Tag: Curtis Smith

Featured: The last and best of Bob Brady’s toys, Jack White’s entire collection of mechanical banks, and the Linda and Curtis Smith Christmas collectionVINELAND, N.J. – Those who were immersed in the toy-collecting hobby as far back as the 1970s, ’80s or early ’90s – a golden era for toy buying – have fond memories of that time and often can recall exactly where and when they acquired certain prized pieces for their collections. The fun was not just in the acquisition of the toys, but also the friendships that developed. That sentiment certainly applies to the four individuals whose blue-chip collections are featured in Bertoia’s November 17-18, 2022 Annual Fall Auction. Gong Bell Daisy bell toy, est. $2,000-$3,000Over the two-day period, the spotlight will shine on Bob Brady’s “private reserve” of antique toys, the entire mechanical bank collection of the late Jack White, and the superlative Christmas collection of Linda Smith and her late husband Curtis Smith. Additionally, a late consignment of top-tier robots will be offered. These collections are a testament to what can come from decades of networking, sleuthing and buying the finest and rarest examples. In addition to being top-quality assemblages, the Brady, White and Smith collections are linked by another common thread. All contain pieces that boast a pedigreed “bloodline,” with provenance that includes some of the most famous collections of the 20th century. THE BOB BRADY COLLECTION: HIS PRIVATE RESERVEEveryone knows Bob Brady. He’s “Mr. Hubley,” a nickname he earned for presciently collecting Hubley cast-iron toys – along with other toys – as early as 1975. He could be spotted with a flashlight at 4:30 in the morning at weekend markets like Pennsylvania’s Renningers and Shupps Grove, hoping to turn up early-bird delights. And often he did. He also had a knack for tracking down toys he