is already well underway. A fine European tin toy collection will be spearheading the second day, as collectors of all categories; from rare Banks to magnificent Christmas rarities will find the sale both impressive and exciting. Still Banks, Automatons, Comic toys, and Pressed Steel trucks will be highlighted.
The Bertoia team is dedicated to offering our quality customer service, experience and support. Do not hesitate to contact us for assistance with registration, bidding or any other questions.
We serve you in this auction:
The late Norman Schaut Toy and Train Collection (promoter of the Atlantique City Antique Show) The Cast Iron Automotive Toy Collection of Dmitri Ilyinsky, with additions from Bob Brady Part I of the Bob Weiss Mechanical Bank Collection, with selections from Bill & Wendy Jones The Christmas and Holiday Collection of Karyl Newman The impressive Charles Foster Schoenhut Collection and Pressed Steel from the Butch Buss collection.
NOTE: In an effort to keep everyone safe while continuing to provide the auction excitement of collecting, at this time, the sale is planned to be a virtual auction with telephone, absentee, and multiple online bidding options. We invite all collectors to join us and experience a live Bertoia event online as we video stream the entire sale simulcast over a webcam.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Don’t miss the April 2020 issue of Antique Toy World Magazine. And especially for the Fernand Martin enthusiasts: This month, on pages 60 – 61, an article about a newly discovered MARTIN toy.
An overview of the contents of the new Antique Toy World Magazine April 2020.
Antique Toy World is the leading publication for toy collectors worldwide.
A very special toy with an ingenious mechanism L’homme toupie made by Victor Bonnet from Paris, the last owner of the Fernand Martin toy factory in Paris. This clown has the product number 252 It has been produced from around 1921/1922 This toy can be winded by means of a separate key. The height is 19 cm = 7,5 inch.
After winding, place him on top of his head / hat on a flat table and let go. (in his hat is a clearly visible screw on which the whole turns) He then starts to turn around his axis and at some point his hands slowly move towards the table, then stops turning and then pushes his head / hat away from the table. His legs then separate and back together. Then his head / hat returns to the table and everything starts all over again. The manufacturer calls it a spinning top but therefore a very special ingenious spinning top. He is now collected by collectors of tin toys and then mainly collectors of Fernand Martin toys. He is therefore also collected by spinning tops collectors and collectors of circus acts. It has a tin body, head, feet and hands. The arms and legs are made of metal wire. The feet, hands and the head with the hat are hand painted. Furthermore, the whole is provided with colorful fabric clothing.
To wind it up, there is a keyhole on the back What is important at purchase this toy, look at this keyhole, there is normally a Brass ring with disc attached in the fabric clothing, the disc is clothed with fabric, but very often this ring with disc is torn out and disappeared due to frequent use. The clown is marked on top of the hat with the text: Article Francais V.B & Cie Paris.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Leski Auction number–maker + name–Result Hammerprice in AU $
Auction number 216 -Victor Bonnet -Auto Transport – UNSOLD Auction number 223 -SIJIM -le Joueur D’orgue – AU $ 500 Auction number 228 – Martin -Le Petite Pianiste -UNSOLD Auction number 291 -Victor -Bonnet L’autopatte – AU $ 1250
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
This article is published in the ATW Antique Toy World magazine of March 2020-Volume 50- No3. Read that article here but now with a very recently found additional supplement. This additional supplement was unfortunately too late for publication in the ATW.
The Martin period is brought together from the beginning of the first Fernand Martin toy the POISSON NAGEUR in 1878 during the move of Victor Bonnet from the original old Fernand Martin factory on the 88 Boulevard de Menilmontant Paris to another location in 1934 The last toy we now, till now, was the VOITURE NOUNOU POUPON with number 265
Until now we thought that this VOITURE NOUNOU POUPON with number 265 was the very last “Martin” produced in the factory on the 88 Boulevard de Menilmontant Paris, but that is now changing. We can now add this extra number 266 to it. And maybe there are more extra numbers to discover.
I have now found a new piece with number 266 on the box. It is a pistol with the name LE COSTAUD And luckily with the original box in a fairly good condition so we now for sure that it has number 266.
Dimensions box approximately 2,5 x 10,5 x 16,5 cm (1 x 4,5 x 6,5 inch) Dimensions pistol approximately 11,5 x15 cm (4,5 x 6 inch) I can say that we have found another piece of the big “Martin” puzzle.
And I have an original bill from Victor Bonnet in my collection that includes this pistol. The bill dates from June 16, 1933 and this bill also shows the old trusted location of the original old Fernand Martin factory on 88 Boulevard de Menilmontant Paris.
On this bill there are three well-known Bonnet pistols: –the PAN PAN (number 247) –the TAPE FORT (number 262) –the FLAC (number 256) And now the unknown LE COSTAUD with number 266. But there is still another unknown part on this bill under the name: “EPERVIER” in English this means (Sperrow) Hawk. I think this is also a pistol, because I have often seen tin toy pistols with the name Hawk but till now not from Victor Bonnet but I am not sure yet.
And now the recently found addition:
I very recently found the French patent for this pistol LE COSTAUD with number 266 The patent number is FR 730.021 The following dates can be seen on this patent: -Announced on April 04-1931 -Submitted on May 03-1932 -Published on August 05-1932 Now we know for sure that this pistol has been produced since 1932.
The displayed bill and pistol are from my own collection
In the next Ladenburger Toyauction there is one Fernand Martin toy but there are many more other beautiful pieces in this auction We are pleased to present you this catalog of our spring auction 2020 in German and English language.
Martin number 260 – Madelon casseuse d’assiettes 1928 made by Victor Bonnet.
After the auction, I will publish the realized price for this Martin.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about authenticity, condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
In the next auction of RSL Auction Company there are many Fernand Martin toys and there are many more other beautiful pieces in this auction.
