A Linemar (Yonezawa) battery-operated Mr Mercury

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more

Foreword It's my firm opinion that people in the world are split into two categories: those who collect and those who don't. And I don't know who can be happier in life. This, for starters, is my paradigm. There is something highly addictive in this search for pleaure. About fifteen years ago I ran a small Antiques and Collectable shop in Milan, where I dealt part time in all sorts of collectable antique toys, from diecasts to Japanese tin toys. Whenever I found robot and spaceship toys, they were never in my shop too long. Anyway, I once acquired from a fellow friend a mint in box example of the prized "Robby Space Patrol"vehicle by TN Nomura of Japan, sometimes regarded as one of the most sought-after toys. It depicts the famous Robby Robot piloting a sleek space craft, with great action, colours, lights - just a masterpiece. So I bought it and set it out for sale with a price tag of about $ 7,500 of that time. Soon the word spread out, and quite a number of collectors came to see - but none bought it, claiming the price was out of their budget. This happened for about six months, after that I made my mistake: I decided to bring the "Robby Space Patrol" home, and placing it on a shelf, not offering it for sale for a while. Soon after a M.I.B. "Mechanized Robot" Robby went by its side on the shelf, and I was hooked! Since then I had the chance to constantly upgrade and enlarge my own collection, selling the doubles, having chosen the best one, and sometimes trading some pieces as well, concentrating on the golden years from 1955 to 1965. I have now reached a stage in collecting Robots and Space toys where there is little that I am willing to collect. My goal in this collection has been trying to get most, if not all, variations of these toys. If in the listing or the pictures it will appear as a double, on close inspection there will be a variation in function, colour, dimension or lithography. I had the chance to buy "Machine Man" by Masudaya, the fifth and rarest of the famous "Gang of Five" at least a couple of times, but I was not interested. I think that in my collection there are some much rarer and less "hyped" pieces, such that many collectors may even be unaware of their existence. I am thinking about the "Robot War Boat"- this may be the only original box in existence - or the golden '56 Ford drophead convertible with a Robot driving and another on the back seat with a television set. It appeared in a 1986 Robot Calendar and it looks like there are maybe three of these in the world. Plus the two colour variations (gold and metallic light blue) of the "Piston Action Pug Robby" with straight and spinning antennas with their elusive boxes and bigger remote controls. Those pieces are underrated by the fact that the few collectors that have them don't always want them to be too publicized or either seen, so that they remain a mysterious and desirable object for most. Last but absolutely the nicest we have "Television Robot" by Sankei, a Mint with Mint box example of one of the rarest robots ever. It really has to be seen to be fully appreciated..... Paul Lips Special Notes - for Glossary see Page x All pieces are lithographed with some smaller painted parts. Mechanical or electrical condition of toys is not stated. Please be aware that some boxes are very brittle. Christie's would like to thank Nigel Mynheer for his assistance in the preparation of this catalogue

Details

A Linemar (Yonezawa) battery-operated Mr Mercury
in blue and white, in original box -- 33cm. high (G, handpads missing, box F, taped)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

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