Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Collectors Gazette

In the January Auction Centre event the big money seemed to be on kits – which made a refreshing change from the prevalence of Star Wars miniatures. Highlight of the sale was the group of Airfix and Revell unmade car models. These included bagged examples of the rare Renault Dauphine, a sporty Sunbeam Rapier and the ever-popular Austin Healey Sprite. The Supercharged Bentley was the earliest version and the Morris Mini Minor was a real treat to see. In turn, Revell supplied the Morris Minor Traveller, the famous “Woody”. Whilst the Airfix kits were still sealed, the Revell example had been opened. The kits were in very good condition overall and the hammer price of £280 (plus premium) testified to their desirability. Hasbro’s Action Man also attracted the bidders: in…

January saw the second tranche of a huge car collection go under the hammer at Excalibur. On the day, 470 lots went through the auction house, leaving one to wonder at the size of the vendor’s premises! Virtually every lot sold, showing that the demand for quality miniature cars is buoyant. IXO, Matrix, Automedollo, Best of Show, Brumm and Autocult all featured, amongst other manufacturers, and there were plenty of hand built resin models to tempt the buyer. Someone got a bargain with 14 boxed Rio Fiat models, paying just £40; and another group of 13 vehicles, again all Fiats but by Brumm, Solido, Gamma and Rio, sold for just £32. Prices varied wildly within the manufacturers, depending on the model. A Bizarre (MINIMAX) 'BZ233' hand built resin model of…

LEADING the latest batch of releases from Oxford Diecast is the newly-tooled Duple Britannia in 1/76 scale. The model makes its first appearance in the range in the well-known cream livery of Wallace Arnold, whose coach tours were particularly successful in the era before package holidays became affordable to the nation. The model features orange masked roof skylights. The flat-fronted coach has the two-windowed passenger door on the nearside, with the driver’s door placed higher on the offside. The interior features a beige floor and red seating. Registered 4324 UA, the coach has a wealth of external silver sprayed detail, including bumpers and window surrounds. The destination plate above the chrome radiator grille shows the coach on its way to Blackpool. To the rear, the Wallace Arnold name and key…

The most sought-after vintage toys are not necessarily those which carry the most familiar names. For example, in the course of 2022 some record auction prices were set for diecast models made in Israel in the 1960s under the name Gamda. This relatively short-lived range was already rather out of date by the time it went on sale, as the models were made from redundant tooling from the UK, some of which was over a decade old which is why some of the items pictured here might ring a bell with collectors, even those who are not familiar with the Israeli issues. A key role was played in the economic development of the post-World War II Israeli state by the kibbutzim, which were self-governing communities based around agricultural work and,…

Along time ago in a galaxy far, far away (well, Grimsby in the 1980s, which arguably may as well have been a different planet to the rest of the UK) there was only one thing on my mind – Star Wars! After seeing the original film, my mind had been blown by the adventures of Luke Skywalker and his efforts to bring down the evil Empire. Everything in my bedroom was Star Wars themed, from the bed sheets to the curtains and probably even my underpants. But, of course, my favourite items were the wonderful toys created by Palitoy and also Kenner, with some of the greatest being the fantastic playsets by both companies. Here, we’ll take a look at some of the best and compare the differences between the…

IXO PORSCHE 911 RSR #56 2019 LE MANS 24 HOURS LMGTE-AM CLASS WINNER Price: £91.99 Scale: 1/18 Release: out now An absolutely incredible replication of the 2019 LMGTE-Am class winner - just look at those graphics. The real car looked amazing and Ixo has done a superb job. ›› www.ayrey.co.uk DIECAST MASTERS CATERPILLAR 966A WHEEL LOADER “VINTAGE SERIES” Price: £TBA Scale: 1/50 Release: out now A new range of vintage models that starts with the classic Cat 966A wheel loader, which is presented on a base with self-fit umbrella and in quality packaging. ›› www.diecastconstruction.co.uk More new releases reviewed at ccofgb.co.uk BBURAGO PORSCHE TAYCAN Price: £17.99 Scale: 1/24 Release: out now Superb value replica of Porsche 4-door masterpiece, with opening doors, excellent finish and wonderfully-detailed wheels, with brake calipers visible.…

Whether you’re an expert, novice or casual passer-by, pull up a chair and join us while we mull over the well-trodden ‘Facts of Train Collecting’. This knowledge, enshrined in cobwebs, needs to be regularly retold and passed down through the elders to the young 'uns, across generations, lest it become lost. Like traditional folk stories or tunes, these oral and written traditions are part of our social history. So, toy trains became collectable as a result of their historical significance, and nostalgia. They were supremely popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and many people have fond memories of playing with them as children. As we grew older and had disposable income, we began to collect toy trains as a way to reminisce about our childhoods. The craftsmanship…

