Monday . October 06 . 2008
 |
 |
|
MastroNet, Inc. Auctions (1954 Superman Lunch Box) Lot Number: 369 - 13 Bids - Closing Bid: $11,500.00 - December, 2003 Lot Description Every hobby has one. For toy soldiers, it may be an Ochel flat of Frederick the Great of Prussia. For collectors of finely jeweled artworks, it would be a Faberge egg. For collectors of vintage motorcycles it could be a Vincent. For baseball card collectors it is the T-206 Honus Wagner card. The list is as endless as collectible fields themselves, and often debatable. But what it boils down to is this: for collector's of vintage lunch boxes, the Holy Grail of their world is the 1954 Superman lunch box by ADCO-Liberty Manufacturing Corp. Few collectors own one. Fewer still own one that is worth owning, as the majority of those surviving are in less than collectable condition. These lower grade pieces are held onto only as fillers, until the arrival of that hoped-for lucky day that never comes. The scant few of these boxes in better condition - like all the Wagner cards and Faberge eggs - are well-known and traceable. When we showed this box to a known collector/dealer in the field, he was able to recount its hobby history for us, right back to when it was sold by its original buyer! This box is recognized as one of the absolute best in the hobby, and when last available at auction, it realized $11,500.00. When we closely inspect the box, we can easily see why it fetched that price, for it is remarkable in its level of preservation. Its tin plated steel lithography is brilliant, and its graphics are superlative. It glows with color, as beautifully as it did when it first went to the retail shelf. The only imperfections are the few expected tiny spots where the tightly fitted lid slides over the main body's recessed lip - unavoidable and probably there since the day the factory worker first closed it up for packaging. Even the silver handle and latch mechanism still gleam with minty freshness.
We can judge this beauty as not less than Near Mint to Mint in condition. With the treasured box comes a high grade example of the generic red and yellow thermos that was marketed as a separate accessory, almost equally as brilliant and unused, still possessing a perfect cup and liner and an original cork stopper. This set is as good as any you could possibly expect to find.
Related: MastroNet, Inc. (web site) Related Article: Faster Than A Speeding Bullet Related Article: Superman Lunch Box Soars To $11,500 Record
|
|
 |
|
Copyright © 1998-2006 LunchBoxPad.com, Bryan Los. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Service and Privacy Policy. |