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ORIGINAL MECCANO DINKY TOYS FACTORY BOX ART 175 HILLMAN MINX SALOON + DRAWING

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New arrivals (cont...)

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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On 29 April I announced the pending arrival of a number of new additions, one of which was a 170 Ford Fordor Sedan “Highline” in pink and blue.

Well, she arrived from the United States, very well packaged in its box, so I thought I would show a before and now series of pictures of her. 

The first picture is the image that appeared on the eBay website, and the second, taken in the hope of replicating the eBay image is how she looks now following a nice warm bath with plenty of soap, TLC and a good drying down! Unfortunately I could not quite replicate the lighting or focal length, but it is close enough!

Quite a difference, and I can understand why those who were my competitors considered it was not worth very much as the final price was very, very pleasing!  I replaced the white non-original tyres with original, Meccano treaded tyres following its bath, and the result is very pleasing. (Or at least it pleases its new owner!) It is not mint, or near mint, but it is near enough for my pocket money!

Bruce H.   (150)

20171305/1098/1435

binnsboy650
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DTCA MemberUK

Bruce, she looks considerably better for a wash and brush up. I'm surprised that the seller didn't do the same thing. If I were selling my car, at the very least I'd run it through the car wash. Well done for seeing through the superficial grime.

You mention that it's a 'Highline'. I remember that the prototype MkII Ford Consul came in Highline and Lowline versions but how do the Dinky Fords differ and is the difference obvious?

Cheers

John P.

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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John

Many thanks for your kind words with my latest Ford.  I have found that not many sellers on eBay really bother with cleaning the models they are selling, and in many cases, this "compliments" an equally attrocious photograph!  It is almost as if he/she does not really care whether the model sells or not. Those that do take the extra effort, particularly when an uncommon model is on offer usually sets a very high price!

Here are the differences between "Highline" and "Lowline".

This is the "Highline" version - it was issued first when the bright two-tone colours were introduced in March 1956. However, apparently the masking process created an unexpected problem on the shop floor when it came to the actual painting as there were no guidelines to be used when positioning the mask.  The problem was solved when it was decided to lower the mask in line with the existing cast line that represented the mould or chrome strip on the real car, and as a result, the process became known as "Lowline".  As far as I am aware, it is only modern-day collectors that have given us this terminology.

You will notice with the above, the line before the front wheel arch is not straight due to the lack of some form of guide on the casting. Other models were also treated similarly with "Highline" and "Lowline" painting, such as the 172 Studebaker Land Cruiser. and the 171 Hudson Commodore.

(You will also notice that the base colour pink is more of a fawn colour, which is unusual. When this model went into the paint shop, the system had most likely not been thoroughly flushed, the result being a slightly different shade than normal due to an accidental mixing of the true pink with some other lighter colour paint. Being a toy, this did not matter as after a few models had been sprayed, the actual pink started showing. The paint underneath and inside the body is exactly the same as on top, so there has not been any fading.)

The "Lowline" was introduced at least by July1957, the date when the 1957 catalogue was printed, although the design of this would have taken several months prior to that. With the "Highline" version only being issued for a little over 12 months, and the "Lowline" from 1957 to when the model was deleted sometime after October 1959 it can be seen that the "Highline"would have had far less manufactured which explains why this version is less common these days. (Some collectors consider that both versions are uncommon!)

Mike and Sue Richardson's tome, "The Great Book of Dinky Toys" is an excellent source of information should you wish to read more on the history and development of Dinky Toys. Unfortunately, it is long out of print although a copy may be found through www.amazon.com, or a good second-hand book store. 

Kind regards

Bruce H.   (150)

20171405/1099/0046

 

 

dinkyfan's picture
dinkyfan
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Bruce---Very nice buy, and it sure cleaned up nice. It is amazing how well a little soap and water can restore a somewhat dingy model. I have the red and cream low-line version, and it came new with smooth tires. Did these high lines come later and always with the treaded tires? By the way, I sure never liked those heavily treaded tires, either white or black. To me, they were too heavy and clunky for the automobiles they were used on; fine for a Jeep or a truck. Congrats on a nice addition! Attached here is a photo of my low-line version, purchased new from H. Hudson Dobson around 1958.

