Climate fears spark vintage toy sale that could fetch £100k

Mike Stockwell has built up his collection over 43 years

A man is selling his vast collection of vintage toys to raise money to fight climate change.

Mike Stockwell, from Chesterfield, has amassed about 1,000 mechanical automatons over the past 43 years.

The collection is expected to raise in the region of £100,000 when it goes under the hammer in Derbyshire on October 24.

The 69-year-old former toy shop owner said he wanted to use the money to fund environmental projects.

Bear the Magician is valued between £12,000 and £15,000

Mr Stockwell's collection includes a bubble-blowing dragon with an estimate of between £20,000 and £30,000.

Other toys include Batman and The Joker, a moon patrol vehicle and an Indian prince based on a 1955 film starring Richard Burton.

He said: "The time has come for me to sell my collection because I'm very concerned about climate change.

"Money raised from the auction will be used to fund eco-conservation projects. I have three grandchildren and I want them to have a future."

Mr Stockwell said his hobby had evolved into "an obsession"

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"People used to ask to visit our house just to see them. I suppose it was like going to a toy theatre," he continued.

"But these things are far more than toys, they're feats of engineering. Many are mechanical.

"They transcend from being playthings to movable works of art. Several are sophisticated pieces of equipment."

Steve Fulford, toy valuer at Hansons Auctioneers, said: "It's the most staggering array of toys I have ever seen - and I used to run a toy museum.

"It has to be one of the best collections of its type in the world."