The One-of-a-Kind Collection of Tom Sage, Sr. Up for Auction

Collecting antiques is a popular hobby among vintage enthusiasts, and toy auctions frequently feature items like tin trucks, cars, and various mechanical gadgets. An upcoming auction on May 29 will showcase a remarkable collection of similar items, including pieces from one of the leading toy collectors and experts, Thomas Sage, Sr. This auction is highly anticipated and is expected to showcase one of the most impressive collections to be sold because of the rarity and condition of many of the items.

WHO WAS TOM SAGE, SR.?

Any vintage item or collection is only as good as its caretakers, and the items in this collection going up for sale are of the highest quality. Tom Sage Sr. began collecting antique toys in 1967, and over the next fifty years, he became a fixture on the vintage scene. While his collection was legendary, he was also an expert in the history of toy making, the designers and artists who created the tin toys he loved, and how the business of buying and selling vintage items worked.

All over the world, collectors, historians, and toy lovers of all ages knew him and recognized his expertise. His network of contacts allowed him to source toys as part of a business and find the rare and special toys he wanted for his personal collection. That collection will be up for grabs, and it’s chock-full of incredible items.

Morphy’s, a valued WorthPoint Industry Partner, is an auction house recognized for its quality collections. Morphy’s is conducting the Sage sale and is offering a two-part auction: one half later this month and the remainder in October 2025.

A TABLETOP TOY FOR THE AGES

An auction rarely has so many lots that check off all the boxes. The toys that are up for sale come from the top toymakers of the late 19th and early 20th century. They are extremely rare, and the condition of many of the items is impeccable. The catalog, available on the Morphy website, chose a toy for the cover, arguably the item that will draw the most interest from serious collectors. It’s a toy Ferris wheel made by Marklin. The company is best known for its toy trains, and among toy collectors, train hobbyists are a large subsection.

The Ferris wheel, made in 1904, is in excellent condition, but beyond that, it’s one of three or four that still exist. The intricate work on the individual gondola buckets, the tiny figures inside them, and the workings of the toy make it a stellar example of its time. The auction has other Ferris wheels, but the Marklin one stands out.

Included with the Marklin wheel are copies of two vintage photographs. Sage acquired the toy in 1994 from a family in Brooklyn, NY. The photo is of a Christmas display of a tree and toys in 1910, including the Ferris wheel. The original owner of the toy worked for a New York department store that closed as World War I began. The war effort halted the production of tin toys, so employees received some of the inventory when the store closed. Sage purchased the wheel from the family, so it’s been safeguarded and repaired over the years, making it a truly exceptional find.

A SALE WITH SAILS

Several toys in the auction depict boats and ships of various types. At the time, at first for trade and travel and later for the war effort, faster and more advanced ships ruled the waves. Children wanted their own versions of these ships, and one of the auction items is a model of the vessel, the SS Amerika. It was a model of a ship built in Belfast at the Harlan Wolff shipyard. It was a luxury ocean liner and one of the first ships to warn the Titanic of icebergs in the chilly North Atlantic.

The model for sale in the upcoming auction is electric. Powered by a dry cell battery, the ship remains in unparalleled condition. In November of 2024, Bertoia sold a similar model of the Amerika, but that item was clockwork-powered

TIN TRUCKS

In the early 20th century, children wanted toy versions of what they saw around them. Early delivery trucks, postal wagons, and cars were cutting edge, and every kid wanted their own version. The Sage Collection offers several versions of wagons and trucks, but one of the more charming is a Father Christmas Wagon. The item’s description indicates that there are several miniature lithograph versions of toys in the wagon, and a child at the time would have been delighted with such a toy.

A FAMILY TRADITION

Collecting vintage toys is a hobby for many, but it’s also a tradition for the Sage family. Tommy Sage Jr. is Head of Toys and Trains for Morphy Auctions and grew up immersed in his father’s collection and learning from him. Like his father, he knows the importance of the condition of items. In a press release about the auction, Sage Jr. recalled his father’s diligence in his work, stating, “He recognized early on just how important condition was to the trailblazers who came just before him in the toy hobby. He took that as a cue to follow and would always pay a lot of money to obtain a perfect example.”

Brenda Kelley Kim lives in the Boston area. She is the author of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep End of Everywhere and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly News/Essex Media Group. When not writing or walking her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard sales, flea markets, and badminton.

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