Atlas Dinky Toys UK issues

It is worth noting that a number of these 'planned' Atlas issues have already been issued by Dan Toys, and are of course made in the same factory by CIJ-Norev. In the cases where I have been able to compare side by side models labeled as Dan Toys with the equivalent 'Dinky,' the castings are identical. Of course the Mattel-licensed product has a 'Dinky' baseplate, whereas the Dan Toys will be branded with that name or sometimes CIJ.

In the 'Signing Off' piece in Model Collector March 2015 I invited comment on the many reproductions, and the response in the main has been supportive of them, generally with reference to Atlas. Personally I have found the UK Issues to be somewhat underwhelming in choice and over a third of mine have been rehomed via eBay so far.

The next issue of Model Collector will include a letter to the editor about the Atlas Auto-Union and one of the 24H Citro

I have my own trenchant (though hypocritical, since I seem to have accumulated several dozen) opinion of these Chinese replicas, but I did not mean to open that for discussion here. Every collector's opinion is worthy of respect and consideration, one way or another. From my vantage point here in California, USA, however, I continue to be puzzled that the discussion in UK-based forums and magazines always tends to be about Atlas this and Atlas that, when more often than not the Dan Toys versions have come first and are more straightforwardly available. Yes, the Dan Toys are more expensive, but quality control seems to be better, and production quantities are truly limited (at least until the same tooling eventually gets recycled into 'Dinky' or 'CIJ' versions). Certainly, it's true that no 'British' models have yet appeared under the Dan Toys banner. Regarding the production of replicas that have the 'wrong' wheels, colour, or whatever, I take a different position from Jacques: I believe the more interesting replicas are those of prototypes, or liveries that Binns Road or Bobigny could have produced at the time but did not. A Chinese replica that aims only to be, in effect, a 3-D colour Xerox copy of something that actually exists is, in my opinion, less intriguing than 'what if' models. And, the latter at least contribute something original instead of being entirely derivative. In any case, any 'certificates of authenticity' or 'accurate replica' claims made by Atlas likely have no legal standing -- admittedly, as a Yank I have little understanding of the Trade Descriptions Act -- and should be ignored like the marketing bumf they are.

I, absolutely, totally agree with the post above from 'johnnyangel' The attempted replication of what we had 50 or 60 years ago has not really worked, it has actually muddied the water significantly. This modern rubbish is being passed off as real Dinky on e-bay, and at collector's fairs - buyer beware!!! Sadly a lot of folks are being caught out by this, we should never criticise these people, they are acting in good faith. Had Atlas done 'neverwazzas' it would have enhanced the hobby. Dave

Well I see that I contradicted what I wrote in my first sentence about not wanting to open the rights and wrongs of the Atlas models to discussion. Mea culpa, but it was just too hard for me to hide my contempt for what Atlas has been doing. If these replicas have to exist at all, I prefer the Dan Toys because, while they are replicas, they are doing more 'what if' liveries and interesting things, but even more important, they are not trading under a hallowed name with decades of good will it is not theirs to claim. Make no mistake, the term 'official replica' on an Atlas model is especially repugnant because the only thing 'official' is a fee paid to Mattel for the Dinky name. Mattel acquired the name by accident in the first place and had no interest in it whatsoever, beyond whoring it to the highest bidder. (An attitude taken by every one of its owners after 1979, I might add -- I have a letter sent to me in about 1981 from General Mills, offering to sell me the Dinky trademark after I had written them inquiring about it. Unfortunately I was just out of university and had no way to follow through, but I wish it could have been kept out of the hands of today's 'legal' pirates.) I also agree with Dave that the eBay market for Dinky is being sullied by the Atlas copies. -- Jon

Hear hear Dave

I have just received my DTCA '32' certificated Chrysler Airflow. Can we now expect posts about the silver detailing, the axle lengths and ends, the colour, the quality of paint finish, the price, the legitimacy of such copying, and so on?

Questions you could ask about it might include the following: -- Was it manufactured by people enduring a totalitarian, single-party government, some of them children being forced to work long hours? -- Was it the product of two different multinational corporations? -- Is it emblazoned with trademarks proclaiming it a 'Dinky Toy'? -- Is it a parasitical copy of something produced by designers, toolmakers, and workers who might even be still alive, living on a small pension, and who deserve better recognition than a Chinese ripoff? I'm guessing that if it comes from the DTCA, it does not run afoul of any of these tests. Plenty of Dinky copies have been created that have been moral. The Atlas stuff, on the other hand ...

I guess in these modern times if you don't buy Chinese made products you probably live in a cave, but I suspect a lot of us are actually looking at the undermining of values when a model bought to fill a gap in ones collection for

Yes, some interesting points you make. And what of the Airflow? Where was it made, and are there any photos of it on the forum somewhere? Cheers!

Johnny, I fully agree with you about the Atlas stuff. Are any copies od Dinky moral who ever and where ever they are made ? The DTCA models are cast in Manchester I think and they are finished in Rotingdean near Brighton, Sussex. This is a picture of my visit to the 'P & P copy models' factory a few years ago. A very neat little work shop in Ian's garden. I am the guy holding the hammer and Ian Law is the manufacturer of the Club Dinky France, DTCA and other models. I like some of his models which are based on Dinky Toys but are not copies. The photo shows my opinion about copies of Dinky Toys. There was an other guy making Dinky like models but not copies in Andora. Unfortunately, his chalet burnt and all his tools as well. Sad. The models were made under the marque of Imit Toys and here are two pages of his last catalogue. Jacques.