Trade Me's vintage toy auction causes stir

A rare collection of vintage toys has created a stir on the auction website Trade Me with the beautiful playthings worth thousands of dollars up for sale.

The rare tinplate memorabilia from the 1890s to 1930s has a starting price of $25,000.

The collection includes steam trains and carriages, antique model cars, immaculately clothed china dolls and aged teddy bears.

When asked why the collection was going up for sale, the buyer wrote on the auction site: "It's just time to move on with different hobbies."

Items that made up the collection were created by top toymakers including steam train-makers Bing and Marklin, German toymaker Carrette, construction toy company Meccano, model railway-maker Hornby and wind-up toy manufacturer Lehmann.

The seller described the toys as "museum quality" and most items were in a stunning and original condition.

"If you've always wanted to own a little bit of everything from childhood history, this is a special chance to have in your possession something truly remarkable."

There has been plenty of interest in the toys, with the page receiving more than 25,000 views, but the hefty starting price may have put off buyers with nobody yet placing a bid.

However, there were plenty of admirers of the collection.

One person wrote: "beautiful collection...Good luck with the auction".

Another wrote: "Amazing - wish I had the money to buy them and the space to display them. I used to travel to school on one of those steam trains between villages in Sussex, UK. Good luck - hope they go to a museum where everyone can enjoy them."

Some advised the seller might be short changing themselves, estimating the collection may be worth much more than the starting price.

One viewer wrote: "Hi,what a beaut collection,those big scale trains are awesome, that collection is worth more than $25,000 someone will be getting a bargin, goodluck".

The auction is due to close tomorrow at 7.42pm.