This weekend my husband and I each attended an auction. Mine was a bust, collectible wise, but I did get a large joblot of office desks for R500 ($36) because they were unassembled. My husband bought a few really nice pieces, and among them was a circa 1970's Meccano Steam Engine.

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Meccano has been a very popular toy since the turn of the twentieth century and was invented by Frank Hornby.

" He had two sons and to help keep them amused he made them a construction toy consisting strips, wheels, rods and nuts & bolts that could be assembled to build simple toy trucks, cranes and other mechanical devices. These toys could then be then taken apart and made in to a different mechanical toy. Frank Hornby made these parts himself in his small home workshop probably his kitchen, where he cut strips from sheet copper and drilled holes in them I/2" (aprox.12 mm) apart. He had brass wheels cast in a local work shop that made furniture fittings. From this simple start an iconic toy was born." http://www.alansmeccano.org/index.php (This is a fantastic link to a comprehensive history of the toy.)

                                       

                                                  

Meccano pieces, and especially vintage Meccano always fetch good prices. I have listed the Steam Engine along with the 100+ pieces that came with it for R750 ($54). This is about half of the average price online. My husband didn't pay a lot so I like to start low to encourage bidding or at least a speedy sale! 

                                                                        

http://www.vectis.co.uk/Page/ViewAuctionLots.aspx?AuctionId=358&DayNo=1&Section=127

http://www.steamhobby.com/face_shovel/

There is an earlier version of the Steam Engine, made in 1929. This engine sells on average for over $600 dollars when it becomes available for sale, but they are fairly rare, thus sought after. As with all collectible toys, if it comes with the box and or instructions, the value is significantly increased. And as with all collectible toys, condition is everything!

Meccano is still being produced today, but its' popularity has diminished in our electronic age. If more children played with toys like this, we might not be facing the world wide shortage of  engineers that we are currently experiencing.

Thank you for reading. Please follow me @onetree

(PS: Kitty update - kitty is doing much better. I had to take him home over the weekend as I am feeding him with a syringe, but he is back in the shop now, in order to reduce the risk of exposure to cat flu of my cats at home. I think he is about 5 weeks and is eating well. I have called him Snuffles.)