For the complete overview, Auction terms & Info, Shipping & Payment look at this site: https://www.rslauctionco.com
DAY 1
Day 2
April 4th and 5th, 2020
Fantastic European Toys Marklin, Georges Carette, Bing, Citroen, Ingap, Martin, Lehman From the Collection of a Distinguished Gentleman.
All told, approximately 750 European Toys will be sold over two days! The sale will also include hand selected additions of Mechanical Banks, Still Banks, Cast Iron Toys and Folk Art.
Plan on attending this important event.
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for these Martins.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about authenticity, condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
This newest catalogue might be a surprise for some of you. A pleasant one, we hope because although it’s very different from our usual catalogues. We think you’ll have a lot of fun leafing through the pages of one of the best collections of toys, model trains and other childhood delights ever offered in Australia.
For the complete overview, Auction terms & Info, Shipping & Payment look at this site: www.leski.com.au
In this Leski auctions there are 4 “Fernand Martin and Fernand Martin related” toys and there are many more other beautiful toys in this auction.
Auction number 216 -Victor Bonnet -Auto Transport Auction number 223 -SIJIM -le Joueur D’orgue Auction number 228 -Fernand Martin -Le Petite Pianiste Auction number 291 -Victor -Bonnet L’autopatte
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for these Martins.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Don’t miss the March 2020 issue of Antique Toy World Magazine. And especially for the Fernand Martin enthusiasts: This month, on pages 38 and 39, an article about a newly discovered MARTIN toy.
An overview of the contents of the new Antique Toy World Magazine March 2020.
Morphy Auctions — TOYS, DOLLS & FIGURAL CAST IRON MARCH 10 & 11, 2020 In Memory of Lori Sage
Table of Contents : A New Discovery of “Martin” Toy Made by Victor Bonnet By Cor van Schaijk New England Air Museum Pook & Pook, Inc. and Noel Barrett —Post Auction Press: Antique Toys and Other Amusements at Auction By Noel Barrett . The Favorite By Steve Butler . Photos from the Chicago Toy Show hold on October 27, 2019 The Cor-Cor Grahams By Michael E. Keller . Focal Point #167 Navy Plane Hubley- 1953 By Steve Butler . Doc’s Dioramas By Darwin “Doc” Hunkler. Classified Ads Show Calender
Antique Toy World is the leading publication for toy collectors worldwide.
During his period as the owner of the old Fernand Martin factory, Victor Bonnet brought many beautiful new toys to the market. The pistols/guns are very noticeable here because they don’t really look like the other toys. But it was then and is still a hugely popular toy with mainly boys, who as a boy did not in the past, as a soldier, cowboy or police, walked around with toy guns and called “pang-pang” Till today, 6 different guns are known. To my surprise, I found an original bill from Victor Bonnet from 1933 with the order of various pistols on it.
This bill is dated June 16, 1933 The address of Victor Bonnet & Cie factory is still the old address where once Fernand Martin produced his great successes at 88 Boulevard de Menilmontant Paris. The Martin period is closed on the date of the move from the Victor Bonnet factory to another building in 1934.
At the back of this bill the 6 well-known pistols are also shown. The order included three well-known pistols and two names that we did not know yet. Of course we recognize the PanPan, the Tape Fort and the Flac on this bill For me there are two unknown names on this bill, the Costaud and the Epervier. From one of these unknown pieces I have discovered what it is, this will be discussed extensively in one of my next blogs in the next month. So we still miss 1 piece, what is it ??? I don’t know yet, but we continue to search.
And do you know what the missing piece is, send me a message and make me happy.
The brandnew catalog of the 84th Toy Auction on March 13 and 14, 2020 is online!
As usual, a good amount of very rare and wanted collectibles will be auctioned: More than 2100 lots of Tin Toys, Trains, Figures, Model Cars and Antique Advertising are waiting for you!
In this auction are 3 Fernand Martin toys
Auction number 6301 Le Boule Mysterieuse Auction number 6424 Le Gay Violoniste Auction number 6541 Le Petite Pianiste
Rummaging, browsing and bidding directly – all this is possible on our website:
We hope you enjoy reading and browsing through the new catalog!
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Many of us still know the time when there was no internet with e-mail and the telephone was still very rare, the postcard was then still a popular and cheap means of transferring short messages, congratulations or greetings. Nowadays, postcards are almost no longer used due to the availability of faster, cheap media. The postcard was introduced in the second half of the 19th century. On a postcard there was room for writing a message and usually there was an image on the other side. Fernand Martin’s toy has also been used a number of times as an image on a postcard. I have examples from France, Germany but also one from the U.S.A. The most of the postcards shown here are from my own collection.
A street vendor from Paris with a stamp from 1905
French postcard with images of Martins, date unknown
Another French street vendor from the late 1800s, with the Violinist, this image was also used on a chromo collector plate. This card can be found in the hand-colored version or in black and white
A French postcard with the “Le Charcutier” date unknown
A German postcard of the circus Barnum & Bailey who toured in Europe around 1900. The “La Boule Mystérieuse” is shown on this postcard
Another postcard now of the circus Strassburger from around 1914 The “La Boule Mystérieuse” is shown on this postcard
A street vendor from New York with a stamp from 1906
A postcard from 1994 with the Number 233 La casseuse d’assiettes from 1912
It is nice to collect this postcards next to the Martin toys.
Besides the violinist and the drunkard, the le Petit Livreur is one of the most produced and well-known Martin toy. Of all the different “models” mentioned here, there are many different color versions.
