Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2024 i Collectors Gazette

Astrange item that sold at Vectis recently was the Herbert Brighton (for Gamages) ventriloquist’s dummy/knee figure, dating from the 1920s or 1930s, complete with pamphlets, including a copy of 'VENTRILOQUISM FOR BEGINNERS' by Robertson Keene. The ventriloquist figure featured hand-painted papier-mâché hands, legs and head, and came wearing a wool tweed suit with an Eton collar. Other outfits were included with the fellow, who was finally knocked down for £1,347. Ideal for the collector or entertainer perhaps? Amongst the more desirable plush toys at the sale was a Charlie Bears Isabelle Collection Dusty panda bear, one of just 100, and with swing label certificate. Near mint, the bear raised £918. One of the scarcer Triang Spot-On models, the 258 Land Rover "RAC Radio Rescue", finished in blue with a red…

This month, in the first of our Cover Story mini series, we feature a classic Dinky that is difficult to better, even now, for good old blue-chip collectability. Our first cover is the September 8th 1950 issue of Autocar. Dinky started their new 40 series of British Post-War saloon cars with a Riley in July 1947. Two more, a Triumph Renown and a Standard Vanguard, appeared before the Devon that was first seen in the Meccano Magazine of January 1950. It was the time when cars were starting to become more colourful - real cars that is. This was not reflected in the Riley and Triumph models (perhaps it was too early) – there was grey on both, the blues and green very dark, and there was even black. Black was…

Emergency vehicles work very well indeed in dioramas as just the sight of one instantly conveys drama. It is easy to imagine plenty of situations where these will work well and here are just a few examples of scenes I have created over the years. There are also some excellent ready-made diorama sets that have been produced by Vanguards too. As you may have noticed during this series, I am a bit of a fan of Kingsway Models. John Howe’s designs are always accurate and easy to put together, and thankfully there are plenty on offer for use here. So I’ll start with the Kingsway Models 1/76 scale kit of Acton Fire Station (ref. ACT) – perfect for the Oxford Diecast 150 Years of London Fire Appliances set (76SET31) and…

Item: Lesney Matchbox Lincoln Continental MB31c Condition: original, unboxed and good, but with some play wear Sold for: £1,219.99 (24 bids) Item: Hot Wheels Mattel Redline Revvers Rrrumblers Preying Menace & Sidecar Condition: excellent to near mint, hard to find example with yellow rider Sold for: £761 (27 bids) Item: Corgi Gift Set 16 Ecurie Ecosse Racing Transporter and cars Condition: all models excellent, original boxes are good but showing signs of wear Sold for: £590 (11 bids) Item: Italian Furga My Little Pony Condition: good but head rotates, hair has been trimmed and there are some light scratches to body Sold for: £1,022.28 (25 bids) Item: Tri-ang Spot-On No.145 Routemaster Bus Condition: all original, boxed with collectors’ leaflet, very minor paint loss Sold for: £664 (16 bids) Item: Pelham…

There are, broadly speaking, two schools of thought about reproduction parts; some dislike the whole idea, feeling that they muddy the waters for conscientious collectors. Others feel that many a model has been saved from the bin by utilising them and that’s surely a good thing, right? This difference of opinion seems to cross all the toy categories too and it makes for interesting analysis. Dinky Toy collectors have probably had reproduction parts available longer than any other diecast collectors. Indeed, collectors of all the big three, Dinky, Corgi and Matchbox, along with even the more obscure manufacturers, have a roster of bits and pieces to call on. One thing I have noticed across the board is that of all the parts available, reproduction boxes are the most disliked. Given…

British Toy Auctions’ last sale included a scratch built 5 inch gauge Simplex style 0-6-0 steam locomotive, comprising green body with closed cab and bearing the name 'Eleanora'. The locomotive was built by Henry Webster (of Liverpool) over a period of years, and was dated 1967 to the front. Apparently the locomotive had been fired on a couple of occasions but was never actually run. With a pressure gauge in the cab, water level sight glass and controls, the impressive locomotive measured approximately 85cm and realised £1,400 plus premium. An unboxed vintage Pedigree Sindy doll accompanied by a red vanity case containing a large quantity of Sindy clothing and accessories dated from the 1980s. She sold for a respectable £600. From Classic Construction Models came a rare boxed, limited edition…

