'Disturbing' 19th Century German toys fetch £192k at auction

BBC News

12-03-2025

More than 400 German toys dating from the 19th Century have sold at auction for almost £200,000.The collection of toys made out of wood, papier-mâché or composition in the Sonneberg and Erzgebirge regions of Germany went on sale at auction with Special Auction Services in Newbury, Berkshire.The hoard of quirky toys previously belonged to David Finn, from Nottinghamshire, who spent decades amassing the collection. He died in 2023 aged 81.The auctioneer's toy expert, Daniel Agnew said described them as "a little disturbing" and said they were considered "too controversial nowadays".
The collection sold for a hammer price of £192,154, including buyers premium.A Sonneberg papier-mache and wood hand-cranked mechanical toy of a shepherdess was one of the oldest and highest valued lots.Mr Agnew said: "It dates back to about the 1830s. It's such an extraordinary survival."It made one of the highest individual sales - £6,500.
He said one of his favourites, a squeaking pig."When you squeeze his bellows, he squeaks, makes a piggy noises and his tongue sticks out and his ears pop up."Mr Agnew explained that in the 19th Century, toys were "very much a rich person's object". He said: "Although, we call them all toys, they weren't all necessarily for children. "I think they were often adult novelties, the sort of thing that you might have in your drawing room. "They represent soldiers, characters, animals, social history, grotesque things, everything that's often lost in history now."
Mr Agnew said the collection reflects social history and evolving attitudes.He added the objects were "considered highly amusing" in the 19th Century but would "not be considered acceptable today"."This collection gives us a remarkable glimpse into the world of the 19th Century toy shop even if some of the pieces cause a little controversy," he added.
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