The Bob Brechin Collection achieves £26,300

The Bob Brechin Collection achieves £26,300

On the 16th of January we held the Bob Brechin Collection, it featured as part of a wider auction and featured items from the personal collection of Palitoy chief designer Bob Brechin. Bob served as the Chief Designer at Palitoy from 1967 to 1984, and played a pivotal role in managing the iconic Palitoy Action Man and Action Force lines. The collection included 106 lots and was given an estimate of £7,000 - £10,000, although it was expected that this was a conservative estimate, we were thrilled to see how popular the lots were, and the collection achieved £26,300 (inclusive of Buyers Premiums) 

This auction provided a rare opportunity to bid on items from Brechin's personal collection, which featured a range of unique items that reflected his significant contributions to the toy industry. Among the highlights of the auction were prototypes that offer a glimpse into the creative process behind Action Force and Palitoy. The auction also featured ephemera and paperwork with original ideas and notes, and included ranges from Action Man, Star Wars, Tiny Tears and Model Trains. For anyone interested in the history of toys and the legacy of Palitoy, this auction was an unforgettable event.

Palitoy Action Force photographs

 

Lot 28 - Palitoy Action Force photographs, showing figures, vehicles, action scenes and concept sketches, some are loose and some are sealed within 2 photograph albums.  This lot is from the personal collection of Bob Brechin - Manager and Lead Designer of Action Force, and includes personally signed certificates of authenticity

Estimate: £80 - £120

Price Realised - £750

Palitoy Action Force vintage loose figures

 

Lot 37 - Palitoy Action Force vintage loose figures to include Commando, Red Shadow, SAS Attack Trooper, Space Force, plus others - generally Fair to Good (1 figure is missing an arm).  This lot is from the personal collection of Bob Brechin - Manager and Lead Designer of Action Force, and includes a personally signed certificate of authenticity 

Estimate: £15 - £25

Price Realised - £800

Palitoy Action Force Metal Prototype Deep Sea Diver figure

 

Lot 40 - Palitoy Action Force Metal Prototype Deep Sea Diver figure used on the display diorama at the 1982 British Toy Fair.  The figure was sculpted in clay and then a rubber mould was taken.  Metal castings were taken from the mould and the figure was assembled and hand-painted - Good, some paint chips.  This lot is from the personal collection of Bob Brechin - Manager and Lead Designer of Action Force, and includes a personally signed certificate of authenticity, with a short statement regarding the creation and development of the figure

Estimate: £100 - £140 

Price Realised - £490

Palitoy Action Force Metal Prototype Australian Jungle Fighter Series 1 figure

 

Lot 45 - Palitoy Action Force Metal Prototype Australian Jungle Fighter Series 1 figure used on the display diorama at the 1982 British Toy Fair.  The figure was sculpted in clay and then a rubber mould was taken.  Metal castings were taken from the mould and the figure was assembled and hand-painted - Good, some paint chips.  This lot is from the personal collection of Bob Brechin - Manager and Lead Designer of Action Force, and includes a personally signed certificate of authenticity, with a short statement regarding the creation and development of the figure

Estimate: £100 - £140

Price Realised - £1,100

Palitoy Action Force Resin Prototype Greek Mythology Cyclopes - fearsome warrior figures

 

Lot 48 - Palitoy Action Force Resin Prototype Greek Mythology Cyclopes - fearsome warrior figures (x 2) concept figures - Fair to Good, some paint chips, missing hands.  This lot is from the personal collection of Bob Brechin - Manager and Lead Designer of Action Force, and includes a personally signed certificate of authenticity, with a fascinating short statement regarding the original concept of the figures 

Estimate: £100 - £140 

Price Realised - £780

Action Man wooden pattern for the Officer's Cap (4 x actual size)

 

Lot 53 - Action Man wooden pattern for the Officer's Cap (4 x actual size), made by Palitoy's Chief Modelmaker Alan Blanchard.  A rubber mould was taken of the pattern and a resin casting taken from the mould.  The wooden cap still has the original pencil markings showing the location of the 17th-21st Lancers 'skull and crossbones' emblem.  This lot is from the personal collection of Bob Brechin - Manager and Lead Designer of Action Man, and includes a personally signed certificate of authenticity, with a short statement regarding the design history of the cap

Estimate: £30 - £40 

Price Realised - £460

Palitoy Action Force Metal Prototype SAS Sitting figure used on the display diorama at the 1982 British Toy Fair.


Lot 59 - Palitoy Action Force Metal Prototype SAS Sitting figure used on the display diorama at the 1982 British Toy Fair.  The figure was sculpted in clay and then a rubber mould was taken.  Metal castings were taken from the mould and the figure was assembled and hand-painted - Good, some paint chips.  This lot is from the personal collection of Bob Brechin - Manager and Lead Designer of Action Force, and includes a personally signed certificate of authenticity, with a short statement regarding the creation and development of the figure

Estimate: £100 - £140 

Price Realised - £750

Palitoy Action Force Metal Tooling Aids for the arms and legs of the German Stormtrooper figure and metal castings of the head and torso for the German Officer - that was never produced.

 

Lot 65 - Palitoy Action Force Metal Tooling Aids for the arms and legs of the German Stormtrooper figure and metal castings of the head and torso for the German Officer - that was never produced.  The figure was sculpted in clay and then a rubber mould was taken.  This lot is from the personal collection of Bob Brechin - Manager and Lead Designer of Action Force, and includes a personally signed certificate of authenticity, with a short statement regarding the manufacturing process for the figure 

Estimate: £100 - £140 

Price Realised - £600

Our Specialist Steven Furlong, who catalogued this sale added, "I enjoyed cataloguing this collection, as a fan of Action Man and Action Force, I was aware of the historical significance of these items. We knew they would be popular, as collectors recognise the value in the provenance and authenticity of them; and the fact that they all came with a certificate and signed by Bob himself only adds to the demand. These are all unique, one-of-a-kind items and there will never be another auction like this.