Marx Rocket Ship Prototype From The 1939 World’s Fair Estimated At $10,000 To $15,000 Sold For $64,350, And A Yellow Cab Toy That Was The First Of Its Kind At Auction Brought $31,590

A 1939 World’s Fair rocket ship prototype was expected to bring $10,000 to $15,000. It sold for $64,350.

The little toy is a 12 inch Marx rocket with a wedge shaped cockpit and hand painted passenger windows, and it was one of the biggest surprises at a record breaking toy auction in Ohio.

Overstreet Access listed the standout prices from Milestone Auctions’ October 17 sale in its report on the toy auction results, and the gap between estimates and winning bids is the real story.

New York World’s Fair 1939 Is Painted On The Tail

The Marx prototype carries the words “New York World’s Fair 1939” on its tail. Under the fuselage is stamped “ERIE 12-7-38,” and it also bears the number 1769.

A prototype is an early test version of a toy, made before mass production begins. Few survive, and that is a big reason the price landed more than four times higher than the top of the estimate.

The whole sale brought in about $1.8 million, the highest total in the history of Milestone Auctions.

A Yellow Cab Toy That Was The First Of Its Kind At Auction

A Turner pressed steel Lincoln Yellow Cab, 28 inches long, sold for $31,590 against an estimate of $10,000 to $20,000. According to the report, it was the first of its kind to appear at auction.

Pressed steel toys like this one were built to last, and many were played with for years. Large examples in complete condition have always interested collectors who love old taxis and trucks.

A Cast Iron Mower Kept Its Original Paper Label Box

A Wilkins 10 inch cast iron horse drawn mowing machine sold for $16,605, more than three times the high estimate of $5,000. The experts had never seen this model in its original paper labeled box.

A German tin windup Motorcycle Go Round by Meier, which kept its flag, start sign and pictorial box, brought $12,000 against an estimate of $3,000 to $4,000.

Both prove the same point. The box can be the star of the show.

Popeye In A Rowboat Brought $22,800

Hoge’s 14 inch Popeye the Sailor Mechanical Rowboat sold for $22,800 against $10,000 to $15,000. It still had its original oars, rudders and a very rare original box.

A Yonezawa tin friction Atom Jet Racer from Japan, 26 inches long and complete with its original driver figure, reached $27,000. The estimate was $10,000 to $15,000.

And a Gendron Marmon pedal car from the 1920s, a red and black convertible with accessories including a windshield, horn and spotlight, sold for $19,890 against an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000.

Why Estimates Are Only A Starting Point

Every one of these toys sold for more than its high estimate. That is not unusual when rare pieces meet motivated collectors.

Estimates are a house’s educated guess based on past sales. They cannot account for the moment two determined bidders decide they are not leaving without the item.

Co-founder Miles King put it simply, saying collectors always have the final say about a vintage toy’s true value.

The World’s Fair Connection Collectors Love

The 1939 New York World’s Fair, held in Flushing Meadows, carried the theme “The World of Tomorrow.” It showed visitors a future full of rockets, highways and gadgets, and toymakers were happy to sell souvenirs to families who attended.

Anything tied to a major fair or exposition has a built in audience. People collect fair memorabilia as a category of its own, from ticket books and postcards to tin toys and glassware.

A prototype that carries the fair’s name on its tail combines two passions at once: space age toys and American history. That is a recipe for competitive bidding.

Prototypes Versus The Toys In Your Closet

A normal toy that rolled off the factory line was made by the thousands. A prototype was an early sample used to test the design, show it to buyers or work out production details.

Because only a few were made, they rarely reach the public. When one does, collectors often treat it like a museum piece, and the price can be impossible to predict.

Don’t expect your own childhood toys to follow the same path. Most were mass produced, and their value depends on condition, completeness and demand. Still, it never hurts to check the markings on the bottom.

What To Check On Your Own Old Toys

Few of us own a prototype from the 1939 World’s Fair, but the lessons apply to any old toy.

Look for the box and any inserts. Packaging often adds a lot of value and is easy to lose.
Check for original parts such as figures, oars, keys or wheels. Missing pieces lower the price.
Do not oil, repaint or polish. The patina of age is part of what buyers want.
Photograph markings, stamps and numbers, which can help an expert identify the maker and the year.
Compare with sold prices at auction houses that specialize in toys, not general listing sites.

It also helps to ask questions. If a seller claims a toy is a prototype or a one of a kind, ask for the history and any papers that support it.

Before you donate a box of old toys to a thrift store, take one more careful look at what is in it. As this sale shows, an item that seems small can be worth more than a car.

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