As Shop Talk columnist Mark Rich can attest to, we get our fair share of inquiries from readers asking for help in identifying toys, providing some historical background and even possibly giving the piece a ballpark value. It's no easy task, and Mark is one of the best in the business in helping readers out.

However, I, too, get some of these questions. And when I don't go running to Mark for an answer, I attempt to dig up the information myself. What I've found is that reference books contain a mountain of information — and there's something out there on nearly every toy category. But from time to time, these mystery toys will surface that don't seem to have left any evidence in books or online. And these are real fun ones to try and dig up information on.

I recently received a call from a woman who is seeking information on a tin toy saxophone that includes paper rolls. Now, nothing immediately jumps to mind with that description, and I will be asking for a photo to help me understand better what I'm looking for. A picture does a lot in conveying details.

I once received a call from another reader who had "an old Mickey Mouse" doll. Based on the caller's description, it did indeed sounded like an older doll — possibly one that was even worth a decent chunk of change. However, when I received a photo of said doll, I could immediately tell it was much newer than I suspected. But it sure was fun tracing the history of Mickey dolls in the meantime and seeing the different dolls that were produced.

Mark must have a pretty good reputation in identifying toys, because we get a fair number of referrals from the toy industry, toy museums and even manufacturers. They send the callers to us, and we're happy to at least try and get some answers.

So if you have any mystery toys in your collection, send us a letter, e-mail or call. We'll do the best we can. And if possible, send a photo along. This will help speed up the process on our end.

Happy toy collecting!