Not one but two specialist auctions offering a selection of rare comic, TV and film collectables are to take place at the Sheffield Auction Gallery next month.
A Specialist Collectable Toys & Comics Auction on Thursday 11th January 2024 is followed on Friday by an Antiques & Collectables Auction that also includes a few comic-related items.
Alongside model railway related items and early games, items of interest in the Specialist Collectable Toys & Comics Auction for comic fans include a number of separate lots of Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man comics. Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars and media tie-in toy car collectors won’t be disappointed, either, with a wide variety of items on offer.



In addition to the Dan Dare Meccano, the Antiques & Collectables Auction includes cigarette cards, ESSO collectables, alongside furniture and decorative ceramics, and more.




We don’t know what’s included in the Meccano lot, offered in a 1950s Dan Dare box. A rival to Meccano, Bartram, release a Dan Dare Spaceship Builder, which is a Meccano-style toy, but wasn’t made by Meccano. The Dan Dare box is one of the 1950s jigsaw boxes with the jigsaw image in the viewscreen.
Bartram’s Dan Dare Spaceship Builder was first released between 1953 and 1954, capitalising on the success of Eagle comic’s popular space hero. There’s a guide to the it here on the exhaustive Meccano Index Site.

Established in Sheffield, England since 1840 as ELR Auctions, Sheffield Auction Gallery are the region’s oldest Auctioneers and Valuers. Offering free detailed advice on all aspects of pre-Auction Valuation and Auction Sale, the company hold fortnightly Antiques & Collectables auctions, as well as specialty collectable events through the year.
• Specialist Collectable Toys & Comics Auction 10.00pm Thursday 11th January 2024 | Register to bid on The-Saleroom | Viewing dates: 10th January 2024 9.00am – 4.00pm | 10th January 2024 9.00am – 10.00am
• Antiques & Collectables Auction 10.00pm Friday 12th January 2024 | Register to bid on The-Saleroom | Viewing dates: 10th January 2024 9.00am – 4.00pm | 10th January 2024 9.00am – 10.00am
Sheffield Auction Gallery, Sheffield, South Yorkshire | Windsor Road, Sheffield, S8 8UB | Web: sheffieldauctiongallery.com
This article was updated on 17th December 2024 to amend details about the Meccano lot offered. Our thanks to Jeremy Briggs for additional information
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “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.
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