Consignor Testimonials

“Morphy Auctions custom-tailored every aspect of the one-day sale of my lifelong collection of mechanical and still banks. The auction catalog was one of the finest ever produced, with high-quality photography and a beautiful layout. Morphy’s marketing and PR specialists outdid themselves with continuous advertising and promotional highlights of the upcoming sale appearing in publications and on Web sites for almost a year prior to the sale. Morphy’s certainly showed the clout they have with the media in publicizing the sale. Even CBS Television in New York and the regional NBC Television affiliate in Pennsylvania came to the gallery to videotape the collection!

Every seat in the gallery was reserved or accounted for, with over 300 attendees, and the sale realized an all-time record of $7.7 million, making it the highest-grossing toy auction of all time. Morphy’s team made this an “event” in every sense of the word, from the gathering of high-profile collectors, historians and other enthusiasts to the advance media coverage and, of course, the incredible prices realized. If you want to entrust your collection to an auction house that will stand behind what they say and do, then consign with Dan Morphy Auctions.”

Steve Steckbeck – Mechanical Banks (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

“Selling my collection through Morphy Auctions was very positive overall. I have known Dan Morphy for 30 years and feel that he has put together a knowledgeable team that is committed to his charter to maximize customer satisfaction while representing the seller’s items. Dan utilizes his significant mailing list along with his superior marketing skills to tap into potential buyers through outstanding catalogs, Internet Web pages and at least one month of preview time for each auction. This allows customers the chance to make an informed decision that enhances a long-term customer relationship. This relationship allows buyers to feel they received ‘good value on items purchased’ and retains them as a long-term customer. These customers’ network and talk about their experiences, which helps newer collectors and potential collectors the opportunity to ‘get their feet wet.’ This leads to a ‘happy seller’ because they know that Morphy’s will get the maximum value for their collection through competition for the individual items.

Dan has some of the best experts for almost every category, and if he doesn’t have the right person, he will employ the best available person to provide accurate descriptions and price estimates. These efforts to find out the fair-market value allow the consignors to have realistic expectations for their collections. Bottom line, no one does a better job, from the time you agree to consign through to the time you receive your proceeds from the sale.”

Bob Brady – Mechanical Banks/Cast Iron Toys (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)

“I have had a great history and experience with Morphy Auctions, from recommending their auction house to consigning my own collections. In 2005 I agreed to help my good friend Gary Selmonsky sell his comic character toy and doll collection. I recommended Morphy Auctions because I felt they had the best venue for the sale of his high-quality collection. After contacting Dan Morphy, we met at Gary’s house and carefully packed his entire collection. At that point Dan hired me to provide the catalog descriptions and help promote the sale. I have spent many hours working in the gallery with the Morphy staff on photographs, layout and cataloging. Their attention to detail and quality is second to none. It was a very successful two-part sale of a great collection, with a great catalog and fantastic auction results.

After the sale of Gary’s collection I contracted with Morphy Auctions to sell my collection of Japanese superheroes. My collection was combined with two other superhero collections to form a real blockbuster sale. I also assisted with the cataloging, and again we created a great catalog and had a successful auction. I couldn’t have been happier with the promotion and results of the auction

Since that time, Morphy Auctions has sold my Linemar comic toy collection – in September of 2008 – and they will sell my Marx, Chein and other American comic tin toys as well as some dolls, games, clocks and figures in October of 2009. It is always a pleasure to work with the Dan Morphy Auctions team. They produce the best-quality catalogs and provide extensive marketing from coast to coast and in every major toy market worldwide – London, Paris, Tokyo – you name it and Dan Morphy Auctions will be there. If you want the most experienced auction company to handle the dispersal of a collection that you have spent years assembling, I would highly recommend Dan Morphy Auctions for the job”

Carl Lobel – Character Toys (Warren, Vermont)

“Knowing and dealing with Morphy Auctions, and Dan Morphy personally, was a great experience. They run an honest and straightforward company. I was satisfied from the very beginning and plan on continuing my relationship with them well into the future. I would highly recommend their services to anyone interested in consignment.”

