December 2013 Bonham Auction (1 Viewer)

[ucla1967]

Bonham's held their quarterly toy soldier auction in Oxford during the first week of December. On behalf on a collector friend of mine, I bid on three Lucotte sets, winning two of them. A couple of things are of note: the 30% premium that Bonham's charges and how high some of these sets sold for. Lot number 1254 Lucotte 12 Bavarian Infantry sold for GBP 900 and with premium and VAT it came to GBP 1,215 ($1,830). I have contacted one of the packing firms that Bonham's recommends authorizing them to ship the two sets, but I have not heard back from them yet as to what that will cost.

 

[ucla1967]

This is Bonham's lot 1258 Lucotte 12 Napoleonic First Empire Austrian Cuirassiers which sold for, including premium and VAT, GBP 3,500 ($3,986). Amazing! That comes to GBP 291 or $332 per figure.

 

[ucla1967]

The third and final set is lot 1260 Lucotte 23 Napoleonic First Empire Austrian Grenadiers. It sold for GBP 2,160 ($2,603) including premium and VAT. These sold prices just go to show you that there are still collectors out there willing to pay a king's ransom for some hard to find toy soldier sets. The three sets sold for almost a total of $10,000!

 

[ucla1967]

Correction: the Lucotte Austrian Grenadiers U.S dollar price in the previous post should have been $3,514 and not $2,603.

 

[ucla1967]

Woops, another correction. The U.S. dollar sold price for the 12 Austrian Cuirassiers should have been $5,694 not $3,986. The auction and invoice was in British pounds and I mixed up the amount I bid, converted to dollars, with the winning price in dollars. So, the price per figure was GBP 291 and $475.

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Mike,

I am acquainted with the person who sold these sets and a large collection of others. The family will be very happy with the prices reached. Fortunately he kept several sets for himself so the whole collection was not broken up. While I think its unfortunate when a massive and important collect like this is broken up its probably more likely than not to happen to many or our collections as well since many kids don't like them or aren't interested in the hobby. Needless to say I am very pleased to see what they drew and I am sure they will be too.

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike,

I am acquainted with the person who sold these sets and a large collection of others. The family will be very happy with the prices reached. Fortunately he kept several sets for himself so the whole collection was not broken up. While I think its unfortunate when a massive and important collect like this is broken up its probably more likely than not to happen to many or our collections as well since many kids don't like them or aren't interested in the hobby. Needless to say I am very pleased to see what they drew and I am sure they will be too.

Dave

Hi Dave,

Very interesting. You are right, it is a shame when a collection like this is broken up and not sold intact. I was really surprised at the high hammer prices achieved on the Lucotte sets. I am not personally aware of many collectors who actually collect Lucotte given how pricey they can be. I also noticed that many of them did not sell at the auction. What will happen to those sets? Do you think the owner would be interested in selling them direct?

Mike

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Mike,

I am not sure to tell you the truth. Its an interesting thought and I will send him an email and ask the question. If he is interested I will let you know.

Dave

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike,

I am not sure to tell you the truth. Its an interesting thought and I will send him an email and ask the question. If he is interested I will let you know.

Dave

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your help.

Mike

 

[Roustam]

Of the 117 Lucotte lots offered, 50 did not sell. There could be many reasons and factors that resulted in these 50 lots going unsold.
The quality of the Lucotte sets was very good and this was reflected in the prices realized. The 117 Lucotte lots is quite simply, a huge amount
of sets to come to auction at one time. I believe this was the largest Lucotte offering since the Hannington collection was offered in the early 1980's.
So what might have contributed to the lots going unsold? There may have been too many sets for the number of bidders to sustain the estimated prices, many sets were "common"
and Lucotte collectors already have them in their collection, and many collectors now focus their resources on sets representing enemies of the Empire; i.e. Austrian, British. Prussian and Russian sets.
In my opinion I think a combination of all the reasons I listed contributed to the 50 lots going unsold.

Regarding the future of the 50 unsold lots, I think we will see them in the next Bonhams toy soldier auction.

 

[ucla1967]

Of the 117 Lucotte lots offered, 50 did not sell. There could be many reasons and factors that resulted in these 50 lots going unsold.
The quality of the Lucotte sets was very good and this was reflected in the prices realized. The 117 Lucotte lots is quite simply, a huge amount
of sets to come to auction at one time. I believe this was the largest Lucotte offering since the Hannington collection was offered in the early 1980's.
So what might have contributed to the lots going unsold? There may have been too many sets for the number of bidders to sustain the estimated prices, many sets were "common"
and Lucotte collectors already have them in their collection, and many collectors now focus their resources on sets representing enemies of the Empire; i.e. Austrian, British. Prussian and Russian sets.
In my opinion I think a combination of all the reasons I listed contributed to the 50 lots going unsold.

Regarding the future of the 50 unsold lots, I think we will see them in the next Bonhams toy soldier auction.

Interesting observations. I wonder if there were other bids that did not reach a reserve price or a minimum bid price, although I say this without remembering seeing anything regarding minimum bids or reserve prices when I bid.

 

[ucla1967]

The two sets will be shipped on Monday for an estimated price of GBP 128 or about $210. Not cheap! But I remember when pork chops were 25 cents a pound and gasoline was 28 cents a gallon.