New arrivals

Jan Like Dave said, it is certainly worth a fiver! I will give you a tenner - that's doubling your money! All things considered, it is often wise to 'have a punt' especially when the price is right. I have written volumes about auctions elsewhere, but the first image below was on eBay in 2002. The auction showed very little interest and the seller did not respond to my enquiry as to its true colour, so I thought it a repaint. Still I threw caution to the wind and lodged my bid before going to bed based on my assumption of it being a repaint as the auction ended in the wee hours of the morning with the seller in Germany. I was surprised to see my low bid won, and I nervously paid for the item through BidPay (a competitor to PayPal at that time), and then the anxious wait. The last image is what arrived! A very rare 182 in blue with mid-blue hubs, totally original including its box that I also thought was a reproduction as the red in 'DINKY TOYS' did not look quite right. Kind regards Bruce (150) 20160401/863/1255

600 356 Bruce, Yours is of the second variation, not of the earliest type. The very early ones had one rear light only and a metallic grey paint. This was the only colour available from Citron. The 2 cv was a very very cheap car and could not afford two lights. The pre-war prototypes even had only one head light.

We all know that one should not buy models that seem 'too good or too cheap to be true'. This applies especially both for unexperienced sellers and unexperienced buyers. Several times I had this situation that the seller was dealing in quite different stuff and apparently only knew Dinky Toys in the condition they usually are: slightly or severely play-worn. They just cannot believe that a pristine looking example can be authentic and (quite honestly) advertise them as a very good repaint at a low starting price. Then bidders are in confusion and keep silent. Restorers want a play-worn model, no nice repaint, and buyers of higher quality models do not trust it. I had this several times and it was possible to argue that they should be 'true' for 99%. This 'collectors luck' is a very satisfactory compensation for the few occurrences that I had gone too high for a desired model. Kind regards, Jan

Jacques When I wrote, 'I only have the earlier issues' I was referring to my model being 'earlier' than the model shown in Richard's Post dated 31 March. I was not writing about the first version issued only in 1952, which as you have stated, had only one rear tail light, and a smooth interior roof, nor the second issue between 1953 and 1957 nor the example I have that was issued between 1957 and 1959, nor for that matter the 24t when it was renumbered 535, but collectively all four versions being earlier than the 500 which Richard has acquired. Both Terry and I were referring to the earlier issues without being specific Bruce (150) 20160401/865/2115

An old Ford Vedette arrived this morning. it's a small letters version. Richard

Richard----One of my personal favorites, especially in the metallic blue. That one looks to be in nice condition.Best regards, Terry

This very hard to find Sunbeam Alpine (it's the first time that I saw one on e-bay since 15 years) in turquoise version with cream hubs arrived yesterday. friendly yours Richard

Just received a nice version of the Guy Flat Truck, this time the one with the light blue cab and red flat bed. This replaces my earlier version, which has a dark blue cab, and is in much nicer condition, along with a nice box. I still need to find a very nice Guy flat truck with tailboard to replace my current one, so will be on the lookout this year. Best regards, Terry

Celebrating its fourth birthday in our house, is my 513 Guy Flat Truck with Tailboard - not as a replacement for my original Guy - but as a companion and an inspiration as to how my original once looked! To me, it is still a 'new arrival'! And well worthy of being photographed, although the expertise behind the camera was not as great as some who exhibit their photographs in this website! The next lot of images show my original Guy Flat Truck with Tailboard but missing its tailboard. One can see the fractured section of the tailboard in one of the images. I am not certain when the tailboard broke or was broken off but I do recall that the truck was used as a grader on my network of roads prior to when I tarred them. I can hear the reader gasping on reading these words - but the Guy was a toy and was being used as such. Not as an object behind glass but an everyday, run-of-the-mill toy and it achieved much following the removal of the tailboard. It became a carrier of many things both large and small including a Centurion Tank! I have even photographed the truck sitting on the box of its 'recent' arrived companion, its first time to do so in many decades, a box that it and its companion model was quality inspected in September 1948, roughly two years before I received my Guy Flat Truck with Tailboard. These two Guy trucks display both ends of the spectrum of being a toy - one that was simply admired, carefully played with and then lovingly returned to its box, the other, just as loved, but spent its life as a working toy and one that always found a spot in the heart and soul of its owner. I think this is the reason we as adults hold onto and value these toys of an era now sadly, long gone. They continue to remind us of the pleasures and innocence of youth . Bruce(150) 20160408/880/2204

Bruce.....That is the first time I have seen or heard of losing the tailboard......testimony to its being well used! It does look like it was quite satisfactory hauling the Centurion Tank......definitely a multi-purpose truck and another great story to share. I also liked the photos of the pristine one in dark green/green......I need to find a nice one lke that.....part of this years mission! Best regards, Terry

Terry and Bruce, your Guy trucks are wonderful. Congratulations Richard

Thanks Terry and Richard I guess it is something of a record to have under my belt the guy who stuffed up his Guy! But I can still see in my mind, the crack that developed over time with the tailboard and when I ultimately broke it off. Due to its colour I had no option but to conscript the truck into military service to serve as my tank transporter simply due to my parents not being able to afford a tank transporter. They did however in previous years buy me a Pullmore Car Transporter and a Horse Box, but I guess they drew the line at the 660! Its cost of 1/10/9 must have been prohibitive. (The 982 would have cost them 1/9/6 and the 981 1/9/9.) I had no problems with that, as my father was a motor mechanic and my Mum a stay-at-home Mum so we had to live within our means. (My commencing salary in 1962 was 13/4/ per fortnight as a junior bank officer so one can see how much those models would have taken out of Dads fortnightly wage six years previously.) I was always extremely satisfied with what I was given by my very generous parents. But I still yearned for that 660 Tank Transporter! (That yearning was finally satisfied on 22 December 1997 with the last version, boxed, windows and detachable trailer and 13 July 02 with the very first issue in a yellow lidded box with Dinky Toys under the trailer. The last one arrived on a very special day it would have been Dads 92nd birthday.) It has taken me about 10 years to locate the Guy, upgrading as I went. This one came from a seller on eBay in the United Kingdom and it arrived on a very special date, 30 December 2013, so hopefully it will be with me for many more years as a reminder of two very generous parents. So, I have several models that arrived on special dates. I do not know just how long I will be the proud owner of her (the Guy that is!) so if by the time I do decide to move her to a new owner (I am still talking about the Guy!) I will advertise it in this website and Terry, if you still have not acquired one in similar condition, then its got your name on it! Kind regards to you both Bruce (150) 20160409/884/2349