Bat-Tastic Auction Results
1966 Batman Utility Belt from Ideal sets world record at auction.
Los Angeles - The most sought after of 1960s Batman collectibles, a rare Official Batman Utility Belt manufactured by Ideal (1966), sold for a record $16,940 – the highest price ever paid for a vintage Batman toy – during the Celebration of Pop Culture event at Van Eaton Galleries, Los Angeles, January 30-31.
The “complete set of crime fighting equipment” includes a yellow plastic utility belt adjustable to 32” with a Bat-Rocket-Grenade, Bat-Rope with grapple claw, a Bat-Storage Pouch, a Bat-A-Rang, a Dummy Transmitter, a Bat-Signal Flash, Batt-Cuffs, a Bat-Gun Launcher and a Batman Message Sender. All was assembled in the original cardboard box packaging.
With the debut of the Batman TV series in 1966, Batmania was sweeping the nation. Ideal capitalized on the Caped Crusader’s popularity with a line of classic items and are among the most desirable pieces in toy collecting.
The two-day auction spanning several decades of cinematic history and massive collection of toys achieved other outstanding results, well over original estimates. These highlights included a Creature from the Black Lagoon One Sheet Poster which sold for $24,200; an original The Jetsons lunchbox, $3,500; a Star Wars Storm Trooper Life Size Display, $7,200; a Disneyland Mailbox Prop, $12,400; a Guardians of the Galaxy Rocket Raccoon life-size replica, $24,200; The Munsters title artwork from the pilot episode, $16,300; a Space Patrol Car tin toy, $9,680; a Mark Twain Life Preserver prop, $14,500; a Dragon Ball Z Broly animation cel, $12,100 and a very rare story display which went for $36,300.
