Rare 19th century German Noah’s Ark toy up for auction

Believed to have originated from the Erzgebirge, a low mountain range in eastern Germany, the toy dates from circa 1820.

The hand-painted pitched roof still opens to reveal storage for more than 150 carved animals. From tigers to wombats and rhinos to robins, the animals are paired and highly detailed. The toy also comes with human figures including Noah and his wife. The item is being sold by a Jersey owner, but how it ended up in the Channel Islands is a bit of a mystery.

Auctioneer Shaun Vidamour said the piece was extremely rare, and he was pleased it was still in good playworn condition: ‘You would have had to be a very wealthy family in order to be able to afford that for your child,’ he said.

‘And when you think it’s almost exactly 200 years old, it’s just amazing really.’

A large collection of antiques has built up in storage at Martel Maides over the last 10 months, partly due to the ongoing pandemic, resulting in the auction being split into two events taking place on 1-2 July and 9-10 September.

Noah’s Ark will be featured in the September auction, with its value estimated at £1,200, while the July event will include other rare antiques such as a late 19th century Admiralty diving suit and a 17th century embroidered casket.