Best regards,
Terry

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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Fine addition, Bruce! A seller must not manipulate a model in order to make it look better than it is, but I cannot understand why some take no trouble at all to make it look as good as it really is by a simple mild cleaning action. Well, advantage for you! 

The box looks good too. I agree with Terry that the treaded tyres have a rather heavy duty looks. Of course these do occur on the later two-tone Fordor models, but most (if not all) highlines I can discover quickly on the internet show the more friendly looking smooth tyres. Kind regards, Jan 

binnsboy650
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Thank  you Bruce for a comprehensive answer to my query. It's obvious now that you've pointed it out but I somehow had it in mind that the difference was in the casting. Doh! 

I have an all tan example of the Ford and an all blue Studebaker but perhaps you'd like to see my multi-coloured Studebaker? It began life as an all blue example but, from the evidence that I uncovered while stripping it, it has obviously had a chequered career. I've tried to determine which colour came before the next but it's proved tricky. Suffice to say it has been Blue, Dark Green, Orange, White, Pink, and ultimately Matt Black. Discovering all these layers was a surprise and I made the decision not to proceed any further with restoring this rather battered example and to leave it as it is. It's history is there for all to see and, to be honest, it's grown on me.

What do you think?

laugh

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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AustraliaDTCA Member

John - I am with you and the layers of history your Studebaker presents!  A shame to strip it all the way back to bare metal and then carry out a thorough restoration.

I guess we all have a Dinky Toys that is in bad need of some real TLC. Take for instance my brother's 39a Packard below which I inherited a couple of months ago together with more of my own collection that was returned at the same time: 

Now this is a Dinky Toy that has received countless layers of house paint!  It started life if I can recall, as a deep brown or maroon. During its service, the rear axle has been replaced by Dad with a 2" nail, skillfully soldered and the excess removed.

Somehow, a piece from the near-side front mudguard has become lost as too a section from the rear mudguard as well. Not to mention both headlamps are missing, and they have been MIA ever since I can remember playing with it.

Of the paint, traces of yellow, red and black apart from the exterior grey can be seen. I am afraid I was responsible for the grey, as I was not fussed with the colour it covered! I vaguely recall that grey was the new colour of our guttering in the early 1950s!

I think this is another job for the in-house archaeologist to handle!

Afterwards we can then turn our attention to my brother's 39c Lincoln Zephyr although it is not in as bad a shape as the poor old Packard!

Cheers

Bruce   (150)

20172005/1103/0302

 

 

dinkycollect's picture
dinkycollect
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DTCA MemberFrance

Bruce

Very interesting article about the high and low line but what about the middle line of the 139 b Hudson ?

Jacques.

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Regards to you, Jacques!

John, it seems a new branch of Dinky research has arisen: Dinky archaeology!

I have lived in an older house in Amsterdam, dating from 1902. The walls were covered with a thick layer of wall-paper. Going deeper and deeper, peeling layer after layer, we discovered designs going back well into the 1920s!

But this is obviously a Dinky Toy. Counting the layers, the blue must be the deepest, oldest paint layer indeed, and this fits well into the colour scheme that was used in the period 1954-1955 (a green and a blue colour). Besides, of all shades of colours showing up it is the only original colour ever used on a Studebaker Land-Cruiser anyway. Nice demonstration of a Dinky's eventful life! Kind regards, Jan 

binnsboy650
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DTCA MemberUK

Jan, I propose you as Professor of Dinky Archaeology.  The wheels of the Studebaker were originally the colour (Stone?) of the blue car above. I'm glad that the original colour wasn't a rare or unknown variation.

I think we all wish that there was a method for removing one layer of paint at a time that just left the original paint. I have several 23 series racers that have been painted, over what was surely undamaged paint. The beautiful original colours are still under there but impossible to reveal - certainly not by scraping with an archaeologist's trowel. :(

 

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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AustraliaDTCA Member

Greetings from Down Under

Further to the comment I made on 7 May in this Topic when I collected many parcels from the post office, I am continuing with providing more work for them!  The following arrived in the mail yesterday.

The first is the “pick of the crop”, even though she is a little chipped, more so on one side than the other, is this very uncommon 145 Singer Vogue in lemon/primrose yellow or whatever yellow name Meccano used.

It arrived together with the following three Dinky Toys from Sheffield.

