At the beginning of the 20th century, a popular toy was L’Homme Sandwich by Fernand Martin, Paris. It’s a clockwork-driven figure representing a “sandwich man,” a person who walked the streets with a backpack-style advertising billboard. The 1901 toy is extremely rare. One recently sold, without its box, for $14,400 at a Bertoia auction in New Jersey. A reproduction of the toy (a “re-creation,” assembled from different parts) with a reproduction box was also auctioned, for $900. This toy and its box were clearly identified as copies in the Bertoia catalog. The reproductions were used in a display, replacing a toy and box the owners hadn’t been able to find.

Spotting reproduction toys and boxes can be difficult. Look carefully to see if the label is a reproduction. Some photographs of old labels will show dots when examined with a magnifying glass. See if the box is made with modern cardboard and paint or modern print styles, with photocopies and laser printing. A photocopy of an original label will show every flaw and crease but on a completely smooth surface.

Photo courtesy of Bertoia Auctions