Mickey Mouse antiques at auction

YOU won’t find Mickey Mouse antiques at the Cirencester auction house of Moore Allen and Innocent… except this one, which goes under the hammer on Friday, July 6.

This charming stuffed toy dates from the 1930s or 40s, when Disney’s cartoon mouse was still in his infancy – he made his first appearance in Steamboat Willie in 1928.

“He has a rubber face and hands and there are signs of wear and tear to his fabric body. He has obviously been well loved,” commented auctioneer Philip Allwood, who estimated the piece at £60.

For toy lovers, there is also a small collection of clockwork playthings for sale as one lot. It comprises of a maracas-playing monkey with fur body and cloth stitched face, a chaffinch, a sparrow and a frog.

“The monkey dates from the 1920s or 30s,” explained Philip. “He is in the style of the famous German toymaker Schuco, although there is no label to confirm this is a Schuco. The animals date from the 1960s. The birds were made in China and the frog in Germany. Both the sparrow and frog have their original cardboard boxes. Together, we estimate these toys will realise between £50 and £80.”

On the subject of antiques that work themselves, auctioneers hope the Steck Pianola Piano will hit all the right notes with bidders.

Made by the Aeolian Company Ltd of Bond Street, London in the early 20th century, this mahogany instrument works as a normal piano. But insert a mechanically arranged music roll and the pianola will play itself.

“This is an unusual item,” said Philip, “and a lot of fun, both when it was new and today, although it does need some attention to get it playing properly again.

“It comes with approximately seventy pieces of music ranging from the classics like Strauss’ Blue Danube, to popular songs of the day, like Pal of My Cradle Days, which was a big hit back in the early 20s. George Bernard Shaw and H G Wells both had pianola pianos. They were very popular.”

The pianola is expected to achieve between £150 and £250.

Finally, a book about the history of Cirencester is creating interest amongst local collectors.

The catchily-titled History of the Town of Cirencester in the County of Gloucester with an Account of Public Buildings, Institutions, Roman Antiquities, etc, by Charles H Savory, was published in 1858.

It still has its original leather bindings and 16 sketch plates, featuring buildings and landmarks in Cirencester, some well-known, some less so. Among them, The Shambles, a long since demolished cluster of houses which stood in the middle of Market Place, outside the parish church, and “Cirencester’s New Church”, which refers to Holy Trinity in Watermoor, constructed in 1851.

“It’s one of the more unusual Cirencester histories,” said Philip. “Savory’s Cirenecster comes up from time to time, but not often. With all its picture pages intact, it should comfortably make £30 to  £50.”