Model 1: Fernand Martin made the first model with the spoke wheels and a head with “look a like” real hair in 1911
Model 2: The second known model is from George Flersheim and features the Flersheim key, another label, painted hair and the closed wheels. This model was made from 1912
Model 3: The third model was made by Victor Bonnet, this model was similar to the Flersheim model but has a different “Bonnet” key. What was also changed was the operation of the small “steering wheel” under the cart. With the Martin and the Flersheim the handle is on the left or right side and with the Bonnet usually on the front but there are still some Le Petit Livreurs with a Bonnet key and the handle also on the side. The Bonnet version also has a brass nameplate on the cart This model was produced by Bonnet from 1919 After the relocation of the factory in 1933, the brass nameplate and the paper on the case disappeared, replacing it with the new VEBE logo on the case
Model 4: The fourth and rarest model. In 1911/12 a separate “MARTIN” model appeared on the market, this model had a higher suitcase/trunk with advertising on it instead of the low suitcase. This case was also lithographed and could be opened Whether the labels on the suitcase can be recognized as the round logo of the “Grand Hotel” in Paris. The boy of this Petit Livreur also got a bunch of hair and a flat cap. It was suspected that this Petit Livreur was made on special order for the Gand Hotel and was sold as a tourist item to guests / visitors to the hotel. There would have been sweets in the suitcase, so it was a kind of candy container. There is still another Martin toy with such a trunk, it is the L’autopatte from 1910. These two toys are also depicted in the book: Fernand Martin Toymaker in Paris 1878-1912 from Arthur Verdoorn and Lourens Bas. on p. 223.
A collector of hotel logo’s from Portugal, told me that this “Grand Hotel Paris” logo was used at that time in 2 versions, a round and a right-angled one, by the Grand Hotel. It was used as a seal on letters and was also stuck on tourist gift items in the “Grand Hotel” gift shop. These logos waren used from the end of 1800 to the beginning of the 1st World War (WW1) in 1914. With its 700+ rooms, the hotel was the largest in Paris and was used as a military hospital in the 1st World War This hotel still exists today.
It is not exactly clear whether Fernand Martin or George Flersheim put it on the market, but I suspect Martin because it still has a typical “Martin” key, but that actually means little because Flersheim has also released toys with a Martin key, presumably using up old supplies. All in all an exceptional piece and very sought after because it is not sold in large numbers.
There is a known photo of the stall with the “normal” and the “special” Le Petit Livreur, this photo was once sold on Ebay. A question for those who have this photo: send me an image then I can add it to this article.
A very early toy that Martin made were two firefighters with a fire sprayer, which reflects the state of the art of firefighting at the time.
History: A fire sprayer had already been granted a patent in 1614, but the first well-functioning model comes from the Dutchman Jan van der Heiden in 1672 with a hose fire sprayer. This type of fire sprayers was sometimes used until the Second World War (WWII) Large heavy pumps used to be pulled by horses and the smaller models were pulled by firefighters themselves.
The fire sprayer can be compared to a wooden, red-copper or metal tub / container in which a hand pump with a nozzle is attached. Although this type of fire sprayer delivered a constant flow of water, it had the disadvantage that it had to be filled with buckets. There is also a type that could itself suck water from a canal or ditch. Because the hose could not be too long, it had to be placed close to the fire, which of course was dangerous for firefighters and equipment.
Now about the toy model. Dimensions: Height 16 cm (6-1/4 inch) Length 14 cm (5-1/2 inch). At the bottom of the storage tank, you can connect a hose. If you look at the drawing you will see an “A” at the bottom, that’s the wind-up key. After being wind up, you place this toy on the table. I don’t know if you have to fill it with water or put it in a little tub with water. Filling seems unlikely to me because the container due to the mounting tabs it would leak everywhere. Sucking up seems more likely to me, the water can then be sucked up through the pipe at the bottom.
On the drawings in the catalog and the drawing on the box you see an extra pipe drawn, the water could be sucked through this pipe, on the actual toy you can no longer see this pipe but it can be integrated into the thick pipe where the wind-up mechanism is located. Both figures then move up and down and thus pump the water away through the hose.
Here above an image from the original Fernand Martin catalog 1898 Compare this image with the image on the lid of the original box and you will see some differences.
If you look very closely you will see the next differences: 1- The two corners of the catalog image are not richly decorated. 2- On the box label there is no “triangle with number 138” 3- On the box label there are no dates of various gold medals that Martin has won 4- On the catalog image the net and gross weights are stated below the image. 5- On the left of the catalog image is the text “Made In France”. 6- The catalog image is numberd with number 105, (but more about this number in one of the following blogs).
A very rare and hard-to-find toy, the box is even rarer to find. The piece with the box on the first photo was sold at the Bertoia auction on May 9, 2019 for $ 8000 without the auction surcharge.
An overview of the contents of the new Antique Toy World Magazine February 2020.
Don’t miss the February 2020 issue of Antique Toy World Magazine.
Here’s what’s inside this month:
-In Memory of Frank Mohr -Table of Contents -2020 Smoky Mountain Antique Toy & Pedal Car Show -Nostalgia 1875/1880 Rock & Graner Catalogue Germany By Pasky -Retraction By Steve Butler -Bertoia Auctions Annual Fall Sale Featuring Sam Downey Collection II Marklin Brand was King at Bertoia’s $2.28M Auction of American and European Toys and Trains Featuring Downey Collection Part II Fleet of European Boats was Led by Marklin La Plata Battleship Made for Argentine Market, Ex Sam Downey Jr. & Bill Bertoia Collections -Focal Point Turnpike Service Truck Line Mar 1955 By Steve Butler -Classified Ads -Show Calendar
Antique Toy World is the leading publication for toy collectors worldwide.
Published since 1970, Antique Toy World is a monthly magazine published in the USA by Dale Kelley, the magazine’s founder, editor and publisher. To subscribe go to https://antiquetoyworld.com/about-atw/
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Fernand Martin has made two versions of these Harlequin figures These figures were very popular with the children at the end of the 1800s You could buy these figures from department stores, smaller toy stores, market halls and from street vendors.
