Dealers' display cabinets

Jan ... agreed, I already posted these dates for the arrow logo from the MM adverts in my long message regarding the displays! The double arrow appears on English models introduced in 1964. It is also worthwhile tracing the first appearance of the 'Always Something New' slogan. I forget what I discovered about this but it is circa 1964 I believe ....

This is going to be off-topic slightly, but I recently discovered these images of an extremely rare leaflet printed for the U.S. in 1963, and featuring the arrow logo. (i was unable to get it when it was auctioned by a Californian seller, but at least I saved these photos.) it features the full Dinky product line (and what a wonderful line it was) with U.S. prices, which is strange because when Gilbert took over distribution of Dinky that same year, they greatly reduced the number of models that was available (as has been discussed elsewhere).

Here is another display I have finally obtained that has not yet been shared. It is the very last one issued by Binns Road. Unfortunately mine was badly stored and is faded and battered, but it is interesting in that the U.S. retailer had applied factory stickers showing the price of each model that should be in it. (I will not attempt supplying the correct contents, since some of the space models included do not interest me and are now very expensive.)

Jonathan. Truly a very nice addition to your collection of displays. Certainly the original designation of the models with sales number and price, including the original price tickets, makes the display very special and valuable. It is a valuable landmark in the Dinky Toys retail history and I am glad it ended up in your collection.Kind regards, Jan Oldenhuis.

Jan, thanks as ever for your gracious comments! Meanwhile, as a follow-on to our earlier discussion of the Dinky arrow logo of the early 60s, here is a photo showing the motorway symbol as first used in the UK. (Until coming across this photo, I did not realize that they changed it later to a European standard.)

Jon---All I can say is wow! Another spectacular Dinky display cabinet in your wonderful collection, and hopefully it will free up a few more spots for you to fill in. How did you manage to convince your friend to part with it? It sounded like he was kind of unapproachable. In any event, great news! Terry

My friend is moving so he was finally able to extract the display from where it had been buried in a garage. If he ever finds the sign that was originally on top he will pass that on. He also kindly passed on another rare display item that I will share in due course when I set it up temporarily!

I have found this card display which I did not know. Would some one know on which year it was isused. The Rolls-Royce may not be a model of the same year as the display. This information is in the yearly dealers leaflet but I do not have any.

It appears you have taken this image from Vincent Espinasse's blog? This is not really an unknown display -- VE has simply placed a familiar cardboard display -- in its Dutch-market version -- on top of a circular base that may or may not be an authentic item. The card display is pretty common, at least in the English version that I picture, and reproductions of it have also been made. I do not know the exact date but believe it is from the early 1960s. Perhaps 1962 or 1963. It comes from when the slogan 'Always Something New' was being used, but before the appearance of the 'arrow' embem.

Hello Jonathan, Thank you for your quick answer to my question. The cylindrical base doe look peculiar because it is not foldable and the shiping price would have been prohibitive.

Jacques -- as you know, we are still discovering previously unknown Dinky store displays, thanks to the incredible variety they produced. Nonetheless I am suspicious when we come across one that has never been pictured anywhere before, thinking that it may be a replica. It is true however that VE had friends who worked at Bobigny, and that he has collected many prototype items. If the cylindrical base is genuine, possibly it is made of plastic and would not have been as expensive to ship as it appears.

My latest display. From 1971, and a rarity because they soon would change the Dinky logo as well as the packaging style for the kits.