Hello Jan,

There are four special Dinky toy France catalogues 1939, March, Mai, September and December. All have the name Hotchkiss and this is a misprint of course. All other Meccano product catalogues and booklets have the correct name Auto de course. The Meccano 1939 products catalogue even has the correct name. just a error in these leaflets. You also can find the December leaflet at the DTCA site under catalogues.

John.

Hi Jan,

the 23b "Auto de course profilée" was first issued in 1935 and only in France. At first, there were smooth cast hubs mounted with DUNLOP tyres in the colour of the racing stripes of the model. After ca. 1937 white neutral tyres where fitted and then, in ca. 1939, metal wheels. A post-war re-issue appeared in 1949, named "Auto de course fermée", again with cast hubs and black rubber tyres.

There never was a pre-war french 23b "Hotchkiss". It was first issued in 1949, after the british mould was shipped to France. At first, metall wheels were fitted, replaced by cast hubs with black tyres in 1950.

Hope this helps.

Walter

Hello Jan,

I will try to give more information on this subject. As we all know Meccano France had his own production line on Dinky Toys. These were marked made in France.From the beginning in 1934 the Meccano booklets and leaflets had UK models printed inside and were for sale. I will use the UK names for the models as the French can be confused.

  In 1934 we can find trains No 18, 20 and 21. From my own collection I can see that they are marked Made in France, both Hornby and Dinky toys. The racer 23a also was offered and marked Made in France. Further Shepard set and Animals are advertised but I do not know if these were produced in France.

  In 1935 No 51 Famous Liners and Queen Mary were offered and these were all UK productions. Only the Queen Mary was available for a short time in a box with French language.

  In 1936 we find advertised trains 17, 18, 20, 21. For sure these were made in France. Also Flotte de guerre is offered, Ships of the British Navy, and despite the text in the leaflets is printed in French language, I have never find a box with French text.

  In 1937 we find the Furniture sets, Mobilier miniature, offered. I have only found furniture with made in England in boxes.

  1938 Jouets d’ete of Mai 1938 shows more UK models. 30g Caravan, 151a Tank, 152a Tank, 23c Mercedes, 23d Auto Union, 23e Speed of the Wind, 23m Thunderbold, 60h Singapore flying boat, 60m Four engined flying boat, 60w Clipper III, 60r Empire Flying boat, 25h Fire engine. In Le livre du meilleurs jouets 1938 all these UK models are also offered. I have found these models at swapmeets in France and the Paris shops but never marked made in France. I presume Meccano Liverpool wanted to export more models also to France. Keep in mind that the UK Dinky models were exported to many countries except France. On the other hand no French models were exported until 1938 to England and so we find none of the french models in catalogues pre war in Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Spain etc. before 1938.  

  1939 Dinky toy leaflet March Le jouet du collectionneur, also May and December, showed more UK models. The range was extended with: 62k Airspeed Envoy, 62p Ensign, 62w Frobisher, 62n Junkers Ju 90, 63 Mayo Composite, 161 Mobile anti aircraft unit, 162 18-pounder quick firing unit, 29b Streamline bus. I presume all these were UK productions. The pictures in the leaflets and catalogues 1938 were the same as in the UK catalogues. With one exception. The new Hotchkiss 23b was, as Jan already mentioned, the picture of the Renault car. I have no explanation for this. Maybe Meccano wanted to take advantage of the results of the French Hotchkiss racing cars and did not find it very important to show the right model or just forgot to send a lead printing plate to Meccano France. The few pre war Hotchkiss models I have bought in France are marked Made in England. So I think some could have exported to France but not many.

  In 1939 two very rare boxes were offered. No 62 Coffret Avions with UK and French planes. Coffret 70 Locomotion moderne with Arc en Ciel, Dunkerque, Normandie, Autorail and Hotchkiss de course. A picture of these boxes are in the leaflets and the Hotchkiss was pictured as the previous Renault car 23b. One box 62 and 70 has turned up recently and this caused the question was a Hotchkiss or a Renault car in this box 70. As WW II had started it is not obvious that after end of 1939 UK models were exported to France. So I think in this box 70, if ever produced for sale, a Renault car was in it.

  Pricelist Meccano France September 1940 list model 23b again as Auto de course profilée and this must have been the Renault model and not a Hotchkiss because of the war. My post war models with metal wheels are all marked made in France.

John.