These Harlekijn dolls were for sale in various materials such as fabrics, wood and by Martin in the tin plate version
The first one he made was quite early in his career. In 1882 he made an approximately 22.5 cm (8 ¾ ”) figure, and is called “Le Pantin Mecanique” It is found in two color varieties in blue and in red The special thing about this figure is that it has two faces, one at the front and one at the back The mechanic was by a rubber band drive In the museum in Paris Musée des arts and Métiers – Le cnam, the red one can be found, it was in the gift from Fernand Martin to the Museum As the photos of the museum contain a copyright, I cannot show it here, but a digital visit to the site is worth looking at, see this link: https://phototheque.arts-et-metiers.net/?idPageWeb=95 enter the keyword “Fernand Martin” at “rechercher”. The photo you can find at number 0001664-143
The second version was made from 1896, so in the second period of Fernand Martin. The product number is 152 and the name is “L’assiette Au Beurre Et Le Pantin” This is also known so far in two color varieties in Blue / red and in Red / blue It is quite small and only around 10 cm (4”) in size, the drive is here through a pull rope If you pull this, the arms and legs start to move, Lehmann also had a similar effect with his well-known Climbing monkey. This figure does have a clear front and back
Soltau, a small town located in the north of Germany, just an hour’s drive from Hamburg. In the center of Soltau, spread out across two buildings (Poststrasse 7 and 15), is one of the most exiting toy museums I know.
Welcome to the Toy Museum Soltau (“Spielmuseum Soltau”), a house full of treasures, dreams and ideas! The museum houses one of the best and most varied toy collections in the world: from a huge all-original Victorian dolls house with fifteen fully furnished rooms to a great Humpty-Dumpty circus set, from William & Mary wooden dolls to mechanical tin toys and from Erzgebirge scenes to paper toys.
And it will get even better: at the end of March 2020 a special department dedicated to a large collection of Fernand Martin toys will open at the Poststrasse 15 branch of the museum. This department will be named “Klein-Paris!” (Little Paris!): a new exhibition unit with fantastic French toys from the turn of the (1900) century is currently under construction. The focus is on mechanical sheet metal figures by the famous Paris toy maker Fernand Martin.
All objects come from the great collection of Arthur Verdoorn and were donated to the “Stiftung Spiel” (Foundation for Play) that runs the museum. Arthur Verdoorn was a Dutch collector and a personal friend of mine, he was one of the two authors of the fantastic book: “Fernand Martin Toy Maker In Paris 1878-1912”.
I know his collection very well and I often played together with him, in his own home museum, with these toys.
A very large collection that fortunately can be admired by everyone soon.
The Spielmuseum Soltau is not just a museum to look at: visitors of all generations are invited to explore, enjoy, try out, play and learn. So, step into history, reminisce and get inspired! The museum is open 365 days a year from 10 am to 6 pm and the exhibitions cover a total of 900 square meters.
And have you decided to take a look and travel to Soltau? Then don’t miss the nearby felt museum “felto – Filzwelt Soltau” and be surprised there, too – for example by more than 120 historic Steiff character dolls all made of felt.
An overview of the contents of the new Antique Toy World Magazine January 2020.
Don’t miss the January 2020 issue of Antique Toy World Magazine
Here’s what’s inside this month:
The First Annual Central Florida Antique Toy and Advertising Show will be Held February 7 and 8, 2020, at the Lake County Fairgrounds Expo Mall in Eustis, Florida Bertoia’s Oct. 11 Auction of Tony Annese Toy, Train and Christmas Collection, Draws SRO Crowd, Hammers $1.8 Million Tin Toy Corner – Is This the Earliest Toy Paddle-Wheel Ship Known to Exist? By Renaud Fournier Imagine This By Steve Butler Focal Point – Bluebird Land Speed Racer Lincoln White Metal C. 1932 By Steve Butler A Collector’s Story Australian Toys – A Collection By Luke Jones Classified Ads Show Calendar
Subscribe to the print edition, or purchase a digital copy now for only $ 7 and download it immediately to your computer or mobile device. Go to: www.antiquetoyworld.com
In principle there are four different Martin bears, three are produced under the same number 193 in a period of more than 25 years. They are very similar in appearance, there are two colors, white and brown. The fourth is a completely different bear with number 216
Three bears, who carry the same number: What do you need to know if you have one or want to purchase one or even find one. What should you pay attention to!
The first one is the brown bear with a “hairy” head, so it looks like a head with fur. This was given number 193 and was made by Fernand Martin in the second Martin period in 1904. Marked under one leg with “FM” and under the other leg with the famous “triangle” and equipped with a “Martin” key
The second one is the same bear but in a white version, the head is now painted white. He received the same production number and was made by Fernand Martin in the second period from 1909 But also produced by Victor Bonnet in the fourth period with the same number If it is produced by Fernand Martin then one leg is marked with FM and under the other leg with the famous triangle.
If it was produced by Victor Bonnet from 1921 until the 30s, it is marked under one leg with “VB & Cie Paris” and under the other leg with “Made in France” and equipped with a “Victor Bonnet” key
The third version is a brown bear but now with a dark brown painted head, this bear was produced by George Flersheim in the third period from 1912, this bear also received production number 193. Marked under one leg with “FM” and under the other leg with the famous “triangle” and equipped with a “Flersheim” key
And then there is a fourth bear It is the climbing bear and was produced by Fernand Marin in 1909 The production number is 216 This is a very special bear that, after winding, climbs independently into a pole.
All toys shown in the photos are or were from my own collection
Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Fröhliche Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo Boas Festas e um feliz Ano Novo Kala Christougenna Ki’eftihismenos O Kenourios Chronos God Jul och Gott Nytt År Glædelig Jul og godt nytår Geseende Kerfees en ’n gelukkige nuwe jaar Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta
This very ingenious toy is a reproduction of reality, it was a circus act from the late 1800s and early 1900s
A piece of history :
This act was performed by an Austrian artist Leon Rauche with his artist name La Roche or LaRoche LaRoche started at Barnum & Bailey in 1895 The world famous circus Barnum & Bailey had this act in its program from 1895 to 1903. In 1897, James A. Bailey, as Director of the Barnum and Bailey show, decided to organize a multi-year tour in Europe. In October of that year, he arrived in England with his complete circus company and began his performance at the Olympia Hall in London. He traveled throughout England to cross the mainland of Europe. After visit many cities in Central Europe, the circus returned to America in 1903.
