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| Vintage toys... a private passion | Vintage toys... a private passion |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| By James Alexander BBC News | By James Alexander BBC News |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| Stuart McKell is still on the look-out for pieces to add to his vast collection | |
| Despite the recession, business is booming at vintage toy fairs across Britain - with collectors prepared to part with thousands of pounds. | Despite the recession, business is booming at vintage toy fairs across Britain - with collectors prepared to part with thousands of pounds. |
| It is Sunday morning at a football stadium in Coventry but the crowds are not here for a big sporting event or rock concert, they are in search of children's toys. | It is Sunday morning at a football stadium in Coventry but the crowds are not here for a big sporting event or rock concert, they are in search of children's toys. |
| Not that there are many children about - most of the collectors are middle-aged men, eagerly scouring the packed hall for bargains. | Not that there are many children about - most of the collectors are middle-aged men, eagerly scouring the packed hall for bargains. |
| Nostalgia | Nostalgia |
| There are hundreds of stalls selling everything from hi-tech dancing robots to antique dolls with human hair and unnerving glass eyes. | There are hundreds of stalls selling everything from hi-tech dancing robots to antique dolls with human hair and unnerving glass eyes. |
| Making a purchase at one toy-laden table is 53-year-old Ian Woodhouse. He has just paid £75 for a die-cast flying saucer from the sci-fi series UFO, one of a string of cult shows made in the 60s and 70s by the producer Gerry Anderson. | Making a purchase at one toy-laden table is 53-year-old Ian Woodhouse. He has just paid £75 for a die-cast flying saucer from the sci-fi series UFO, one of a string of cult shows made in the 60s and 70s by the producer Gerry Anderson. |
| THE HOLY GRAILS Dinky Toy Weetabix van (1952) £3,000Star Wars Jawa with plastic cape (1978) £500Hornby Dublo rail cleaning wagon (1964) £500Rare non-soldier Action Man footballer (1968) £300Corgi Yellow Submarine with hatch that opens to reveal The Beatles (1969) £300 Values by expert Barry Potter based on mint toys in package | THE HOLY GRAILS Dinky Toy Weetabix van (1952) £3,000Star Wars Jawa with plastic cape (1978) £500Hornby Dublo rail cleaning wagon (1964) £500Rare non-soldier Action Man footballer (1968) £300Corgi Yellow Submarine with hatch that opens to reveal The Beatles (1969) £300 Values by expert Barry Potter based on mint toys in package |
| He said: "I grew up watching Gerry Anderson programmes on TV - Stingray, Joe 90, Captain Scarlet. It's amazing all these years later to own a perfect representation of what I used to lust after as a child." | He said: "I grew up watching Gerry Anderson programmes on TV - Stingray, Joe 90, Captain Scarlet. It's amazing all these years later to own a perfect representation of what I used to lust after as a child." |
| He admits spending thousands of pounds on his collection over the years, but says he has never dared to add up exactly how much. And he is still on the look out for pieces to complete his vast collection. | He admits spending thousands of pounds on his collection over the years, but says he has never dared to add up exactly how much. And he is still on the look out for pieces to complete his vast collection. |
| Top of his most wanted list is a limited edition version of Lady Penelope's Thunderbirds Rolls Royce (reg plate: FAB 1) finished in shiny pearlescent pink, complete with firing missiles and the ever faithful Parker in the driver's seat. | Top of his most wanted list is a limited edition version of Lady Penelope's Thunderbirds Rolls Royce (reg plate: FAB 1) finished in shiny pearlescent pink, complete with firing missiles and the ever faithful Parker in the driver's seat. |
| It is a far cry from his day job in the fire protection industry, and he says work colleagues are sometimes surprised when they find out about his private passion. | It is a far cry from his day job in the fire protection industry, and he says work colleagues are sometimes surprised when they find out about his private passion. |
| Cherished archive | Cherished archive |
| "There is a stereotypical image of collectors. It's seen as perhaps a bit geeky or a bit strange. I accept you can get a bit obsessive but - just look around - lots of people do it," he said. | "There is a stereotypical image of collectors. It's seen as perhaps a bit geeky or a bit strange. I accept you can get a bit obsessive but - just look around - lots of people do it," he said. |
| The crowds are a welcome sight for fair organiser Ellis Potter, whose family has been running toy fairs for 30 years. He reckons they have never been busier. | The crowds are a welcome sight for fair organiser Ellis Potter, whose family has been running toy fairs for 30 years. He reckons they have never been busier. |
| He said: "We put on about 40 events a year. Nationally there are probably 200 toy fairs a year, and they just get bigger, like supermarkets. | He said: "We put on about 40 events a year. Nationally there are probably 200 toy fairs a year, and they just get bigger, like supermarkets. |
| An empty cardboard box for a pre-war Dinky saloon car set sold for £1,700 | An empty cardboard box for a pre-war Dinky saloon car set sold for £1,700 |