In the last issue we looked at the Aero Constructor Outfits produced by Meccano’s Binns Road factory for the UK market between 1931 and 1941. In this second article we will chart some of the spin-off accessory sets, plus the Aero sets produced in the UK for export and by the Bobigny factory for the French market. Many of these items, by their very nature, were produced in smaller quantities than the main UK sets, and good examples tend to be harder to find today, making them very desirable to the serious collector. AERO CONSTRUCTOR ACCESSORIES There were a number of accessories released for the Aero Constructor models, all designed to add play value and realism to the models. The first were clockwork motors for the No. 1 and No.…

TINPLATE RESULTS RAILWAY RESULTS…

The name Bassett-Lowke is synonymous with model railways of quality. Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke (1877-1953) became the most famous manufacturer of model trains, ships, boats, construction sets and architectural models from 1900 to 1965, having originally founded the Northampton Model Making Company in 1898/99. The precision and quality of his models were such that they demanded high prices back in the days of their manufacture, just as they do in today’s world of model railways, collections and collectors. A major part of his business however was the mail order side, importing models from Germany, such as Bing, Märklin and Carette to sell in this country, in addition to contracting out the manufacture of models under the Bassett-Lowke trademark. His catalogues from those times are highly sought after by collectors these days.…

Vectis’ recent Matchbox Magic sale centred on our old friend Lesney, in all its guises. Stars of the show (predictably) were the pre-production models. In this instance, though, several had obviously been enjoyed by small hands in the past, for they most certainly were not mint and boxed. This, though, didn’t seem to deter the punters. Within this category, the surprise was a Superfast 67a Volkswagen 1600 TL pre-production colour trial boasting a metallic dark blue body and a bare metal base; this was in play worn condition yet realised a staggering £4,800. A Superfast 30b Beach Buggy pre-production colour trial, in metallic gold with clear windows and an ivory interior, reached £840. The Matchbox Regular Wheels 44b Rolls Royce Phantom V was also a factory preproduction colour trial: this…

The first New Year auction at Trains, Planes and Automobiles yielded a good array of diecast models. Star of the show was the quadruple Sports Cars Presentation Pack by Tri-ang’s Spot-on arm. This contained an excellent MGA in red, a cream Austin Healey with a few small blemishes, an excellent green Jaguar XK SS and a pale blue Triumph TR3 with some scuffs and marks. Also included was a Spot-On enamelled badge. Presented in a very good box with slight damage to two corners of the lid, this interesting set made $750. The Corgi 216M Austin A40, in red with black roof, was the friction-drive example. Aside from a few small chips and blemishes to the paintwork, it was very good in a very good box. It exceeded estimate, realising…

Far from a household name in the world of toys, John Hill & Co never reached the heights of its illustrious big brother William Britain. Yet, for over half a century John Hill & Co produced millions of affordable toys and will always remain in the history books, as one of Britain’s oldest and most prolific toymakers. Hill & Co was founded in 1898 by Mr F. H. Wood, who set up his business in premises at Britannia Row, Islington, North London, after gaining considerable knowledge and experience of hollow casting while employed at the William Britain factory. Mystery surrounds the reason why Wood named his new business John Hill & Co? The identity of this mystery person, if indeed he ever existed, remains unknown. As always, drop us a…

So, who watched Scouting for Toy’s on Yesterday TV? For those who aren’t aware, the series is a fly on the wall documentary of the famous Vectis Auctions (available on catch-up online). Many collectors would have bought and sold with them over the years or at the very least used their website as a reference point. The series has been truly fascinating and for a whole host of reasons. For example, watching collectors consign their whole collections for sale, many of which have been lifetime endeavours. It did make me re-evaluate my own reasons for collecting and to a lesser extent, how transient it all seemed. Wow, heavy stuff! It also transpired that there’s an ‘all or nothing’ approach to this situation, whereas I would be inclined just to hang…

Hi folks! It’s great to think that Easter is only seven weeks away, so spring is just around the corner. I can’t wait to get back to hunting for treasure around the big boot sales and flea markets once again. Mind you I have still been very active throughout this winter checking out as many indoor venues, shops and collectors’ events as I can and making some very good finds on my travels. I was on the way out of a charity shop recently in a small town not far from home when I noticed a very familiar looking toy in the window. It was a Dinky Toy Thunderbird Two so I popped back in and bagged it for a fiver. My thoughts immediately went back to an unanswered question…