Delight your inner child with these Tony Mann toys from Roseberys
16 February 2023 The Fine and Decorative sale at Roseberys in London contains a remarkable single owner collection of toys.
Pyramid of Power, a factory and office scene by Tony Mann. It has an estimate of £400-600.
It was compiled by one man, Sir Nicholas Goodison (1934-2021), and focuses particularly on automata and moving toys. Goodison was a well-respected businessman, scholar, patron of the arts and philanthropist. Making his name in finance, he was chairman of the London Stock Exchange, chairman of the TSB Group, and deputy chair of Lloyds TSB. Outside of finance, Goodison chaired leading cultural institutions such as the Courtauld and the Art Fund.
He began collecting in 1953 on his extensive travels. The mechanical and hand-operated toys he amassed came from many countries. The artists represented all seem to share a delight in the absurd and the ridiculous, creating toys which occupy the strange, shifting ground between folk art, kinetic sculpture, toy-making, satire and mechanics.
Among the highlights is a group by Tony Mann (1927-2013), who worked for 20 years as an industrial designer before turning his creative energy into automata. Each of his works in this sale is a one-of-a-kind piece showing his love of bright colours.
He was voted Toymaker of the Year by the British Toymakers Guild for both 1987 and 1988.
Estimated at £150-250 is this pair of bird automata by Tony Mann made on the right with wood, feathers and beads. Goodison described the example on the left as “chattering like a machine gun” when the wheel spun.
Four Drummers Drumming, another musical automaton by Tony Mann, is constructed using part of an old Singer sewing machine and Meccano wheel. It is offered with an estimate of £300-400.
Featured in the sale are these two charming couples – but one hides a secret. On the left is Tony Mann’s hand-operated automata Hair Raiser. When the man lifts his had, his head comes free of his neck in a bloody scene. The two toys are offered with an estimate of £200-300.
Tony Mann’s Carousel Merry-go-round is offered with a flapper dragon and chorus line. It was this piece in particular that led Goodison to note the toymaker’s love of bright colours. The trio of toys is offered with an estimate of £120-180.
As featured at the top of this article, this Pyramid of Power displays more dark humour. It is a factory and office scene by Tony Mann. Goodison wrote about this piece: “Mann’s depiction of enterprise is a caricature, but like all caricatures has an element of truth… At the top the capitalist owner drinks champagne and smokes a cigar in his triangle of paradise at the top of the pyramid. The business has clearly been successful and he is toasting his good fortune. But he is no longer with us, he is up in the clouds, having spent a gainful life exploiting the toils of others.” It has an estimate of £400-600.
To find more toys and games on the saleroom click here.
