MECCANO MAGAZINES 1932-1945. Dinky toy advertising

This is a list of references to Dinky Toys and Hornby Series Modelled Miniatures in advertisements and other articles published in the Meccano Magazine from 1932.

The introduction follows:

Hornby published interesting advertising pages in the Meccano Magazine to promote the products. From introduction, the models were available.

For 1932 these pages were Hornby Accessories and Countryside Sections. The models were named Modelled Miniatures, later to become dinky toys.

The heading on the advertising pages often changed. So we can find: Hornby Modelled Miniatures, Hornby Rolling Stock & Accessories, Meccano Dinky Toys, Meccano Dinky Toys 150 varieties, Meccano Dinky Toys 200 varieties, Toys of Quality made by Meccano 200 varieties, Toys of Quality made by Meccano 250 varieties, Dinky Toys 250 varieties, Perfect Miniatures, Dinky Toys a Charming Collecting Hobby, Dinky Toys A fascinating collecting Hobby, Doll’s house furniture, Dinky Toys 250 Varieties A fascinating collecting Hobby, Dinky Toys finished in rich colours, Dinky Toys Perfect scale Models Over 250 Varieties, A Selection of Dinky Toys made in the Meccano Factory in Paris, Dinky Toys 300 Varieties, A fascinating collecting Hobby, Dinky Toys Perfect Scale Models Over 300 Varieties, Dinky Toys A Fascinating Collecting Hobby Finished in rich Colours, Dinky Toys A Fascinating Collecting Hobby Over 300 Varieties, Start collecting Dinky Toys Perfect scale models, Dinky Toys The fascinating collecting hobby.

Some models were sold with advertising.

For the 28 and 280 vans with advertising you can find lists in literature with long production times. If you examine the advertising pages in the Meccano Magazines it is doubtful that some advertising names were produced for such a long time. We have to study the Hornby catalogues and Dinky Toys leaflets for further information.

The names on the Flying boats are documented very exact, so we can see when names were deleted and new names were on the planes. This was also done on the boxes.

For many models the die-line drawings still exist. Generally the dates on the drawings are approx. one month before advertising.

During the war there were several announcements on price increase and production problems.

At the end all productions of Dinky Toys were stopped.

Even in wartime new models were announced, but as time went on production and advertising stopped. October Issue 1943 saw two new models, De Havilland Flamingo and Buick Viceroy Saloon car. The Flamingo was never produced despite there was already a drawing made.

From August 1945 Hornby started to announce production would be started very soon.

From every copy of the Meccano Magazine you will find a list with advertising of existing Dinky Toy models, new models and special notes. For new models a listed the starting price.

© List by John Beugels.