The Boston Globe — Monday, April 22, 1963

Calling on the Neighbors
Lawyer's 3000 Toys
Fill 18 Office Shelves

     By TED ASHBY
         SALEM — Atty, Hyman Marcus has an unusual history of United States — 3000 antique toys.
          Schoolteachers and their pupils come to his office at 214 Essex st., in which there are 18 shelves filled with visual education. He serves chocolate milk and cookies.
          "I also have some of the modern toys that ultimately will become collectors items."
          Twenty-five years ago, lawyer Marcus went to a junk yard to interview a client. There he saw some of the toys he played with as a child.
          "At that time, no one else was buying old toys. I asked other junk dealers to set them aside for me. They did so. Of course the price went up, because they had a buyer. Ten years later, many more were collecting."
          Marcus, who has practiced law in the same office 35 years, and is a specialist in trial work, has never sold a toy.
          "Some borrow setups of my toys representing a certain period in America's history. Even doll furniture depicts the living of the times."
          An iron three-horse fire steamer reminds him that, as a boy, he went to the fire station after a run to help wash down the perspiring steeds.
          "As interior decorators realized some of the oldtime playthings made attractive home pieces, antique dealers started loading up with them."
          He grew up in the atmosphere of Americana. Hyman's mother, Mrs. Sarah Marcus, still operates the antiques shop at 25 Lynde st. started 40 years ago by his father, Nathan Marcus.
          A brother, David, who has a shop at Marblehead, is recognized an outstanding authority on antiques.
          (Item: Lawyer Marcus also has an extraordinary collection of toy banks.)