Richard---A wonderful day for you indeed.....those both look very nice and am sure you will give them a good home.
Best regards, Terry

Greetings!

Part of what came in the mail a few weeks ago from Somerset, in the UK, this nice 29 Motor Bus - together with four other post-war models, 174 Hudson Hornet, 175 Hillman Minx, 192 Porsche 356A and a 192 De Soto Fireflite, all in impeccable condition including their boxes.

Cheers

Bruce   (150)

21 February 2016

#785

Bruce--That's a very nice 29 Bus.....you don't see too many of those these days.  And your other finds sound like a good score for you....nice!

       Best regards, Terry

Thanks Terry - here are the other four models that arrived with the Motor Bus. All are in excellent to virtually mint condition including their boxes. The Porsche has been added to my other three examples in cream, red and cerise (or is it deep pink).  The 174 Hudson Hornet still contained an application form for the old Dinky Toys Club which I have never seen before as an insert. The 192 Desoto has always been one of my favourite Dinky Toys.

As mentioned in another Topic, my own 192 Desoto Fireflite has accompanied my wife and I as our "good luck charm" on every journey away from home, starting with our first visit to the United Kingdom in 2005 and its return to where it was brought to "life" off Binns Road, Liverpool. Since then she has travelled at least  a staggering 312,575 air kilometers!  Then add the road distances during our six overseas tours, and the distance approaches 400,000 kilometers!

Kind regards

Bruce   (150)

21 February 2016

#788

Bruce--Those all look to be in wonderful condition. I was able to buy all of those when they were first issued, and I still have them and their boxes. My Porsche is the cream color....I sure like your blue better!
Best regards, Terry

Today another Fire Engine with Extending Ladder rushed into my house, still different from the existing fleet members. A nice fit into my renovated display section. But where to accommodate the desired one in visipac box in the future? Kind regards, Jan  

Jan---A very nice new arrival for your expanding collection of Commer Fire Engines. It is interesting to follow the continued development and evolution of this neat model, with so many variations between the model, boxes, and tires, plus the late advent of windows. I have recently purchased an example myself, but have not received it yet, so will post a better report on it after its arrival. But after looking at the provided photos and description, can offer the following comments on it. I also purchased this from a very reputable dealer in Britian, so I trust the provenance. It is a later model, with windows, gloss baseplate, grey block treaded tires, and a striped box......but with no reference to windows. If the box belongs with the model, and the model is totally mint, then it would have to be a very early windows issue, before the boxes were changed to show that. From your chart, it also appears that the grey, block treaded tires could also appear earlier. I would guess that there is a supposition that this came with an earlier, incorrect box....that is always possible, but it would seem odd to have a very mint model without its box. I will try to contact the selling house/dealer to see if they can query the former owner, to see if any comment is offered about the box.
I also went back and looked at my own, much earlier received Commer Fire Engine. This was a gift/purchase from very early in my Dinky collecting life......I am guessing from 1955, when I would have been 10 years old. It appears different from your early ones in that it has the black radial tires and is in the early, striped box, with only 555 present on the label. At time of sale, someone wrote in by hand the new number 955. So this sounds like another minor variation for your chart. Let me know if you would like any photos of it.
Best regards, Terry

Hello Terry, thanks for your comment. Everything you sum up makes it plausible that your new addition is fully sound and with its original box. There was always an intermediary period that boxes and models did not match completely because older surplus stock of boxes or models had to be used. And this is very understandable. The only thing is that the quality inspection stamp inside the box must reasonably support the original match of box and model, even if they do not match in the way you mention: model with windows, but no statement of that on the box.

Of my 'parade' above the top second from the right certainly is no match, because the box (Dinky Toys - 955) is of early 1955, whereas the model shows characteristics of a significantly later date, ca. 1957, when the lighter grey for hose details came into use. 

The present new addition is slightly below my quality standards, but good and interesting enough at this moment. A thorough cleaning, however, made it look even considerably better than 'as offered'. Like the mismatch mentioned, it may possibly be replaced by a better one in the future. Kind regards, Jan 

Just received a new Dinky in the mail today, and was able to take a few quick photos of it.  This is the French Dinky Toy 545, DeSoto Diplomat, made from 1960 through 1963, so not very long.  This is another model that is definitely on the "back end" of my collecting interest, which normally runs to about 1959 or so, but I really do like this model, so decided it would be a good fit.  I will post more under the proper heading but wanted to show this as a new acquisition.