I was quite eager to unpack this equally uncommon 582/982 Pullmore Car Transporter in all mid-blue, as the photographs did not really match its description, but needless to say, I am delighted with its condition. Next to come hopefully, is a correct box!

The next to be unwrapped was this late issue 670 Armoured Car with its plastic hubs and light yellow end-flap box, which judging on the flaps the model has hardly seen the light of day since it was made in 1969. Does anyone know of a toy shop named REDGATES?

The last to be unwrapped from the first parcel was a 449 Chevrolet El Camino Pick-Up Truck whose description was very near mint with an equally excellent box.  I can concur with that description.

The next parcel to receive my attention was from an eBay seller in the United Kingdom, who was selling on behalf of Piers Motley the remaining models from the late John Kinchen Collection.  Although I occasionally pick up a French Dinky, I mainly concentrate on the Liverpool productions, but with its heritage, I could not pass this one up having been owned by John.  At first I thought the seller was playing on the name of a great collector, until I downloaded the model when it was first offered at auction by Piers Motley, and it is indeed one and the same.  So here it is, warts and all!

Quite a mixed bag I admit, but I am sure you all will agree with me, it contained two models which are difficult to find, especially the 145, as I have been looking for an example for about 20 years.

There were two other parcels, but these contained models from the Tin Tin range from Atlas!

Kind regards

Bruce H.   (150)

20171805/1101/1224

 

 

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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Hello Bruce, from 'up there'. These are nice additions. I can imagine that in some instances the provenance of a model is even more fascinating than the model itself. Some models are from famous collections where they spent all, or much of their previous life, others wander all over the world before they finally land in your collection. If I can trace that track, or part of it, I am really very happy and add those data to my catalogue.

Somewhere in the world an example of the nice all mid-blue Pullmore Car Transporter which you found must still be waiting to join my collection ... I hope it is in excellent condition, boxed, and affordable ... and that it will not take too much time before that moment is there! Kind regards, Jan 

 

Richard's picture
Richard
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DTCA MemberFrance

Hi Bruce.

I like very much you Pullmore ! it's seems as new.

Here under are my "new arrivals"

As you know, I already had the Ford Vedette but this one is much better and has just some little paint chips.

Cheers

johnnyangel's picture
johnnyangel
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DTCA MemberUSA

This Corsair arrived in the post today, and I must say it is the most chipped Dinky Toy I have ever purchased. The paint looked bad in the eBay photo, and then it was probably made even worse by the fact that the seller shipped it to me in a padded bag instead of a proper box.

The reason why I am happy to have the model, at least as a placeholder, is not only that the light blue colour on this car is harder to find, but also that this is the version -- with the driver figure -- that came in the elusive Fun Ahoy gift set. I purchased a sample of the relevant Healey Sports Boat, with its added figures, several years ago.

Unfortunately whether because of the poor packing or a previous rough life, the figure is adrift inside the car. Thanks to the Corsair's opening windows, there is some hope of grabbing it and forcing it down onto the hole in the driving seat, but even if I can find the right tool, that is a test of dexterity I may never pass!!

 

micromodels's picture
micromodels
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DTCA Member



G'day all,

I have just reeived another version of the Dinky 956/2 (Berliet) Turn-table Fire Escape. This came about when I noticed my existing verioin had a rivet behind the cab that went right through the chassis, replacing the screw of the original. So I did an impromptu survey on eBay 956/2s and found that half had the rivet and half didn't. So I managed to secure an unriveted one for a reasonable price and postage (some postage costs are above the original cost of the item!). It has now arrived and the reason for the rivet replacing the screw is obviously because if the screw is removed (by little hands?), the thin plastic chassis is likely to break at that point. The frame has also been reinforced at that point as well.

Ron F

dinkycollect's picture
dinkycollect
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DTCA MemberFrance

Photographed on July 16, 2008 at the Musée des Pompiers de Haute Savoie.

 

This is the real one. The museum contains fire engines only and is situated about 20 mile from Geneva. Behind the photographer is one of the only two Delahaye (32d / 899) fire escapes of this type made.

dinkyfan's picture
dinkyfan
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DTCA MemberUSA

Jacques--Great photo.....thanks for sharing that with us!
Best regards, Terry

Richard's picture
Richard
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DTCA MemberFrance

Arrived this morning from ....... ITALY !

