Old Folks Treasure Trove

Most of us automatically think that only antique things are worth collecting as investment income.  This isn't always true.  As one example, new cast iron toys also happen to be worth your time collecting.  There are several companies that are replicating many of the older designs and marketing them at pretty reasonable prices. 

Sure, cast iron is still around in the toy industry, but we are discussing the heavy, thick ones that are somewhat out of proportion and replicating old time toys.  Amazon has several in the form of banks, and Ebay holds just as many for us to choose from.

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BRAND NEW MINI Cast Iron Tattoo Machine Gun 6 Coils TOY    US $12.99

Arcade New York Worlds Fair Cast Iron Tractor Train Toy    US $399.95

NEW CAST IRON REPLICA ANTIQUE PULL TOY HORSE ON WHEELS    US $9.99

The newer cast iron banks make for some of the best investments.  Some come as mechanical banks and some are just plain nostalgic.  Popeye, Uncle Sam, Aunt Jemima and several others continue to be very popular banks when produced in cast iron.  An Aunt Jemima bank I collected only ten years ago for $2.00 is now being sold on Ebay for well over $20.00.  An identical one was found in the completed listings as being sold for $27.00.  Here are a few live auctions or buy me right now examples of them. New ones are still going for some pretty low prices.

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Vintage AUNT JEMIMA MAMMY WITH SPOON Cast Iron Bank    US $39.99

Aunt Jemima Cast Iron Bank    US $19.99

Cast Iron Aunt Jemima Bank Black Americana    US $5.99

Cast Iron Aunt Jemima Pappy Bank Black Americana    US $4.99

Aunt Jemima Mammy Cast Iron Piggy Bank 11 Collectible    US $7.99

GIANT Cast Iron Black Mammy Bank Aunt Jemima BANK    US $12.00

New cast iron toys sell because they provide us with nostalgia. Although most kids prefer the new fangled toys of today, they also find it fun to push around an old car or tractor replicating the good old days. No, that doesn't support new cast iron toys to be worth investing in for future profits, but it sure does provide some great memories and that is worth the investment too! As for monetary profits, I advise you to go and visit some of Ebay's other new cast iron toy choices. Nostalgia and home design are one big reason these toys are in demand. Nothing adds to a room like old things, and toys bring in a flood of memories. New or old, cast iron toys are a good investment. Here are just a few examples so you understand that if they are selling at the prices listed now, then, like Aunt Jemima, they will most likely double very quickly.

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BRAND NEW MINI Cast Iron Tattoo Machine Gun 6 Coils TOY    US $12.99

Arcade New York Worlds Fair Cast Iron Tractor Train Toy    US $399.95

NEW CAST IRON REPLICA ANTIQUE PULL TOY HORSE ON WHEELS    US $9.99

Disney Cast Member NEWSREEL Toy Story 3 Iron Man 2 NEW    US $4.99

Cast Iron Draft Horse Work Horse NEW Cast Iron Toy    US $9.99

Brand New CAST IRON BARN ANIMALS Toy SET Cow Horse    US $150.00

Cast Iron “New Orleans 14 Trolley” toy 7”    US $39.99

At one time I owned a few old cameras that were always a great conversation piece.  One of my favorite ones was the folding camera.  There was something about holding one of those cameras that made you think of olden days.   Nostalgic items are fun to own and make a great conversation piece.

What To Look For When Buying A Folding Camera

When looking for an old folding camera you may want to examine the camera or ask questions before paying top dollar for them.  If in superior condition and in the original box, they can be upward of $100 at auction.  This is a give or take price determined by who may have owned it, what pictures were taken by it and other factors.  Knowing the history of anything always brings the top dollar when it comes to selling any antique.  Cameras are no different. Also a determining factor of the final price is where you purchase one. Top dollar can be much higher at antique stores or camera shops.  Examine the camera for tears, and that the lenses etc are all in good condition if you plan to purchase one as an investment antique.  Your future sale will be far higher if you make sure things are in good shape.  Having the manual and original box is a really big plus!

The bellows should be in good condition and fold in and out easily.  Many of the collectors prefer to display their camera behind glass with the bellows in the open position.  Naturally, the case itself should also be in good condition when the camera is closed in order to fetch the best price when you decide to sell.

Thinking of Selling Your Folding Camera?

You may want to dicker with a private collector if you are looking for the best return on your investment. Look about the internet and find a few shops that sell old cameras. They may be interested in yours. Don't give it away though. Look at some of their other prices for similar ones and stick to your guns on the price.

Watching for folding camera's on Ebay is kind of fun.  You get an idea of what ones are still in circulation and how much they are selling for these days.  To be honest, there are not very many around right now.  Museums and camera enthusiast collectors have snatched up the majority of them.  This can be a very good time for you to market your folding camera.  When the quantity is down you can ask a bit more for yours as the competition is not as great. 

Below are a few of the folding cameras we were able to locate on Ebay.  If you want to invest in something that is not plentiful, a folding camera, or even an antique box camera would be a pretty good investment.  I warn you though, you may not want to part with it once you get it!  They also make a very interesting conversation piece in just about any decor.

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Antique Vintage Kodak Folding Pocket Camera Case    US $12.52

Antique Art Deco Agfa Billy Record Folding Camera Accs    US $77.99

Vintage ZEISS IKON FOLDING CAMERA antique 1930s 40s NR    US $6.66

Antique Busch Pressman 4 X 5 Folding Press Camera Md D    US $150.00

Vintage 23 Antique AUTOGRAPHIC KODAK Folding CAMERA Ad    US $5.95

Vintage Antique Polaroid 320 Folding Land Camera    US $29.95

Vintage Antique Polaroid 100 Folding Land Camera    US $34.95

Antique Eastman Kodak Folding Camera with original case    US $19.99

Antique 1920s Kodak Folding Camera No A 3 Film A 122    US $9.95

Antique Folding Bellows Kodak 2A Autographic Camera    US $33.99

Antique Old 1921 Kodak Folding Camera No 3 A w case    US $14.99

Antique Folding Kodak Camera    US $25.00

This is the time of the year I love to get out and really snoop for some good buys at local flea markets, and believe me, there are tons this year. I suppose it may be the economy at present as I am seeing far more highly collectible items surfacing on the open tables.

