Page 50 - joa-november-23

It’s Who You Know

hese artifacts that we pursue—whether mid-century, rusted, Good Deal
paper, 1880s, metal, mint condition, glass, or whatever I actually had bought the Pontiac as part of what might be called a
Tcategories they fall into—are the reason we’re in the game. “bundle” deal, which also included a delivery van made by Ideal, about
But there’s an old chestnut that pops up in my consciousness every so five inches in length. But when I unwrapped the van later that morning
often … like most time-worn adages, it has an element of truth: it’s the during a food break, I discovered it was missing part of the front
people, and the relationships, that really matter. bumper. Of course, I’d had the chance to examine the van at Jack’s
This was demonstrated to me once again, a few years back at the booth, and any flaws were now my problem. Still, I went back to his
Liberty Antiques Festival, an outdoor event that serves as the beginning booth with a proposition. After showing him the damage to the van, I
of the antiques year in central North Carolina. asked if he might take the van back in exchange for my purchasing a
Tootsietoy metal sports car kit that I had been eyeing in one of his
Good Timing cases. The kit was an Austin-Healy, made around 1960, and was still
The field at this twice-yearly event doesn’t open until 8 a.m. on its original blistercard. The Tootsietoy was more expensive than
(haven’t they heard of dawn?), so I was motoring among the tents and the Ideal van, and I suggested that I just pay him the difference. He
booths by 8:04 a.m., doing the back-and-forth swiveling head thing as didn’t have to accept the
I scanned the landscape for the stuff of dreams. In the third aisle, I deal, of course, and it
stopped at a tent containing an assortment of old toys. Making my way meant that he’d be taking
in among the throng, I recognized the booth’s owners, a husband and back a damaged item.
wife team from whom I’d bought several good pieces at this show the But to his credit, Jack
previous year. said yes, enabling me to
With all of the people and the activity going on around the tent, I acquire a rare piece that I
didn’t expect them to remember me or the items I had purchased from eventually photographed
them more than 6 months before. The husband greeted me and and included in a feature
motioned me over to one of his display trays. “We’ve got some good article I wrote for a maga-
oddball stuff this time,” he said, pointing to a small metal car in one zine in England. Like the
of the trays. Rare would have been a better word for this toy, which Pontiac, the Austin-Healy
I recognized as one that had been made for just a short time in the kit is pretty accurate for its
mid-1950s. It was in nearly perfect original condition and I bought it time, although I’m not sure
on the spot. why Tootsietoy (or Dowst,
“You were here last year … you’re after the unusual stuff, right?” I the manufacturer) thought
was surprised he remembered, and we introduced ourselves. His name including flame and
is Jack Gorham, and we started talking about old toys and the pieces he “Wildcat” decals was a
and his wife had sold me at the previous show. He reminded me of one good idea for an Austin-
in particular – a hard-to-find six-inch long plastic Pontiac coupe made Healy. Still, it’s a wonderful
by Irwin Corporation in Fitchburg, Massachusetts in the early 1950s. snapshot of 1950s British
It was in great original condition and the friction motor worked fine. automotive design. A circa 1960 metal kit of an
I told Jack that it looked terrific in my display case, and he really Austin-Healy, by Tootsietoy.
seemed to get a kick out of that. Good Dealer
It was a fun day made even better by dealers who help connect
people to the right objects. They’re at the show to make money, of
course, but it was obvious that Jack and his wife also enjoyed seeing
their treasures go to good homes. Over the next couple of years, I got
to know Jack better as we would run into each other at shows in North
Carolina. I eventually got out to Asheboro, where he runs Collector’s
Antique Mall, to which I unreservedly give an A-plus rating. Lots of
unusual stuff and vintage toys, in fact, have I told you about the Airport
Limousine I scored there? It’s Art Deco-ish 1950s plastic goodness,
made by … oops – the bottom of the page is coming up, so we’ll save
it for another time.

Douglas R. Kelly is the editor of Marine Technology magazine. His byline has
appeared in Antiques Roadshow Insider; Back Issue; Diecast Collector; RetroFan;
The stuff of dreams: a rare early 1950s plastic Pontiac by Irwin Corporation. and Buildings magazines.

48 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles