“Biscuit tins designed as vans, cars, planes and trains have become very popular and are one of the high points of our toy sales,” said Bonhams’ specialist Leigh Gotch. Although the most collectable Huntley & Palmers tins date from the mid-1920s to the mid-1930s, this privately-entered 1937 container was sought after because it had retained its hinged back door – an auction first for Leigh Gotch. It was also in excellent condition and came complete with its original box.
The royal blue and gold lithographed tin advertised Tribeck, a pre-WW2 breakfast biscuit, and was estimated at £400-500. Four tin and tinplate collectors took the lorry to £2000 after which two UK-based tin collectors on the telephone battled it out to a winning bid of £2700. Overall, there were few casualties in this 343-lot quarterly toy sale that boasted a respectable 90 per cent selling rate by lot and a £58,155 total.
Door alters perception of Huntley & Palmers van
A biscuit box is probably not every young child’s idea of an exciting toy, but to collectors of tins, advertising and tinplate, the Huntley & Palmers Tribeck lorry tin, 1937, 83/4in (22cm), in Bonhams Knightsbridge’s (17.5/10% buyer’s premium) trains, toys and diecast sale on July 15 was the most coveted entry.
