Dr. Folb,
While I do appreciate your love for Classic Era Standard Gauge toy trains, your effort to research and collect these toys, plus your generosity in sharing this info and exhibiting the toys for other collectors and the world at large... I feel you greatly exaggerate the cultural significance of these toy trains.
I have commented upon this before. To compare a mass produced object like a toy train, no matter how rare/expensive or beautiful to your eye, to true art like a Klimt or Picasso is misguided in the least and at worst displays cultural ignorance. The average man on the street would never be able to discern the difference between an original 1930's Lionel State Set and a MTH repro, and wouldn't care. Not would an art museum curator. They would see a colorful toy train in action and smile.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood..." Teddy Roosevelt was not referring in any way to the collecting of toy trains.
In essence, I fear your love of the objects you collect has blinded you to their true context in the World.
Bert