This poster is dated 1897 and that is because almost all images for this European tour were pre-produced in 1897 in America at: “THE STROBRIDGE LITHO CO. “In Cincinnati; Ohio. In countries where the circus stayed for a long time, the text was adapted to the national language. The amount of posters taken for this tour was more than 100,000 sheets. Should a certain stock run out, then according to the American design, sheets were printed in Europe. In exceptional cases, local designers and printers were sometimes called upon.
The show was in Paris in the period of November 1901 – March 1902 Housed in the Salle des Fêtes of the Galerie des Machines at the foot of the Eifel tower, a remnant of the 1900 exhibition in the Champ-de-Mars. Barnum & Bailey presented its show consisting of a large number of first-class attractions. The first show took place on November 30, 1901. Barnum & Bailey was sold out until March 23, 1902. The shows took place every day at 8:15 pm, with matinee at 2:00 pm, Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and public holidays.
I think Fernand Martin also visited this show in Paris, but he didn’t come up with the La Boule Mystérieuse at that time, why?? read more…..
The invention of the act :
Leon Rauche (Laroche) has designed this act himself. Legend has it that circus contortionist Leon LeRoche got his inspiration for ‘La Boule Mysterieuse’ from a popular gambling game that took place outside the tent of a show in Romania. After bettors bet on one of multiple numbers, the showman rolled a ball from the top of a 1 foot high spiral, screaming as the ball rolled its way to the winning number. LaRoche’s had a 12-foot spiral built for his own act. While he was locked up in a metal ball of 2 ½ feet in diameter, he slowly and mysteriously rolled up and down on a spiral track without railing, and without the help anything visible or a motor. The mystery of its progress is supposed to be explained when the man comes out, but it is more mysterious than ever, for the man has to tie himself in a knot to get into the sphere and certainly does not appear to have room to budge an inch , and the reason why the ball goes up and down slowly is just as inexplicable as ever! “.
The trick was considered “an inscrutable mystery,” a sudden genius. Everywhere the show agents arranged performances of this wonderful man and his company. LaRoche doubled the height of the spiral to 24 feet and by the time he started touring with Barnum and Bailey in 1896, the course was already 30 feet high. After the circus went back to America in 1903, La Roche left Barnum & Bailey and presumably continued with his act to the “Strassburger” circus. This circus existed from 1892 to 1963
The toy :
Fernand Martin came on the market in 1906 with his “La Boule Mystérieuse” and it was a great success.
But Fernand Martin was not the original designer/inventor of this toy. On 6 December 1905, a French inventor Mr M Celestin Gasselin applied for a patent under patent number 360440. It was granted on February 23, 1906, and on April 21, 1906, this patent was published.
Fernand Martin purchased this patent directly from Mr. Gasselin and put it on the market in 1906. This toy was registered in Germany under a patent number D.R.G.M. 269277 The “Martin” number of this toy is 204
An overview of the contents of
the new Antique Toy World Magazine December 2019.
Don’t
miss the December 2019 issue of Antique Toy World Magazine.
Here’s what’s inside this month.
Fine Penny Toys from the Thierry Dungler Collection By Pasky Pook & Pook, Inc. with Noel Barrett Antiques & Auctions LTD: Antique Toys and Other Amusements at Auction Saturday, December 7th at 9am (Live Salesroom Auction) #444 Locomotive Hubley C. 1950 By Steve Butler Photos from the September 21–22, 2019 Indy Advertising Show Next Show May 2–3, 2020 A Novice Venture By Steve Butler Potter & Potter Auctions’ September, 2019 Sales Event Scores Nearly $390,000! Classified Ads Show Calendar
Important: Subscribe to the print edition. Or purchase a digital copy now for only $ 7 and download it immediately to your computer or mobile device. Then go to: www.antiquetoyworld.com
Lot 1291. VICTOR BONNET LA MOTOCYLETTE $ 950,00 Lot 1292. MARTIN RAILWAY PORTER $ 500,00 Lot 1293. FERNAND MARTIN DON QUIXOTE $ 8000,00 Lot 1296. FERNAND MARTIN PERFORMING MONKEY $ 1400,00 Lot 1297. FERNAND MARTIN THE DRUNKARD $ 350,00 Lot 1298. MARTIN CHINESE WARRIOR $ 1200,00 Lot 1299. MARTIN CLIMBING FIREMAN $ 375,00 Lot 1300. FERNAND MARTIN FLEMISH DOG CART $ 6000,00 Lot 1301. FERNAND MARTIN PIANIST $ 700,00 Lot 1302. FERNAND MARTIN WOMAN CART VENDOR $ 600,00 Lot 1303. BOXED VICTOR BONNET PIGEON not sold Lot 2039. LA CONQUESTE DU POLE NORD $ 2500,00
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
There were 16 Martins / Bonnets in this auction. The results are: Martin number 23 : Les Joyeux Danseurs € 3000 Martin number 28 : Pousse-Pousse Annamite € 1600 Martin number 147 : Ma Portiere € 2400 Martin number 149 : Le Treuil no.0 € 1800 Martin number 160 : Le Gai Violiste € 400 Martin number 167 : Le Petit Decrotteur € 5300 Martin number 171 : La Blanchisseuse € 2100 Martin number 184 : La Petit Marchande € 980 Martin number 184 : model Bonnet La Petit Marchande € 850 Martin number 203 : La Boule Mysteriuse € 1700 Martin number 218 : L’autopatte € 700 Martin number 218 : L’autopatte € no sale Martin number 224 : model Bonnet Petit Livreur € no sale Bonnet number 251 : La Ramier € 70 Bonnet number 251 : La Ramier € 80 Bonnet number 251 : La Ramier € 50 Bonnet number 254 : Le Train Tortillard € 380
Prices in Euro’s and without Buyer’s Premium of 20% VAT (23,60% VAT for the buyers on interencheres-live.com)
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
An overview of the contents of
the new Antique Toy World Magazine November 2019.
