Auctioneum

Footballer Neil Ruddock’s nickname was Razor Ruddock. Brian Kilcline became Killer Kilcline. Going back a bit further, Ron Harris roved on the pitch as Chopper Harris. Going back a lot further, Billy Wedlock’s nickname was Fatty. Or the India Rubber Man.

Much as I enjoyed playing with my Star Wars figures, eagerly ripping them from the packaging instead of keeping them pristine would have damaged my earning power in future years had I consigned them to auction.

A lamp from a wagon that once travelled a 50-mile stretch of track linking the docks of Cardiff to the collieries of the south Wales valleys was hammered down at a Bristol auction for £6300.

The white shirt bears a dark ‘V’ across the front more like St Helens rugby league team, but the ball underneath is unmistakably round rather than oval. Then the words ‘Manchester United’ emblazoned below the figure give the game away.

What is the next collecting area about to take off when it comes to toys? As detailed often in ATG, rare Star Wars figures are now making big money. Lego is another popular market as 40 and 50-somethings settle down, get wealthier and get nostalgic about the toys they played with as kids.

Star Wars, Action Man and plastic soldiers are just three of the toy collectable fields growing in demand as buyers get all nostalgic about their childhoods. Another biggie in this market is Lego.

East Bristol Auctions is holding a Lego sale next month. With more than 300 lots, the firm claims the auction will be the world’s first dedicated Lego toy sale.

Who you gonna call? If you have ectoplasm seeping through the floorboards then ‘Ghostbusters’ is the obvious answer, shouted loudly.

A museum in Switzerland has acquired this extraordinary monkey band automaton at an online-only auction conducted by East Bristol Auctions, in Hanham, Bristol.

This Chinese export sideboard dating from the late 19th century is estimated to fetch £800-1200 at East Bristol Auctions on May 26.

IT’S been a long time since any auctioneer chose to illustrate his catalogue front cover with an array of silver candlesticks but this was the rather heartening decision by The Bristol Auction Rooms for their April 8 sale (12.77% buyer's premium inc. VAT) and their enlightened, so to speak, move was rewarded when all the lots, from George IV to 1967, sold within or above the admittedly modest three-figure expectations.