Of course I was thrilled to hear of a top class collector living
in the city of my childhood, as I did not know any existed
there, and it goes without saying that I jumped at the
chance to feature him in this column.
As I would eventually learn, his collection was, indeed, big
enough to fill a museum. In addition to his diecasts, which
included a complete matchbox collection; He had racetracks,
playsets, trains, more than 500 Shucos, 600 ships, planes,
and other military toys, 500+ rideables (bikes, scooters,
pedal cars, etc.), automotive toys, a large grouping of
Plastimarx toys made by Louis Marx Mexican subsidiary, and
an enviable assortment of robots and space toys. I was
absolutely astonished that he could have built such a huge
and comprehensive collection based in Mexico city, a place
where, to my limited knowledge, toys were not the
manufactured type, but more commonly, unsophisticated
and handmade.
There was of course much more to know about him than
just the mind mind-boggling number of toys he owned. Of
much more interest was knowing that his collection had not
come about as a result of any intense short-term buying
spree. It had taken him 40 years to build, and over that
period of time, he had undertaken the task of
singlehandedly, and from scratch, developing a network of
suppliers in a country where there are no toy shows, no toy
dealers and very few other toy collectors. That takes a
brand of resourcefulness and patience. Probably the
most wonderful surprise I discovered about him
is that he has a deeply-held commitment
towards preserving toys for future
in the city of my childhood, as I did not know any existed
there, and it goes without saying that I jumped at the
chance to feature him in this column.
As I would eventually learn, his collection was, indeed, big
enough to fill a museum. In addition to his diecasts, which
included a complete matchbox collection; He had racetracks,
playsets, trains, more than 500 Shucos, 600 ships, planes,
and other military toys, 500+ rideables (bikes, scooters,
pedal cars, etc.), automotive toys, a large grouping of
Plastimarx toys made by Louis Marx Mexican subsidiary, and
an enviable assortment of robots and space toys. I was
absolutely astonished that he could have built such a huge
and comprehensive collection based in Mexico city, a place
where, to my limited knowledge, toys were not the
manufactured type, but more commonly, unsophisticated
and handmade.
There was of course much more to know about him than
just the mind mind-boggling number of toys he owned. Of
much more interest was knowing that his collection had not
come about as a result of any intense short-term buying
spree. It had taken him 40 years to build, and over that
period of time, he had undertaken the task of
singlehandedly, and from scratch, developing a network of
suppliers in a country where there are no toy shows, no toy
dealers and very few other toy collectors. That takes a
brand of resourcefulness and patience. Probably the
most wonderful surprise I discovered about him
is that he has a deeply-held commitment
towards preserving toys for future
generations. That,
and only that, is why
he collects - not so he
can be the guy who
“dies with the most
toys”. Here is how
Roberto Shimizu
answered Antique toy
World's Twenty Questions.
Your name sounds very international. Were you born
in Mexico?
I’m a Mexican citizen, born of Japanese parents in
1945, and was educated in several countries. I went to
catholic private high school in Mexico, and did my
advance studies in London and Japan, spending two
years in each country. I also attended the Universidad
Nacional Autonoma de Mexico where I obtained my
architectural degree.
and only that, is why
he collects - not so he
can be the guy who
“dies with the most
toys”. Here is how
Roberto Shimizu
answered Antique toy
World's Twenty Questions.
Your name sounds very international. Were you born
in Mexico?
I’m a Mexican citizen, born of Japanese parents in
1945, and was educated in several countries. I went to
catholic private high school in Mexico, and did my
advance studies in London and Japan, spending two
years in each country. I also attended the Universidad
Nacional Autonoma de Mexico where I obtained my
architectural degree.
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