From Coalport Pa. to Sotheby's: The Remarkable Hegarty Toy Collection

The Sotheby's catalog from the landmark October 12, 2001 auction of The Hegarty Collection of Antique Toys. The catalog is now preserved in the Hegarty Mansion archives.

Several years ago, I had the privilege of sharing tea with Gertrude Hegarty on her 100th birthday at her home in Coalport, Pennsylvania.

At the time, I knew I was sitting with a member of the Hegarty family. What I did not fully appreciate was the remarkable collecting legacy she and her husband, Covert Hegarty, had built over decades.

That legacy would eventually be recognized on a national stage when Sotheby's in New York presented The Hegarty Collection of Antique Toys—a landmark auction many collectors still regard as one of the finest toy sales ever conducted.

What began as a hobby in the early 1940s grew into one of America's most respected collections of antique toys.

Covert Hegarty, a successful automobile dealer from Coalport, Pennsylvania, first became interested in collecting after his physician encouraged him to pursue a relaxing hobby. Together, Covert and Gertrude began collecting mechanical banks, eventually expanding into cast-iron toys, horse-drawn vehicles, fire apparatus, clockwork toys, circus wagons, early motor vehicles, and transportation-themed toys.

Their reputation among collectors grew steadily over the years. Friends and fellow enthusiasts often spoke of the couple's patience, dedication, and willingness to spend years searching for the finest examples available. One story recalls Covert spending more than twenty years searching for a single piece needed to complete one of his prized circus displays.

In 1965, the Hegartys became founding members of the Antique Toy Collectors of America, helping establish what would become one of the nation's most respected toy collecting organizations.

Following Covert's passing in 1968, the collection remained largely intact for decades.

Then, on October 12, 2001, Sotheby's presented The Hegarty Collection of Antique Toys in New York City.

Collectors from across the country gathered for what many described as one of the most extraordinary toy auctions ever held. The results were remarkable. Nearly every lot sold, producing a staggering 99 percent sell-through rate and generating more than $2.1 million dollars, more than double Sotheby's pre-sale estimate.

Among the highlights were several toys that drew national attention and intense bidding competition.

Featured Toys from the Collection Featured Toys from the Collection

The Ives Clockwork Cutter Sleigh became one of the stars of the auction, selling for an astonishing $159,750.

The rare Penn Yan Speedboat attracted spirited bidding before ultimately selling for $55,375.

A patriotic Bergmann Chime with Soldiers and a U.S. Flag Bearer achieved $41,000, becoming another standout piece from the collection.

---

The collection included hundreds of additional toys produced by renowned makers such as Dent, Hubley, Stevens, Carpenter, Bergmann, and others. Together they chronicled the evolution of transportation, industry, and American life from the nineteenth century through the early twentieth century.

Today, the Sotheby's catalog documenting the collection remains an important piece of Hegarty family history. More than an auction catalog, it serves as a reminder of the dedication, knowledge, and passion that Covert and Gertrude Hegarty devoted to preserving these remarkable pieces of American history.

While Samuel Hegarty is remembered for helping shape the region's industrial growth through coal, lumber, and business ventures, later generations of the family left their mark in different ways. Through decades of patient collecting and preservation, Covert and Gertrude assembled a collection that earned national recognition and remains remembered by antique toy enthusiasts more than two decades after its sale.

Three generations of the Hegarty family attended the Sotheby's auction and watched from the gallery as the collection achieved more than $2.1 million in sales.

Today, that remarkable chapter remains part of the larger story of the Hegarty family and the history preserved through Hegarty Mansion.