Matt black finished tin base plates

Hello all,For the post-war models with tin base plates there have been, subsequent to the chemical blackening (brunofix?) period and then the years of shiny smooth black base plates, some years when base plates were finished in matt black. I do not mean the diecast bases of the well-known taxis in the pre-and post-war period, which were painted matt black because of the desired matt black finish of the interior, of which the inevitibly matt black base is the lower half. I mean the matt black which is applied to the tin base plates of some of later versions of the well-known 1950s models. Two examples here: the no. 440 2nd type Mobilgas Tanker and the no. 955 Fire Engine with Extending Ladder. The years which seem to cover this period the best for both models are 1961 (the final year of the tanker) to 1964 (the first year of the Fire Engine with windows and plastic hubs). Later models of the Fire Engine (and many other Dinkys, I believe) show the familiar shiny black base plates again, subsequent to this matt black period.I have two questions / requests concerning this feature: 1. Is there any known or supposed, plausible explanation for this use of a matt black finish? 2. Could others list some models of this same generation of Dinky Toys, which have also been spotted with this matt black base plate, please?Kind regards, Jan Werner

Here is a photo of a 670 Armoured Car with a matt black baseplate. It is the later version fitted with plastic hubs, my other two 670s are earlier with metal hubs and have the shiny black baseplate.

Here is a photo of one of my 688 Morris Quad Field Artillery Tractors and it is fitted with a matt black baseplate It is the newest version, fitted with plastic hubs, this change was made in July 1965 and the matt black baseplate seems to correspond to the same time.

Hi Dave, thank you for the replies and the army examples! Yes, in fact the mid-1960s army models appear to have a broad representation of these base plates. Still, I believe that they are more soft satin compared with the virtually matt or satinish-matt 'blackboard black' of the Fire Engine, for instance. Have a look at this, my Morris Tractor, part of a later no. 697 combination, as evidenced by the plastic hubs and colourful end flaps box. Remarkable is the tractor with its satin black base plate (like your example), opposed to the companion limber with its very shiny black base plate, apparently a contemporary. I wonder why I am always trying to find 'Dinky-laws'. They just aren't there! Kind regards, Jan Werner

Greetings all I am reviving this thread, as it has great potential, especially when black matt tin plate base plates have replaced gloss tin plate base plates, or used in tandem. I am kicking off the revival with the 155 Ford Anglia that came in both styles: First we have the shiny, gloss tinplate base plate with the red interior Followed by the matt black base plate which is under the example with the pale blue interior.It is unknown whether both base plates were in use for the 155 at the same time, or whether the use of the matt black base plate can determine a later time frame of production. Kind regards Bruce

Good industrial practice is to have double sourcing for every thing. This allows to overcome overbooked supplier, industrial actions and to play a supplier against the other for prices. My opinion is that one of the tinplate supplier could provide pree enamelled rolls of metal and the other was making mat black heat treatment which may be called Bruno finish or brunofix. If I am right both finishes could be made available at any time during production of a model and any combination of colour, interior, hubs and tyres can be found.

Hello Jan, Brunofix is a cold chemical threatment of metal to prevent corrosion. Still in use for many steel parts. I have some Meccano parts drawings and these dates the use of Brunofix starting 8-1951. Before this date it was nickel for parts. From 10-1956 Meccano returned to nickel but not for all parts. Maybe Korean war effected the use of nickel. I have no drawings of a base but it should be noted when Meccano changed the surface treatment. John.

John, This is part of the drawing for the base plate of the Austin Westminster job 20126 (not issued). It does specify the finish of the part.

The only model I could think of off the top of my head, with a matte finish base plate, was the #150 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith. Since I only have one of these, purchased in 1959 or so, I do not know if others had the shiny baseplate. By the way, the white tires shown were added by me shortly after I bought it....I thought it deserved the upgraded appearance at the time, so they have stayed. By the way, as a young boy, I was always intrigued by the brunofix finish of those mid-1950's baseplates, and I liked the 'mottled' appearance as opposed to a smooth black. I always wondered how/why they did that, and I finally found out here years ago.Regards,Terry

Terry, Both my Rolls-Royce the 150 and the 551 have the glos finish base plates. As this model was issued more than four years after the end of the Korean war, this mat finish can not be due to that war. Jacques.

Interesting, Terry, I have never seen a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith with matt (well, satin) finished base plate. I have four, all with the familiar 'new' shiny black base plates. The Rolls-Royce does occur with white original tyres every now and then, be it treaded (as usual after 1957). Kind regards, Jan

janwerner wrote: 'Hello all, For the post-war models with tin base plates there have been, subsequent to the chemical blackening (brunofix?) period and then the years of shiny smooth black base plates, some years when base plates were finished in matt black. I do not mean the diecast bases of the well-known taxis in the pre-and post-war period, which were painted matt black because of the desired matt black finish of the interior, of which the inevitibly matt black base is the lower half. I mean the matt black which is applied to the tin base plates of some of later versions of the well-known 1950s models. Two examples here: the no. 440 2nd type Mobilgas Tanker and the no. 955 Fire Engine with Extending Ladder. The years which seem to cover this period the best for both models are 1961 (the final year of the tanker) to 1964 (the first year of the Fire Engine with windows and plastic hubs). Later models of the Fire Engine (and many other Dinkys, I believe) show the familiar shiny black base plates again, subsequent to this matt black period. I have two questions / requests concerning this feature: 1. Is there any known or supposed, plausible explanation for this use of a matt black finish? 2. Could others list some models of this same generation of Dinky Toys, which have also been spotted with this matt black base plate, please? Kind regards, Jan Werner' Jan A further example of a matt base plate and a gloss base plate used with the 184 Volvo 122S in answer to your 2nd question above. The top image is of a white Volvo. I have had two of these and both have the same matt base plate. The bottom image is of the normal red version, and every example I have of this model has the gloss base plate. One can draw one's own conclusion! Kind regards Bruce