Ordered as early as mid-November this lovely example of the final edition of the well-known maroon Horse Box, now in bright grey and yellow, arrived just before Christmas. Both the UK vendor and myself became almost desperate if it would ever arrive at all. Fortunately it turned out to become an unexpected major Christmas present this way - and the final Dinky addition for this year.

Strictly spoken this 1961 issue is a little beyond my collecting era, but it's a logical extension of the primary no. 581 Horse Box issue of 1953, and it is a really beautiful clean, near mint gem in the old 'without windows' and without any 'extra features' tradition. Both plastic horses are still sealed in their little plastic bag included (the only plastic items).

Most probably extremely busy parcel services because of a combination of Christmas, Brexit and the pandemic caused this unusual long delay, which I have never experienced before. Very happy after all! Kind regards, Jan

Jan--Very nice, and as you said, a logical extension of your normal collecting era, and very fortunately without the windows and the later plastic wheels too.  A great way to end your collecting year and a really nice Christmas present!

     Best regards,  Terry

What a reflief! The loss of that model would have been sad, since it is not an easy find, especially in that condition.

Here is my final arrival for 2020 ... not a hard model to find, and not in pristine condition, but I didn't have one with the tan decks before ...

Best wishes to all for a better New Year!!

Jonathan---That may not be perfect, but it does look very nice, especially in that nice scene.  I have come to like these early versions, even better than the later two-color versions.  A very nice, late in the year ad to your growing collection.  You have added a number of very nice Dinky's this year!
    Best regards,  Terry

Terry, thank you for your comments -- so very kind as always. I must admit that I get no credit for the scene as it is just a picture of the model sitting on the fence belonging to a deck at the rear of the house, with our customary view of Fremont Peak behind.

I'm afraid I can offer neither such a scenery nor similar weather conditions for my Christmas addition. It's dark, dull, cold and wet here, circumstances which would hardly contribute to the presentation and preservation of a vintage Dinky Toy. Anyway, a very nice early Pullmore you have there indeed, Jonathan.

As my new horse box is concerned, after one month the seller and I had agreed on a refund already. Then, only a few days after this refund was done by him the model arrived, and I re-refunded the money immediately. You can imagine both of us were very happy with the positive outcome of this adventure in the end. Kind regards, Jan 

The weather is finally miserable (dare I say almost British?) here today so I could only photograph the first arrival of 2021 in the display space I carved out for it. (Hence, bad light and poor depth of field -- sigh.)

Jonathan--Congratulations on another nice Aston Martin DB3S.  That one was always one of my favorites in that nice little series of sports/touring cars from England.  Did you make room by just crowding a bit more?
     Best regards,  Terry

Two fine additions arrived today, both real beauties. In order to avoid unpredictable initial import complications I bought these from a fellow-countryman. The no. 735 Gloster Javelin was present already, but I fell for the untouched, clean, creaseless new box. There is only a very neatly written tiny note on it stating the date of acquisition by the initial owner: 11.12.58. I like these small evidences of a model's history. I did not have a Peugeot 203 yet. This one to accompany my 403 and the 403 'familiale'. I do not intend to collect the numerous variations of this model, so I prefer this one, of which I like the colour and the shiny hubs best. 

Jan--Congratulations on your new acquisitions....both very nice!  The Peugeot 203 was one of my earlier French Dinky Toys 
purchases.....I bought mine in 1958 from H. Hudson Dobson, and was rewarded with the same wonderful color.....Petrol Blue, which happens to be my favorite too.  The French Meccano factory did another very nice job with this model....it's a very nice rendition of the real car.

      Best regards,  Terry

Terry --yes, it was a combination of more crowding and moving a collection of 410 Bedford Vans to another display case. 
 

Jan, what a wonderful Peugeot. If I ever find one of these I would like that color too!

Two arrivals today ...

Jon—-Both very nice! I especially like the Mercedes in that color.....much nicer than the white I have.
Best regards,
Terry

Yes, I had only the white too, and I agree that the silver is nicer. Meantime the French Austin-Healey should have been a nicer color,     but as you know this is the only color they produced.

This morning they arrived: two proof copies of a tiny little 40 pages 10x13 cm booklet, showing all my additions over the past year.

It looks great - in my opinion. I can recommend you trying yourself. They cost only 15 euros each, the mail included, and the quality is superb! Kind regards, Jan