A collection of HO scale and 00 gauge trains with a total estimate of £10,000 – £15,000 is going under auctioneer David Hunter’s hammer on November 12th.
The single-owner collection put together over many years will be sold in 111 lots with estimates of £30 to £200 per lot.
David is expecting strong interest from the UK market but believes that collectors worldwide will be keen to join our online bidding community for this auction:
“We don’t see much of the American Brass coming on to the UK market, which instantly stands this collection apart. As does the period it represents and the condition of the items within it. The late owner collected kits from the mid 20th century up to modern day and most of the items are unmade or in excellent condition. This is always a real virtue as many of our collectors appreciate the chance to make up kits in their own signature style.”
The collection, which features rolling stock and accessories, will be sold on Monday 12th November from 12.30pm. You can view the catalogue for this auction of Toys, Models, Railwayana and Sporting Memorabilia online, in-person viewings will be Friday 9th November (1-4pm), Saturday 10th November (10am-1pm), and on the morning of the auction (from 8.30am). You can register to bid via the lots listed on our website (no fee) or join the live auction to bid in real-time via www.the-saleroom.com (4.95% fee).
About HO scale models
The 1950s and 60s heyday of HO trains coincided with the stationing of American GIs in Japan. The keen train collectors amongst them recognised the appeal of the models being put together by Japanese craftsmen who hand-made the models using brass.
They were incredibly accurate models, many crafted from pictures of American-themed locomotives supplied by the GIs. It was from this limited number of hand-made models that HO’s popularity grew, with factories set up in Japan and companies importing them into the US.
Brass is a non-magnetic material and it worked well with the motors as well as being suitable for crafting and hand-modelling. Many of the early models were hand-soldered and incredibly time-consuming to make. Collectors paid $50 to $100 per model and operated them on their own layouts.