Normal for an Alfa Roméo smiley

Kind regards

Richard

Richard's picture
Richard
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DTCA MemberFrance

and today the winner is ..........smileycheekyyesheart

at last !! now the family is complete !

kind regards

Richard

dinkycollect's picture
dinkycollect
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DTCA MemberFrance

Richard,

Most peculiar, the flag should be on the right hand side as your other one, not the left.

Any way, it looks very good.

Jacques (100)

johnnyangel's picture
johnnyangel
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DTCA MemberUSA

I wonder how that happened to the flag?

To pick another nit regarding this sample, the roundel on the bonnet ornament is missing, as you certainly have noticed. That little item is a sore point with me because when I purchased a factory-fresh sample of this model many years ago, it didn't have the roundel either. I was young with steady hands then and created my own replacement, with fairly good success.

Perhaps someone sells a replica these days? But I mention it, Richard, to inspire you to hunt inside the model's box. Perhaps it fell off while in storage and is still adrift inside ...

Richard's picture
Richard
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DTCA MemberFrance

Hi Jacques. 

Yes, I know that the flag is on the right side but it was my way to make the difference between both models when shooting.

Yes Johnny,  we can find replica on the web.

I was surprise to see that the french commentary on the yellow box is translated in german, dutch and italian ! but not in english !

Cheers

johnnyangel's picture
johnnyangel
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DTCA MemberUSA

During this era French Dinky Toys were not being sold in the UK or the United States, except in the latter case through a very few specialist dealers who imported them directly. So the lack of English on the box is maybe not so surprising!

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

No vehicle this time, but one of those Modelled Miniatures based 'O' scale sets, the post-war Dinky Toys no. 2 Farmyard Animals set. I love those little green boxes, if possible with the contents still tied up, as they have been for over sixty years already. Just the no. 3 Passengers set wanting, if possible to find in similar condition (and affordable). I'll post some more details in the relevant thread soon. Kind regards, Jan 

RSSierra
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DTCA MemberNew Zealand

Hi Guys

The pre / early post war lot shown on the previous page finally arrived, close ups in the album at the link below:

http://s171.photobucket.com/user/rssierra/library/rssierra010?sort=3&page=1

Cheers

Davd

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Well, David, these look really great and appear to have been worth some patience to see them arrive. Congrats and kind regards, Jan 

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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No vehicle once more, nevertheless something I have eagerly been looking out for, after quite some layout and printing trials in the past few months: the printed-on-demand, hard cover version of my 2016 catalogue supplement arrived today! It is executed in exactly the same way as the previous combined 2010-2015 supplement. By using less thin paper for 2016 I managed to keep both volumes (resp. 154 and 75 pages) on equal thicknesses (two snapshots included). I consider to take a demonstration copy with me to Derby, within a fortnight from now. Kind regards, Jan 

Jan Oldenhuis's picture
Jan Oldenhuis
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Jan, congratulations with the definitiv print of the book about your collection.

I have read the pre-production and had never seen such a beautiful book about a personal Dinky Toys collection before. Of course, your experience as a conservator will be useful to you in your hobby and will be seen back in the quality and content of your book.

I admire people who have the quality to produce such beautiful things and spend so much time to collect details and produce articles and books about Dinky Toys. Understandably, that now you are retired, you have more time to spend for your hobby. That's a big challenge for you. I hope we can continue to enjoy your articles in the DTCA forum as before.

Kind regards,

Jan Oldenhuis 20-6-2017.

Richard's picture
Richard
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DTCA MemberFrance

Hi Jan.

Your books look very nice. I hope to see them in Derby next week.

In the meantime, I got this morning the Mercedes Benz truck 917 with white cab roof.

I already had the trailer since 50 years but without the truck !!! I don't know why.

So, now the set is complete and we can compare with the blue cab roof model, in the right topic wink

Kind regards

Richard

 

janwerner's picture
janwerner
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Jan O., your comment makes me blush, thank you. 

Richard, very nice to meet again next week! With all pleasure I'll show you my display copy then.

A remarkable reunion after so many years, the covered Mercedes truck and its matching trailer!

In my project of rather improving than expanding the collection I bought this near(er) mint (and boxed) Armoured Command Vehicle as a replacement for my previous one. Both featuring in the photo below. Kind regards, Jan W. 

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