Mechanical toys have long been something I would love to collect, but they are highly prized and come with a price tag to match. I had them as a kid, but there is that old 'Hind Sight' thing that just keeps kicking us in our back-side!  If you happen to be digging through your attic boxes and come across any mechanical toys, don't discredit them as junk. Even the somewhat damaged ones will still fetch you a bit of money. If they are in working condition, you will naturally get top dollar if you plan to sell them. The mechanical toy shown is worth over $2000.00!  Imagine having a few of those stashed as emergency money!

You will find that many of the mechanical toys were made of tin.  Tin was easily pressed into molds to create inexpensive toys for children.  A wind up key could be added to make a duck walk across the floor or a bird's wings flap.   The brightly colored pictures were most often stamped onto the tin before pressed into the desired shape.  Once pressed, they came out as the finished product, but the seams that held the two halves together were not always tight.  They tended to fall apart if you were not careful in how you played with them.  I hate to admit it some days, but I remember those poorly put together toys! 

Mechanical toys will always be a good investment if they fall into your budget for collectible items.  Knowing your prices for them helps a lot.  Below are some of the toys that are available on Ebay, and do show you different price ranges.  These are all available now and if you look through them, you probably will find several that are selling low right now.  It never hurts to stash a few collectibles when the prices are low.  The economy will get better and then they will sell for a nice tidy profit!

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Vintage Mechanical Cast Iron Toy Cow and Farmer    US $7.99

Vintage Dog Mechanical Wind Up Toy Korea 5 Puppy AS IS    US $14.99

Vintage Mechanical Toy Monkey    US $20.00

Antique LEHMANN Wind Up Mechanical Toy Beetle    US $70.00

Cast Iron Black Americana Mechanical Bank Victorian Toy    US $72.00

New vintage helicopter wind up toy mechanical levelers    US $24.99

The values of mechanical toys range from a few dollars to thousands of dollars.  The cast iron ones are naturally going to fetch you the largest amounts as they were quite complex in their function.  Most of us remember the old banks that would drop a penny in the slot, but there are some toys that go well beyond simplicity and have many moving parts.  Those are the ones that will both cost a lot and sell high.  In my opinion the cast iron mechanical toys are the best investment when it comes to mechanical toys.  I have yet to see a good 'antique' one that wouldn't pretty much empty my pocket book! Replica toys will be pretty reasonable and in time worth their own weight as a valued collectible. Pick and choose according to your budget and if you are luck enough to buy low, save it for when the value goes up.

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Antique Cast Iron Mechanical Still Banks Toys Rare Book    US $35.00

Antique SPEAKING DOG Cast Iron Mechanical Toy Bank 1885    US $2,294.99

ANTIQUE CREEDMORE CAST IRON TOY MECHANICAL BANK    US $1,424.99

Mechanical Cast Iron Jaguar E type Car Toy Vintage    US $120.00

Vintage Mechanical Cast Iron Toy Cow and Farmer    US $7.99

Cast Iron Black Americana Mechanical Bank Victorian Toy    US $72.00

There are those who believe the small sewing machines are toys and those who believe they were mostly salesmans samples. They were actually both of the above items.

The toy sewing machines were not always really a toy.  Quite a few were indeed a salesmans sample.  The company would manufacture small versions of their products that was easier for the salesman to take store to store and even door to door.  Most of the time he only took orders for the machines and then took those orders back to the company.  Most were made of cast iron and required hands on creation one at a time.  The sewing machine was a huge advance in the sewing industry and quickly moved into the dressmakers homes.  They could double their business profits very quickly.

At the same time the salesman was selling to the lady of the house, he also sought the family to purchase a smaller model geared for the girls in the home.  It was not really a toy, but a working sewing machine built on a smaller scale.  They are now known as a toy, but back then they taught the younger girls how to sew.

 The French Toy Sewing machine from the late 19th century made by Lakner, patented its first toy sewing machine in 1874. The one showing in the image was made of cast iron, and only 6 1/3 inches long without handle.  Singer sewing  machines for children were more popular in the USA and can still be found at most antique shops.  If you happen to have one, the right one can sell upward of $1,200 when in good condition.  If it is in the box it may sell even higher.

Whether a salesman's sample or a child's toy sewing machine, they are all worth money and a very good investment if you can purchase one at a low enough price.  To do some comparing or snooping for a toy sewing machine, I have added a few below.

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Vintage KAYanEE Sew Master Toy Sewing Machine GC NR    US $16.00

Singer Sewing Machine Toy Sewing Toys Vintage Toys    US $15.50

Vtg Miniature Cast Lead Singer Sewing Machine Penny Toy    US $24.99

Sew Ette Toy Working Sewing Machine Batt Operated Box    US $9.99

Singer SewHandy Sew Handy Toy Sewing machine W Case    US $19.95

VINTAGE TOY CHILDS SINGER SEWING MACHINE    US $21.00

Singer 20 Sewhandy TOY Sewing Machine in Box    US $30.00

SINGER MODEL 20 TOY SEWING MACHINE SERVICE MANUAL    US $9.99

Antique German Toy Sewing Machine Great Condition    US $20.50

Casige Childs Toy Sewing Machine Germany    US $70.00