On Oct. 30, a significant chapter in antique toy history came to a close as Morphys conducted the second and final auction dedicated exclusively to the collection of the late Tom Sage Sr. (1939-2024). The gallery sale of 281 exceptional toys and trains achieved $1.35 million, bringing the series total to $3.95 million, inclusive of buyers premium. Consisting of premium-quality German, French and American toys of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Sage collection was carefully assembled over a period of more than 50 years. Tom was known far and wide for his encyclopedic knowledge of toys, which he developed organically by handling the merchandise he bought and sold. He was one of the very first to gamble on the idea of making a full-time living from old toys, an unheard-of concept in the late 1960s/early 1970s. Once he decided to take the leap into toy-trading as a profession, Tom quickly went from zero to 60, cultivating an enviable network of industry contacts with whom he transacted business for several decades. As he bought and resold toys and trains, he also astutely acquired special pieces for his own collection. It was that select grouping, which he kept and enjoyed throughout his life, that was auctioned at Morphys. The session was dominated by the premier name in German antique toy manufacture: Marklin. The days top-selling lot was a rare ca. 1904 Marklin hand-painted III-gauge live steam LNWR locomotive (Cat. Ref. E4023) with tender and dining car with three original figures (Cat. Refs. 1842/3). Although 121 years old, it still presented in excellent condition, and, as noted in Morphys auction catalog, it might possibly achieve a higher grade if professionally cleaned. One of the finest trains in the entire Sage collection, it sold for $123,000 against an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. Made specifically for export to the U.S. market, a hand-painted ca. 1904 Marklin II-Gauge E2 live steam train set consisted of an E2 live steam locomotive and two coaches with NPRR markings, one in blue and the other in red. In excellent condition, this set well exceeded its $12,000 to $18,000 estimate, settling at $33,000. Marklin excelled in replicating all modes of early 20th-century transportation, including the mighty ships at sea. An example of their hand-painted clockwork George Washington four-stack ocean liner took pride of place in the Sage collection. An impressive 3-foot-long craft, it was graded excellent with the potential of achieving a higher grade if professionally cleaned. It finished within estimate for $66,000. A 25.5-inch Marklin Cat. Ref. 5120 hand-painted clockwork-powered Brooklyn battleship was assessed to be in excellent to NM condition and was accompanied by its original stand. It came with the ultimate provenance, having once been in the collection of publishing tycoon and eminent toy collector Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990). Its bidding run ended at $56,580 against an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. Also, an American-made (Baltimore, Md.) Voltamp II-Gauge United Electric eight-wheel trolley, 16 inches long with closed ends and its original people-catcher, was an attractively finished example in bright red with a forest-green roof and gold lettering. It sped to $31,200 against an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000. After the hammer fell on the final lot, Dan Morphy, founder and president of Morphy Auctions, commented, It was a huge honor for us to handle Tom Sages collection. He was a true visionary and a master of his profession but always remained a collector at heart. Its not likely that well ever see another toy and train collection quite like his. For more information, email info@morphyauctions.com or visit www.morphyauctions.com. All images courtesy of Morphy Auctions.