| "Whereas interest in traditional antiques seem to be dwindling, the great thing about toys is they keep attracting new generations who want to collect mementos from their youth." | "Whereas interest in traditional antiques seem to be dwindling, the great thing about toys is they keep attracting new generations who want to collect mementos from their youth." |
| Across the hall, some younger buyers are gathered around boxed Star Wars figures on a table belonging to David Stringer and Nicola Lovell. The pair have been selling for 10 years and say business is thriving. | Across the hall, some younger buyers are gathered around boxed Star Wars figures on a table belonging to David Stringer and Nicola Lovell. The pair have been selling for 10 years and say business is thriving. |
| "People may be cutting back on big things like new cars and foreign holidays," Mr Stringer said. | "People may be cutting back on big things like new cars and foreign holidays," Mr Stringer said. |
| "But they still want to treat themselves when the fairs come round and you can still get something nice for a few pounds - you don't need to break the bank." | "But they still want to treat themselves when the fairs come round and you can still get something nice for a few pounds - you don't need to break the bank." |
| Under the hammer | Under the hammer |
| The couple believe early computer games, and even early computers, could well be the next big thing for collectors as 20 and 30-somethings grow nostalgic for their first digital experiences. | The couple believe early computer games, and even early computers, could well be the next big thing for collectors as 20 and 30-somethings grow nostalgic for their first digital experiences. |
| Their advice to anyone getting into collecting is to seek out items in mint condition, complete with the original packaging, as these are more likely to keep their value. | Their advice to anyone getting into collecting is to seek out items in mint condition, complete with the original packaging, as these are more likely to keep their value. |
| Ms Lovell advises parents to hang on to the boxes. She said: "Even if you think it's rubbish, just stick it in the loft and - you never know - it could be worth something one day." | Ms Lovell advises parents to hang on to the boxes. She said: "Even if you think it's rubbish, just stick it in the loft and - you never know - it could be worth something one day." |
| The UK's biggest toy auctioneer sells about £6m worth a year | The UK's biggest toy auctioneer sells about £6m worth a year |
| In fact a pristine box can be worth more than the toy it once held. The UK's biggest toy auctioneer Vectis, based in Stockton-on-Tees, recently sold an empty cardboard box for a pre-war Dinky saloon car set for a staggering £1,700. | In fact a pristine box can be worth more than the toy it once held. The UK's biggest toy auctioneer Vectis, based in Stockton-on-Tees, recently sold an empty cardboard box for a pre-war Dinky saloon car set for a staggering £1,700. |
| The company shifts an annual total of £6m worth of vintage toys - not just to bidders in Britain, but around the world. | The company shifts an annual total of £6m worth of vintage toys - not just to bidders in Britain, but around the world. |
| David Nathan, from Vectis, estimates that the most sought-after toys are increasing in price at a rate of 10% a year. | David Nathan, from Vectis, estimates that the most sought-after toys are increasing in price at a rate of 10% a year. |
| "That's better than the stock market and interest rates are so low it's better than money in the bank," he said. | "That's better than the stock market and interest rates are so low it's better than money in the bank," he said. |
| The company even offers a toy-based investment portfolio, where investors can deposit money that the firm's experts use to snap up items they believe will gain most in value. | The company even offers a toy-based investment portfolio, where investors can deposit money that the firm's experts use to snap up items they believe will gain most in value. |
| Of course, as with any investment, a return is not guaranteed. Prices for teddy bears and dolls have been largely static in recent years. But other toys have shot up in value. | Of course, as with any investment, a return is not guaranteed. Prices for teddy bears and dolls have been largely static in recent years. But other toys have shot up in value. |
| Mr Nathan said a £1,000 investment in a collection of Matchbox cars 50 years ago which were kept away from light, dust and grubby fingers, would now be worth at least £100,000. | Mr Nathan said a £1,000 investment in a collection of Matchbox cars 50 years ago which were kept away from light, dust and grubby fingers, would now be worth at least £100,000. |
| Back at the fair, such calculations mean little to a satisfied, smiling Mr Woodhouse, who was heading home with the latest addition to his cherished archive. | Back at the fair, such calculations mean little to a satisfied, smiling Mr Woodhouse, who was heading home with the latest addition to his cherished archive. |
| He said: "You do it for the passion, not profit. Toys bring back happy memories - and you can't put a price on that." | He said: "You do it for the passion, not profit. Toys bring back happy memories - and you can't put a price on that." |