CORGI MODEL CLUB CHRYSLER IMPERIAL Scale: 1/52 Price: £39.99 Ref: 246 Includes a unique and ingenious ‘secret’ bonnet-opening mechanism, as well as opening doors, tilting seats, two figures, a set of golf clubs and caddy. » www.corgimodelclub.com CORGI JAMES BOND - Q GLIDER ‘NO TIME TO DIE’ Scale: 1/43 Price: £44.99 Ref: CC03601 A finely detailed replica, capturing the sleek design and spy-tech essence of the original. The wing mechanism is a very clever and unusual addition! » www.corgi.co.uk MATRIX MODELS JAGUAR XJR-S Scale: 1/43 Price: £118.99 Ref: MX41001-241 Matrix Models delve again into Britain’s motoring heritage with his well-appointed XJR-S. Authentically re-created inside and out, the finer detail is nicely captured. » www.matrixscalemodels.nl ESVAL MODELS 1958 PACKARD 58L 2-DOOR HARDTOP Scale: 1/43 Price: £90 Ref: EMUS43009A Great detail inside…

Royal Mail celebrated 50 years of the iconic roleplaying tabletop fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons with a special set of eight stamps on 25 July. Soon after the game was invented by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson in Wisconsin, USA, in 1974, it was imported to the UK by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson. Since then, through multiple editions and revisions, an estimated 64 million people around the world have rolled the dice in what is often cited as the first modern roleplaying game. At its heart, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a game that involves storytelling and improvisation. A group of players imagines the exciting journeys of a party of adventurers, with many key actions and moments dictated by the chance roll of a polyhedral die. One person in…

Afairly long time ago (twenty-five years to be exact) in a galaxy not very far away (this one, you’re likely unsurprised to learn) two juggernauts of popular culture came together in a licensing relationship that proved instantly and hugely popular. The combination of LEGO, the wildly successful brick building construction toy and Star Wars, the equally world-famous movie franchise, has spawned almost 1,000 building sets, 1,389 Minifigures, six video games and multiple animated series. A quarter of a century since its debut, the success of LEGO Star Wars shows no sign of waning, with new releases still rapidly increasing in value. It’s great news for collectors, as if you’re lucky enough to find older LEGO Star Wars sets in your loft you could be in for a payday, while ongoing…

The first Morris Mini Minor was released as model No.226 in February 1960. It was produced in a scale of 1/42. Unlike earlier Corgi models, which were released in all blue boxes, the Morris Mini Minor was sold in one of the new yellow and blue boxes. It had the latest ‘Glidamatic Spring Suspension’ and a realistic vacuum-formed interior, with seats and steering wheel. The Mini was issued in lilac blue or pale blue, and was to have a long and successful production run until 1968, when it was finally withdrawn, having achieved 1,667,000 sales. Every child in the land must have had this model in their toy box, either as a purchase or a hand me down - it was also issued as part of Gift Set GS1C, in…

A boxed Corgi Heavy Haulage Limited Edition #31014 Guy Invincible Long Platform Trailer, Pipe Load & Diamond T Ballast, Nicolas Bogies Vessel Load ‘Sunter Brothers’. Appears to be in mint condition with many of parts still wrapped in original packaging, comes with certificate numbering the set 1543 of 3800, appears to have accessories. Within a good overall lift off lid box with some wear. Sold for £40, British Toy Auctions, July. A boxed Corgi Heavy Haulage Limited Edition #31013 ‘A.L.E.’ Scammell Contractor (x2) with Nicolas Bogie Trailer & Slug Catcher Load. In mint condition with many of parts still wrapped in original packaging, comes with certificate numbering the set 1022 of 5000, appears to have accessories. Within a fair plus - good overall lift off lid box. Sold for £40,…