Don’t
miss the November 2019 issue of Antique Toy World Magazine.
Here’s what’s inside this month:
In Memory of Hal Matters New Book Reveals Rare Toys and the Psyche of an Eclectic Toy Collector Bertoia’s November 14-16th Annual Fall Auction Features Part II of Revered Sam Downey Jr. Estate Collection of American and European Toys and Trains By the Numbers By Steve Butler Focal Point Armored Car Masudaya – C. 1936 By Steve Butler Review from the 2018 Greater York Toy Extravaganza Next Show is December 1, 2019 Photos & Story by Barry Skelly Classified Ads Show Calendar
Subscribe to the print edition,
or purchase a digital copy now for only $ 7 and download it immediately to your
computer or mobile device.
Go to:
The French auction house: Galerie de Chartres has a very nice collection of Fernand Martin and Victor Bonnet toys in the coming auction on November 09 2019 at 10:00 Central European Time (CET) Furthermore, there are many more beautiful toys in this auction.
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for these Martins.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
In the next auction of RSL Auction Company there are 3 Fernand Martin toys and there are many more other beautiful pieces in this auction.
For the complete overview, Auction terms & Info, Shipping & Payment look at this site: https://www.rslauctionco.com
November, 2019
Friday,
the 8th and the 9th
500+
Still Banks
200
Mechanical Banks
100’s
of Unique Antique Toys and Folk Art
Includes Mechanical Banks, Still Banks, Folk Art, Windup
Toys, Cast Iron Toys and More!
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for these Martins.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement
about condition or value.
I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the
object or to contact the seller / auction
In the next 3 day auction of Bertoia Auctions there are 11 Fernand Martins/Bonnet toys, and there are many other beautiful pieces in this auction. http://www.bertoiaauctions.com
ANNUAL FALL SALE November 14-15-16, 2019 Thursday, Friday, & Saturday each begin at 10am
HIGHLIGHT: The Saturday, November 16th session will be highlighted by
the second half of the world class Samuel Downey Jr collection of
European tin rarities and boats.
In this auction are 11 Fernand Martin / Bonnet toys
Lot 1291. VICTOR BONNET LA MOTOCYLETTE
Lot 1292. MARTIN RAILWAY PORTER
Lot 1293. FERNAND MARTIN DON QUIXOTE
Lot 1296. FERNAND MARTIN PERFORMING MONKEY
Lot 1297. FERNAND MARTIN THE DRUNKARD
Lot 1298. MARTIN CHINESE WARRIOR
Lot 1299. MARTIN CLIMBING FIREMAN
Lot 1300. FERNAND MARTIN FLEMISH DOG CART
Lot 1301. FERNAND MARTIN PIANIST
Lot 1302. FERNAND MARTIN WOMAN CART VENDOR
Lot 1303. BOXED VICTOR BONNET PIGEON
Lot 2039. LA CONQUESTE DU POLE NORD
This sale will be certain to draw interest from all corners of the world. With the second half of the world class Samuel Downey Jr collection highlighting the auction, fine European tinplate will certainly be a big draw for the weekend. Boats, trains, toys, motorcycles, and battery-op toys will all hit the podium. Accompanying selections of pressed steel and a huge assortment of cast iron toys, over 250 mechanical & still banks, near mint comic character toys, figural cast iron items, Holiday and more will surely prove to be an event worth attending.
LIVE ATTENDANCE, TELEPHONE BIDDING, MAIL-IN ABSENTEE, INTERNET BIDDING
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for the Martins.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
But there is one exception; This toy maker from Paris has made very nice “Martin” look and likes. This manufacturer is named S.I.J.I.M. with director Prosper Levi. He started this factory in 1909 but with the rise of the first world war he disappeared quickly in 1917. S.I.J.I.M. means: Société Industrielle de jouets et d’inventions mécaniques. He has not made many pieces but a few very beautiful. The best seller and known is the organ grinder : le joueur d’orgue, this is often referred to as Martin. But he has also made less well-known pieces.
32 La Poussette. (The Stroller)
33 Le Joueur d’orgue. (The Organ Player)
34 Les Chevaux Hygieniques ( Hygienic Horses)
35 L’apprenti Cavalier. ( The Rider Apprentice)
36 Le Livreur Rapide ( The Fast Delivery Man)
? no number known. Le Soute Mouton. (The leap frog. Presumably S.I.J.I.M. but no certainty yet) This toy was depicted in a magazine from the department store Choumara Paris in 1912 togehter with other S.I.J.I.M. , Martin and other toys. see pictuer below.
The likely reason that they look so much like Martins is that the manufacturer, Proper Levi, would have been a former employee of the Fernand Martin factory. I don’t know if that’s right, but he copied a lot and made his own toy after the good example and style of Fernand Martin. And not without success because its models are very beautiful. Even the key is a copy of a “Martin” key
As I said before, there are many more imitations that are sold as Martins, so stay allert and pay attention. An imitation doesn’t have to be ugly, if you like it, that’s fine, buy it and enjoy it.
All photos are from my own collection or courtesy of Michael Bertoia Auctions
In the past, competitors have also made imitations / look a likes of the toys of Fernand Martin. The names of the manufacturers are not always known because they were mostly small firms. The last known imitations are fairly recent and from the Spanish Paya and are clearly recognizable. Paya has made 10 imitations, luckily these are very recognizable as being. Example: the hairdresser, the drunkard, the judge, the conductor etc.
But older imitations are more difficult to recognize, are also on the market.
