Toy battleship HMS Terrible sets new auction record
A tin-plate battleship became the most expensive toy ever sold in the UK at a Newbury auction last week when it went under the hammer for a record £76,000.
German transportation models and train sets manufacturer Marklin created the 62cm vessel, HMS Terrible, in 1905.
It was one of these which later became the centrepiece of a toys and trains collection that Ron McCrindell spent his lifetime accumulating.
Following McCrindell’s death last year aged 91, the collection was divided into 340 lots that sold for a total of £284,552.
The enthusiasm of an anonymous overseas collector saw the HMS Terrible far exceed its pre-sale valuation of £40,000 to £60,000.