Excalibur’s specialist sale in July was largely concerned with paper ephemera, amongst which cinema quads (those big posters that you see advertising the film showing at your local fleapit) featured strongly. For lovers of smutty, knockabout seaside British humour, no fewer than eight Carry On quads appeared: Carry on Dick raised £130, with Carry on Matron not far behind at £120. Cheapest of the bunch was a quad from 1971: the Carry on Henry poster featured Sid James with his chopper (!), and it sold for just £38. A single sheet promoting the 1974 Young Frankenstein production was bid to £220; and £200 was the winning bid on a quad promoting Rambo First Blood, depicting Sylvester Stallone in all his macho glory. The serious money, though, went on signed memorabilia: an…

Warwick and Warwick reported an excellent sale in July, with many interesting lots that were not regularly seen in its sales. These included Action Man as well as Brumm, Spark and Spot-On diecast models. Some well painted kit-built locomotives were also sold. Perhaps the highlight was Lot 458, a Spot-On Morris Mini Van (No. 404), which featured a yellow body with a red interior, a ladder and a figure. A window cleaner? You decide; whatever, it sold for an impressive £725. Amongst the Corgi lots in the auction was a Corgi Mini Cooper Rally No.227 finished in primrose yellow with a white roof and the bonnet decorated with flags. This was contested to £120. Corgi’s The Saint's Volvo P1800 (No.258) was another popular lot; its white body included a black…

Although Germany had capitulated in mid-1945, it was not until America brought atomic fission into play that Japan finally surrendered, effectively ending hostilities within the Asian theatre. The UK, China, the US and the USSR had all been involved in discussions on Japan’s post-war status prior to the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima; but in the event, when it came to peacetime administration, it was the US that took the lead. Thus in September 1945, General Douglas MacArthur took charge of the Supreme Command of Allied Powers (known as SCAP), and set about the work of rebuilding Japan. JAPANESE PRODUCTION If you read my last article on toys produced in Germany during the occupation years (Collectors Gazette, August 2024 issue), you will know that the period effectively ended in 1952.…

My memories of Meccano Magazine date back to the early 1960s, those wonderful pre-computer days when boys had myriad of hobbies and pastimes to share and enjoy. Despite its title, constructing models from Meccano was, by then, just a small part of the overall content of what lay within the pages of this wonderful magazine, eagerly awaited each month. I loved opening the first page to reveal the inside cover, festooned with a splendid array of Dinky Toys, all in full colour. And there were yet more to drool over on the outside back page, many of which were exciting new releases. The first few pages were always dedicated to advertisements for toys and games before the main event began with an introduction by the Editor, who I then recall…

Almost as soon as superheroes arrived on the scene so too did these characters appear in other commercial products. Initially aimed at children, what better product to start with than confectionery? We take it for granted now but using characters for commercial gain started off slowly. Like most collecting fields, the early character candy tie-ins came from America. Superman had his own bubble gum and sweets in the early 1940s but surprisingly Batman and Captain Marvel/Shazam were not taken up by industry. In fact, the early days of superheroes were treated as just another fad so it was established figures like movie stars or baseball players who were of more interest to manufacturers. In Britain, tieins were rare but Milky Way bars in the late 1930s had movie picture cards…

Meet the National Association of Road Transport Modellers – or NARTM for short, which was founded in 1983 to foster the interests of commercial haulage vehicle modellers. The club welcomes anyone who is into this type of modelling, be it diecast collectors, kit builders, diecast converters and scratch builders – regardless of scale or materials used. The NARTM has around 250 members dotted all around the UK and beyond, with area groups in the Manchester, South Cheshire, North Staffordshire, Yorkshire, North and South Wales areas. They have an active online presence and a quarterly A5 magazine – the NARTM Gazette filled with articles, projects and more – written by its members for its members. The NARTM came about almost by accident back in the early 1980s, as the founder and…