A 1960s Japanese Masudaya Machine Man robot, sold for $70,000 (£50,355) at Morphy Auctions.
The 15½in (39cm) high robot, with a gearbox displayed on its chest, is one of Masudaya’s sought-after ‘Gang of Five’ robots and was made around 1960.
These are rare to market but it is even rarer to find one that retains the original box. “This particular robot was consigned by its original owner, who found it in their attic”, said Tommy Sage, head of Morphy’s toy division. “It sat in a dry location, undisturbed, for over 60 years, waiting to be discovered.”
It was secured by a US bidder for $70,000 (£50,355) against a $60,000-90,000 estimate.