Anonymous Consignor – Marbles (Hillsdale, New Jersey)

“In the winter of 2005, my wife Jan and I reached a decision to part with our painted cast iron collection. This collection included approximately 600 pieces – 425 doorstops, 160 sets of bookends plus lawn sprinklers and other related items. We had put this group together over a 10-year period, buying both from dealers and at auction. We had acquired nice pieces and paid strong prices, especially in the late 1990s.

As we considered how best to sell our treasures, we were spending a lot of time with John and Nancy Smith. They photographed many of our doorstops for their new book. They recommended that we consider Morphy Auctions for our sale, which we did.

Things went really well from the start. We were particularly impressed with the enthusiasm, energy and marketing reach of the firm. Working with Dan Morphy and the Smiths, we developed a strategy to spread the collection over four sales taking place over a two-year period. We cannot overstate how pleased we were with the promotion of the collection and every step of execution – removing the objects from our home, describing the lots, dealing with issues, communicating along the way and receiving payment on time every time. And, we made money on the sales – and that was not a sure thing for a collection as comprehensive as ours was (including both rarities and lots of common examples), and having been put together over a relatively short time period. Many items sold for less that we had paid, but a few “went through the ceiling,” and those carried the day. I think that the promotional efforts reached literally every cast iron collector plus important “crossover” collectors. We were very pleased that every item sold.

The proceeds of these sales began to flow immediately into our newest passion, American folk art – paint-decorated furniture, carvings and accessories from the 19th century. So, we are not finished collecting.

We had a great experience with the Morphy organization, and that includes everyone involved. It goes without saying – we recommend that potential sellers give Dan Morphy Auctions a careful look.”

Watt White – Doorstops (Stamford, Connecticut)

“I was the very first consignor with Morphy Auctions, and I can truthfully say that I picked the right auction house. They were very professional and took great care in handling my items. It was an overall pleasant experience. I would recommend them to anyone and would definitely consign with them again.”

George Wausnock – Pressed Steel (Pottstown, Pennsylvania)

“My lifelong collection of literally thousands of items was very important to me. When it came time for me to sell it, I chose the Morphy team. I was not disappointed. They worked very hard preparing for the auctions, were very well organized, and got the best prices possible. Everyone at Morphy Auctions was very friendly and very professional.”

Bob Averill – Hires Advertising (Sanibel, Florida)

“We deal with Morphy’s because we know Dan is going to make our experience as pleasant as possible. There’s never a problem that can’t be fixed. We know when we put something really special in one of Dan Morphy’s auctions, it will get the attention it deserves, and we have a high degree of confidence it will meet or exceed our expectations. And most importantly, he always honors his word.”

Ed Pelton/Nancy McGlamry – Holiday (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)

“In the 20+ years I have dealt with auction companies, Morphy Auctions proved to be the best company I have ever dealt with. The company and personnel are very professional, and unlike other auction houses, Morphy’s follows through with what they say they are going to do for you. This includes prompt consignor payout starting as early as a week following the sale.”

Robin Hiatt – Pressed Steel (Stuart, Virginia)

“We couldn’t have been happier with Morphy’s. We were very pleased with the way our marbles were handled, described and presented during the auction. The quality of Morphy’s was reflected in the auction results, and we were delighted beyond words with the staff and all of the people involved.”

Gary & Sally Dolly – Marbles (New Smyrna Beach, Florida)

“After much soul searching and, ultimately, with some ‘sage’ advice from my good friend Tommy Sage, I decided to sell my collection. The devil is in the details, and in that area, Dan Morphy Auctions excels. Their attention to detail is what made the auction of my toys the success that it was. The catalog, i.e., the photography, layout and description, far exceeded my expectations and no doubt contributed immensely to the end result. The entire staff at Morphy’s is truly exceptional in their knowledge and professionalism, and they deserve a great deal of credit for the success of Dan Morphy Auctions.”

Andy Huffer – Cast Iron Motorcycles (Maugansville, Maryland)