You can see it most clearly in the shape of the key. (see my older blog about the Martin keys : Different Fernand Martin keys from June 28, 2019 But also the location of the key, with Martin the key is usually (not always) on the left side of the toy body, when you look at the toy with the face facing you, so on the right side. So if there is a key on the other side or at the back then you have to be careful. And of course the face is not what you can expect from a real Martin toy.
You see above some examples of imitations of the Le Violonist and the Le Pochard. Look special to the face from these imitations and you can see exactly what I mean by that. Sometimes these imitations have in the course of time received original parts from real Martins such as the bottle, a head or the clothes. And then the question: What happened to the original production molds, were they destroyed or did they end up in the hands of companies that turned them into “Martins” again? One imitation of the Le Pochard even received an original Martin box.
But there are also various “look a likes” from the fireman, from Günthermann Gama. and others.
Gama has a very clear start-stop trade on his back, a connection between the hands and another ladder on wheels. The Günthermann can be recognized by: -a short tube under his left elbow -model of the key -the plate on the ladder with imitation flames -the shape of the freestanding support of the ladder.
As I said before, there are many more imitations that are sold as Martins, so stay allert and pay attention. An imitation doesn’t have to be ugly, if you like it that’s fine, buy it and enjoy it.
Continued in part two next week
All photos are from my own collection or courtesy of Michael Bertoia Autions
There was 1 Fernand Martin in this auction, the L’EMINENT AVOCAT number 202 wiht box The results is £ 2600,00
Price in Britisch Pounds and without Buyer’s Premium
For more information see the auction catalog
https://www.vectis.co.uk/
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
An overview of the contents of the new Antique Toy World Magazine October 2019.
Don’t miss the October 2019 issue of Antique Toy World Magazine.
Here’s what’s inside this month:
Autumn Lineup at Auction Team Breker Autumn 2019: Auction Team Breker is lining up an exciting hat trick of sales celebrating the history of toys, photography and technology A Father’s Legacy Two Generations of Craftsmanship at Harrington Antique Toys By Curt Iseli Photos from the Chicago Toy Show April 28, 2019 Next Show is October 27, 2019 In Memory of Roy Olse Table of Contents Bertoia’s Presents The Gentleman’s Collection: the Lifetime Antique toy, Marklin Train and Christmas Collection of Tony Annese, Oct. 11 Ladenburger Toy Auction 30th Anniversary Milestone Auctions Launches New Gallery with July 27 Sale Dominated by Antique and Vintage Advertising Signs … and suddenly it’s 40 years The Auction House Lankes Celebrates 40th Anniversary Buying Memories! Rich Penn Auctions Tin Toy Corner By Renaud Fournier (rfournier1900@live.com) Focal Point By Steve Butler Uncommon in Common By Steve Butler Classified Ads Show Calendar
Subscribe to the print edition, or purchase a digital copy now for only $ 7 and download it immediately to your computer or mobile device. Go to:
Fernand
Martin 202 “L’eminent Avocat” Automata clockwork figure –
representing a courtroom Lawyer, the tinplate courtroom box is tinprinted in
simulated wood grain, with green top, the standing Lawyer figure has a black
cloth gown, white cravat, white card cuffs and his metal hands and head are
painted flesh coloured pink.
All
is mounted on a tinprinted baseplate.
In
the Avocat’s left hand is his original card reading “Code Civil”.
This
toy is a rare variation without the Lawyer’s hat and was purchased by the
vendors family from new in 1905 from Gamages store in London which is confirmed
by a Gamages price label to the side of the box reading 1/3d!
The
clockwork motor is not working having been incorrectly wound but is present and
appears complete with the integral key.
The
toy has clearly been cared for and kept in its box for most of its life and
this is reflected in the condition which is otherwise overall Good Plus to
Excellent for display, the painted head particularly still retains its
brightness and is the first such example that Vectis have had.
It
stands 22cm or almost 9″ tall and still retains a Good Plus original crisp
card box with Gamages price label and black and white illustration to the lid.
Estimate: £1000 – £1500
https://www.vectis.co.uk/
Regarding the object described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Note : Read the blog of Lourens Bas abouth this very rare toy https://lourensbas.wordpress.com/2017/01/14/a-bargain-for-martin-collectors/
There were 4 Martins / Bonnets in this auction. The results are: Martin number 18 : Les Courageux Scieurs De Long € 1100 Martin number 219 : Les Valseurs € 800 A imitation / look a like of the Martin number 172 : Le Pochard € 260 Bonnet number 254 : Le Train Tortillard Lot Passed
Prices in Euro’s and without Buyer’s Premium
For more information see the auction catalog www.auktionen.anticomondo.de
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
An overview of the contents of the new Antique Toy World Magazine September 2019.
Don’t miss the September 2019 issue of Antique Toy World Magazine.
Here’s what’s inside:
The 20th Anniversary of Anticomondo Auction House (Germany) on September 6 & 7, 2019 Morphy Auctions TOY, DOLL & FIGURAL CAST IRON AUCTION September 24-25, 2019 Auction begins at 9 ET Pook & Pook Inc. with Noel Barrett Antique & Auctions LTD Antique Toy Auction Results Saturday, June 15th at 10am (Live Salesroom Auction) Monday, June 17th at 9am (Online Only Auction) By Kaitlyn Julian Focal Point — Volkswagen Tootsietoy – C. 1964 By Steve Butler Top Tin Trucks By Steve Butler Classified Ads Show Calendar
Subscribe to the print edition, or purchase a digital copy now for only $ 7 and download it immediately to your computer or mobile device. Go to:
There were only 5 Martins / Bonnets in this auction. The results are: Lot number 150 The police captain $ 850 Lot number 151 The barber $ 650 Lot number 152 The violin player $ 400 Lot number 153 The drunkard $ 425 Lot number 153a The car transport truck $ 275 Prices without Buyer’s Premium
For more information see the auction catalog http://www.bertoiaauctions.com/
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
The catalog of the 82th Toy and Advertising Auction on September 6 and 7, 2019 from Antico Mondo in Bornheim Germany is online!
