Just about everyone in the antique toy hobby knew about Elmers place. Formally known as Elmers Auto and Toy Museum, the one-of-a-kind haven for vehicles and automotive toys of all types was almost as legendary as Elmer Duellman himself, who passed away in 2019 at age 79. Now, with the blessing of Duellmans heirs, Milestone Auctions is auctioning the vast collection of antique and vintage toys that Elmer displayed at his Fountain City, Wis., museum. The multi-year series of quarterly sales will debut on Saturday, Oct. 28, at Milestones Willoughby (suburban Cleveland), Ohio, gallery, with all forms of remote bidding available, including live via the internet through a choice of online-bidding platforms. Its impossible to describe how comprehensive Elmers collection is. He had a headstart on all of us, said Miles King, co-owner of Milestone Auctions. As far back as the 1980s, Elmer was buying and selling at a rapid pace and had a small army of pickers from coast to coast who were always on the lookout for items of interest. Duellman was also known for his encyclopedic knowledge of toys. He authored two volumes of the now-classic Elmers Price Guide to Toys and contributed significantly to Volumes 1 through 5 of the Evolution of the Pedal Car books. Duellmans museum opened in 1994 and operated for 28 years. Inside and around five barns and sheds, visitors could view a mind-blowing array of 100+ cars, 175 motorcycles, 800 pedal cars, 250 bicycles, advertising signs, and a staggering collection of antique and vintage toys of all types. Dad collected a lot of pressed steel toys and a lot of tin Japanese, German and American, plus tether racers, Dinky Toys, TootsieToys and ride-on toys. He always sought out original condition and original boxes because he knew thats what really made the piece. He also liked boxed sets that were complete with all of their parts present, as well as ships, airplanes, and car and car-racing memorabilia and board games, remarked Elmers son, Les Duellman. The auction-series opener showcases many museum visitors favorites. A rare pressed-steel Tonka #210 Road Builders set is new/old stock in never-played-with condition. It includes a Big Mike dump truck, a second dump truck, a lowboy semi (tractor trailer) truck, steam shovel, road grader, and plow. It is possibly the nicest of all surviving sets of its type and is presented in its crisp original box with inserts. The auction estimate is $6,000-$10,000. Also by Tonka, a scarce private-label United Van Lines semi truck, 24 inches long, is in excellent all-original condition with very nice paint and its original box. It is estimated at $1,500-$2,000. Pressed-steel toys by other revered Midwestern manufacturers will be ready to rumble, like a seldom-encountered Buddy L International Harvester Red Baby express truck. The 24-inch-long truck with original paint and decals is one of a limited number that International Harvester marketed exclusively through their dealerships. A Metalcraft Pure Oil Airmail Toy Airplane displays wonderful original paint and decals. It comes with its rare original box whose artwork depicts the well-designed pressed-steel airplane line for line. Its the nicest example of its type that weve ever seen, mentioned King. Another head-turning pressed-steel highlight is a zippy 29-inch-long American National Packard Roadster. The stylish convertible has been beautifully restored in a cream and British racing green motif. Coveted postwar Japanese toys will cross the auction block, led by an Alps Japan tin friction Lincoln Futura. All original and retaining its pictorial box, the sleek 11-inch-long bubble-topped beauty looks as though it has never been played with. Its beautiful. You wont find a better example, according to King. Two of the most sought-after of all postwar tin friction motorcycles, both by I.Y. Japan, are part of a lineup that features dozens of great bikes and scooters. Each of the I.Y. cycles is an amazing 12 inches long. The first, a Condor Motor Cycle, is accompanied by its original pictorial box and carries and estimate of $2,000-$4,000. The other, known as the large blue version of the Romance motorcycle, has a $2,000-$3,000 estimate. A Bremer Whirlwind tether gas-powered racecar in all-original, as-raced condition measures 18 inches long and comes complete with its motor, ignition, gas tank and drive system. It should make a perfect landing in the vicinity of $1,000-$1,500. Those who love European toys will find some exciting entries in the sale, such as a German-made Bing tin clockwork Diamond T delivery van emblazoned BOSTON STORE on both its sides and rear portholed doors. All original and complete, with a working windup mechanism, this lovely 8-inch antique vehicle should have no trouble achieving $1,500-$2,000. Many other types of toys will be offered, including comic character, German nautical toys, robots and space toys, buses, boxed TootsieToy sets, Disney toys, and Marx battery-op favorites like Frankenstein, Mighty King Kong and Whistling Spooky Kooky Tree. Milestone Auctions gallery is located at 38198 Willoughby Parkway, Willoughby, Ohio. Start time will be 10 a.m. ET. All forms of remote bidding will be available, including absentee, by phone, and live online through Milestones bidding platform or LiveAuctioneers. For additional information on any item in the sale, call 440-527-8060, email info@milestoneauctions.com, or visit www.milestoneauctions.com. All images courtesy of Milestone Auctions.