Dan Dare tinplate toy rarity comes to auction

By John Freeman on September 19, 2024

An unusual “Dan Dare” tinplate toy is included in an upcoming auction from Eastbourne Auctions, taking place next month. On offer, as part of a wider online only Decorative Arts, Furniture, Silver, Jewellery auction is – at first glance – what looks like a “variant “ version of Mettoy’s SS Eagle Earth – Mars – Venus Express Rocket Ship, first released in 1953.

Mettoy’s Dan Dare-inspired SS Eagle Earth - Mars - Venus Express Rocket Ship (Faded version from red to yellow)

I’ve seen the better known “Red” version of this friction motor tinplate toy several times at auction, which sell for around £100 unboxed, but I hadn’t seen a “Yellow” variant has crossed my spaceways. Unfortunately, it turns out it’s actually a standard “Red”, after all, faded by the sun. (Did it fly too close?)

Details on the auction lot from Eastbourne Auctions are minimal, but elsewhere online, this toy is described as as part of Mettoy’s series of Dan Dare toys, which included, for example, toy guns. The template was used for similar craft, such as a generic RAF “Firebird”.

A good quality edition of the “Dan Dare” version, is offers here here by Midas Touch Toys.

Mettoy’s Dan Dare-inspired SS Eagle - in good condition, red livery preserved

Measuring nine inches (22cm) long, if in working condition, it has a friction powered motor that makes the engine sound when the wheels turn, and as the photographs of this item show, features the Dan Dare logo on one of the wings, Earth-Mars-Venus Express on the other wing, SS Eagle printed above the cockpit with the Eagle comics logo, and a printed cockpit window.

The massive monthly auction includes some 80 toys in a two-day event with thousands of lots on offer, which will be auctioned 10th October.

Other items include US comics and British fanzines, a nice-looking set of Nigel Molesworth books, children’s book lots, boxed Airfix model kits, a boxed Star Wars Millennium Falcon, toy cars and Sega Game Gear.

Eastbourne Auctions Online Decorative Arts, Furniture, Silver, Jewellery auction, 8th – 10th October 2024 | Full catalogue here | Bid on the Dan Dare item here direct with the auction house | Bid on the toy here on The-Saleroom (additional fees apply)| NB you must be registered to bid

Thanks to Brian Hayes for providing the correction regarding colouring

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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.