In this auction there are 4 Martin/Bonnet toys
As usual, a good amount of very rare and wanted collectibles will be auctioned. More than 1950 lots of Tin Toys, Trains, Figures, Model Cars and Antique Advertising are waiting for you!
Rummaging, browsing and bidding directly – all this is possible on our website:
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
An overview of the contents of the new Antique Toy Magazine August 2019.
-Super Auction August 10, 2019 Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds Ann Arbor, MI -Tin Toy Corner Have You Seen Another? Ernst Plank’s Wright Brothers Airplane By Renaud Fournier -Close Up on an Attractive and Very Rare Blue Motorcycle Mohr & Krauss, Nuremberg 1913 by Pasky -Photos from the May 4-5 Indy Advertising Show Next Show September 21-22 -Focal Point — Car Carrier Hofler – C. 1956 By Steve Butler -International Interest in Banks, Trains, and Tinplate Rarities Drives Bertoia’s Spring Toy Sale to $1.3 Million -One Thing Leads to Another By Steve Butler -Classified Ads -Show Calendar
International Interest in Banks, Trains, and Tinplate Rarities Drives Bertoia’s Spring Toy Sale to $1.3 Million
Subscribe to the print edition, or purchase a digital copy now for only $ 7 and download it immediately to your computer or mobile device. Go to:
In the next auction of Bertoia Auctions there are unfortunately only five Martins/Bonnet toys, but there are many other beautiful pieces in this auction. http://www.bertoiaauctions.com/
A diverse sale that is so full, they had to add a second day! Headlining the still and mechanical banks is the second half of the Ned Bauer Collection from Ohio. Doorstops and cast iron cars, pressed steel trucks and horse drawn toys, and stuffed bears and animals will be offered. Celluloid and pre-war Japanese toys will share the stage with comic character toys. A nice grouping of nodders and bobbleheads will be complimented by Japanese action figures and pop art. Motorcycles, penny toys, and steam engines from the Paul Hale Collection will represent European toys along with German and American trains and accessories ranging from 0 to 1 gauge.
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for the Martins.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Onze website adres is : https://fernandmartintoys.nl.
Beschrijving verklaring
Privacyverklaring https://fernandmartintoys.nl.
Sinds 25 mei 2018 is de Algemene verordening gegevensbescherming (AVG) van toepassing. Dat betekent dat in de hele Europese Unie (EU) dezelfde privacywetgeving geldt. De Wet bescherming persoonsgegevens (Wbp) geldt niet meer.
In het kader van deze Algemene verordening gegevensbescherming die per 25 mei 2018 in werking is getreden, informeren wij u hoe https://fernandmartintoys.nl. omgaat met uw persoonsgegevens.
Welke gegevens verwerkthttps://fernandmartintoys.nl. Uw persoonsgegevens worden verwerkt doordat u gebruik maakt van onze diensten en/of omdat u deze zelf aan ons verstrekt. Hieronder een overzicht van de persoonsgegevens die wij verwerken: • Voor- en achternaam. • Adresgegevens. • E-mailadres.
We kunnen niet controleren of een bezoeker die via de website is aangemeld 16 jaar of ouder is. Als u er van overtuigd bent dat wij zonder die toestemming persoonlijke gegevens hebben verzameld over een minderjarige, neem dan contact met ons op via cor@vanschaijk.com.nl dan zullen wij deze informatie verwijderen.
Waarom https://fernandmartintoys.nl. uw gegevens nodig heeft Wij verwerken uw persoonsgegevens voor onderstaande doelen: • het verstrekken van informatie. • het reageren op uw bericht.
Hoe lang bewaart https://fernandmartintoys.nl. uw gegevens? https://fernandmartintoys.nl. zal uw persoonsgegevens in ieder geval bewaren gedurende de bewaartermijnen van de Nederlandse wetgeving en zo veel langer als nodig is om goede service te kunnen leveren.
Met wie deelt https://fernandmartintoys.nl. uw gegevens? https://fernandmartintoys.nl. verstrekt in principe geen persoonsgegevens aan derden. Gegevens worden uitsluitend aan derden verstrekt als dit nodig is voor de uitvoering van onze overeenkomst met u of om te voldoen aan een wettelijke verplichting.
Websitebezoek | Cookies | https://fernandmartintoys.nl. gebruikt alleen technische en functionele cookies en analytische cookies die geen inbreuk maken op uw privacy. Een cookie is een klein tekstbestand dat bij het eerste bezoek aan deze website wordt opgeslagen op uw computer, tablet of smartphone. De cookies die wij gebruiken zijn noodzakelijk voor de technische werking van de website en uw gebruiksgemak. Ze zorgen ervoor dat de website naar behoren werkt en onthouden bijvoorbeeld uw voorkeursinstellingen. Ook kunnen wij hiermee onze website optimaliseren. U kunt zich afmelden voor cookies door uw internetbrowser zo in te stellen dat deze geen cookies meer opslaat. Daarnaast kunt u ook alle informatie die eerder is opgeslagen via de instellingen van uw browser verwijderen.
Uw gegevens inzien, aanpassen of verwijderen
Op schriftelijk verzoek is het mogelijk uw persoonsgegevens in te zien
en/of aan te passen. In bepaalde gevallen en indien daarvoor goede
redenen zijn, kunt u vragen om uw persoonsgegevens te wissen mits de wet
dit toelaat.
Beveiliging https://fernandmartintoys.nl. neemt de bescherming van uw gegevens serieus en neemt passende maatregelen om misbruik, verlies, onbevoegde toegang, ongewenste openbaarmaking en ongeoorloofde wijziging tegen te gaan. Als u de indruk heeft dat uw gegevens niet goed beveiligd zijn of er aanwijzingen zijn van misbruik, neem contact op via cor@vanschaijk.com