          Best regards,  Terry

Oooh that's nice Terry. The paint looks superb

Dave

Dave....Thanks..I think that color combo works well with the model, and I have always liked the French use of some metallic colors. I also have the later Chrysler Saratoga, but I really like this model better, as the Chrysler is to a larger scale, and just not as attactive to me.
Best regards, Terry

Hi Terry, this is a beauty, not very easy to find in this condition. For me this category of Dinky Toys is also beyond my era of collecting, but paradoxically I have quite some of them, because they were my real original childhood favourites. So, no doubt my example has made a lot more miles/kilometers than yours, but it is still surviving in quite an acceptable condition, like most of its fellow post-1960 French Dinky Toys. My brother's Lincoln Premiere is its companion, because we got both Dinkies as a present at the same Sint Nicolaas evening of 1962. The Lincoln, however, got a 'repaint treatment' in our 'experimental period' following the real childhood years. The result was so horrible that I put it away in a drawer for many years. Until last year, when another Dinky loving acquaintance - a very good restorer - offered to rehabilitate it for me and now the couple are side by side in my display again after many decades of separation. Because of this shared history this is the only restoration I have in my displays. Congratulations with your happy find and kind regards, Jan 

Jan.....thanks for the nice compliment. I was very fortunate to find a very nice one with a good box. That is a great story with yours and its companion Lincoln, and nice that you were able to have it restored like new. I also do not normally collect restored Dinky's, but several years ago I had all 5 of my first ones (from Christmas 1951) restord to like new, as they were so worn and damaged they were beyond displaying. But they are also so special and have been faithful companions for almost my entire life. Now, like you, I can enjoy them, and they have a special place in my display.

Jan....one additional comment: I noticed that your DeSoto Diplomat box has that diamond shaped opening cut into the space between the words "Dinky Toys". Mine also has that also, but I have never heard of it before, or even heard it mentioned. Do you or others have any insight on that? Did it occur on other boxes?
Best regard, Terry

Hi Terry and Richard, commenting on this open colour lozenge I have made a new topic/post within the 'French boxes' forum. As it probably is neither considered to be a 'new forum topic', nor a 'recent comment', is does not show up (yet?) in the left hand column here. Kind regards, Jan  

A New Arrival, or actually, a recent arrival is this 155 Ford Anglia in green. The turquoise example next to it (with its own yellow box) arrived in the same carton.

I'm not sure where the green example fits in with the order of things as it did not come with a promotional mailing box, so it could not be a Nabisco promotion as detailed in Adrian's excellent Thread/Topic on the Anglia, and it is not grey so it is not a Promotional Model produced especially for the Ford Motor Co. It also did not come in as suggested by Ramsay's Price Guide in a yellow box with a green spot, so where does it fit in with the order of things??

One clue may be its "rivets" - they are not domed but "dimpled". I believe Adrian has at least one 155 with similar rivets.

So I am open to ideas!  (I will (eventually!)  post these and more images of this green 155 Ford Anglia in the appropriate Thread/Topic.

Bruce

(150)20160305/825/0246

This has been a good couple of months for new Dinky's in my collection, and just this week, another one arrived:  The French Dinky 24Q Ford Vedette, in the wonderful color of metallic silver-blue.  I will do a thorough write-up on this nice model in its proper place, but will show a few of the photos I just finished taking.  This is my second 24Q, with my first one purchased new from H. Hudson Dobson around 1959, and still in nearly mint condition.  It has always been a favorite of mine, largely because of this new one's color in metallic silver-blue.  The French factory used several different colors and shades of metallic colors in the mid-1950's, and I think to good effect.

       Best regards,  Terry

Nice Baroclem, Richard, seems to be an archaeological find!

My newcomer below came in today and is slightly brighter. Some more comment soon, in the appropriate topic thread, and some more photos, when daylight permits. Kind regards, Jan 

Jan---That looks very lovely.....a really like that red color on it, and it looks to be in quite wonderful condition. With those black radial tires, would guess early 1950's?
Best regard, Terry