New arrivals

Jan and Terry a little belated, in fact very belated but many thanks for your comments on my Estate Car. Yes, it is a beauty which has now replaced its earlier replacement for my lost Estate Car. That earlier replacement had 27f on its base plate. The fact that later day investigation reveals the model not to be an exact replica of the original is of little concern! I was like you Terry absolutely thrilled on receiving my original example for Christmas 1950 which allowed me to have my own Estate Car and for my brother to keep his! As for your new acquisitions Jan, what else can one say but they are superb, especially that lovely 38c Lagonda. It is incredible what is actually out there insofar as Dinky Toys are concerned especially those that have survived virtually unscathed over countless decades. The two French models you acquired from the collector in Thailand is an unexpected country to find Dinky Toys! Kind regards to you both Bruce H. (150) 20171405/1100/1921

Regards to you, Jacques! John, it seems a new branch of Dinky research has arisen: Dinky archaeology! I have lived in an older house in Amsterdam, dating from 1902. The walls were covered with a thick layer of wall-paper. Going deeper and deeper, peeling layer after layer, we discovered designs going back well into the 1920s! But this is obviously a Dinky Toy. Counting the layers, the blue must be the deepest, oldest paint layer indeed, and this fits well into the colour scheme that was used in the period 1954-1955 (a green and a blue colour). Besides, of all shades of colours showing up it is the only original colour ever used on a Studebaker Land-Cruiser anyway. Nice demonstration of a Dinky's eventful life! Kind regards, Jan

Jan, I propose you as Professor of Dinky Archaeology. The wheels of the Studebaker were originally the colour (Stone?) of the blue car above. I'm glad that the original colour wasn't a rare or unknown variation. I think we all wish that there was a method for removing one layer of paint at a time that just left the original paint. I have several 23 series racers that have been painted, over what was surely undamaged paint. The beautiful original colours are still under there but impossible to reveal - certainly not by scraping with an archaeologist's trowel.

Greetings from Down Under[/b] Further to the comment I made on 7 May in this Topic when I collected many parcels from the post office, I am continuing with providing more work for them! The following arrived in the mail yesterday.[/b] The first is the pick of the crop, even though she is a little chipped, more so on one side than the other, is this very uncommon 145 Singer Vogue in lemon/primrose yellow or whatever yellow name Meccano used. It arrived together with the following three Dinky Toys from Sheffield. I was quite eager to unpack this equally uncommon 582/982 Pullmore Car Transporter in all mid-blue, as the photographs did not really match its description, but needless to say, I am delighted with its condition. Next to come hopefully, is a correct box![/b] The next to be unwrapped was this late issue 670 Armoured Car with its plastic hubs and light yellow end-flap box, which judging on the flaps the model has hardly seen the light of day since it was made in 1969. Does anyone know of a toy shop named REDGATES? The last to be unwrapped from the first parcel was a 449 Chevrolet El Camino Pick-Up Truck whose description was very near mint with an equally excellent box. I can concur with that description.[/b] The next parcel to receive my attention was from an eBay seller in the United Kingdom, who was selling on behalf of Piers Motley the remaining models from the late John Kinchen Collection. Although I occasionally pick up a French Dinky, I mainly concentrate on the Liverpool productions, but with its heritage, I could not pass this one up having been owned by John. At first I thought the seller was playing on the name of a great collector, until I downloaded the model when it was first offered at auction by Piers Motley, and it is indeed one and the same. So here it is, warts and all! Quite a mixed bag I admit, but I am sure you all will agree with me, it contained two models which are difficult to find, especially the 145, as I have been looking for an example for about 20 years. There were two other parcels, but these contained models from the Tin Tin range from Atlas! Kind regards Bruce H. (150) 20171805/1101/1224

Hello Bruce, from 'up there'. These are nice additions. I can imagine that in some instances the provenance of a model is even more fascinating than the model itself. Some models are from famous collections where they spent all, or much of their previous life, others wander all over the world before they finally land in your collection. If I can trace that track, or part of it, I am really very happy and add those data to my catalogue. Somewhere in the world an example of the nice all mid-blue Pullmore Car Transporter which you found must still be waiting to join my collection ... I hope it is in excellent condition, boxed, and affordable ... and that it will not take too much time before that moment is there! Kind regards, Jan

John - I am with you and the layers of history your Studebaker presents! A shame to strip it all the way back to bare metal and then carry out a thorough restoration. I guess we all have a Dinky Toys that is in bad need of some real TLC. Take for instance my brother's 39a Packard below which I inherited a couple of months ago together with more of my own collection that was returned at the same time: 1200 836 Now this is a Dinky Toy that has received countless layers of house paint! It started life if I can recall, as a deep brown or maroon. During its service, the rear axle has been replaced by Dad with a 2' nail, skillfully soldered and the excess removed. 1200 801 Somehow, a piece from the near-side front mudguard has become lost as too a section from the rear mudguard as well. Not to mention both headlamps are missing, and they have been MIA ever since I can remember playing with it. Of the paint, traces of yellow, red and black apart from the exterior grey can be seen. I am afraid I was responsible for the grey, as I was not fussed with the colour it covered! I vaguely recall that grey was the new colour of our guttering in the early 1950s! I think this is another job for the in-house archaeologist to handle! Afterwards we can then turn our attention to my brother's 39c Lincoln Zephyr although it is not in as bad a shape as the poor old Packard! Cheers Bruce (150) 20172005/1103/0302

Hi Bruce. I like very much you Pullmore ! it's seems as new. Here under are my 'new arrivals' As you know, I already had the Ford Vedette but this one is much better and has just some little paint chips. Cheers

This Corsair arrived in the post today, and I must say it is the most chipped Dinky Toy I have ever purchased. The paint looked bad in the eBay photo, and then it was probably made even worse by the fact that the seller shipped it to me in a padded bag instead of a proper box. The reason why I am happy to have the model, at least as a placeholder, is not only that the light blue colour on this car is harder to find, but also that this is the version -- with the driver figure -- that came in the elusive Fun Ahoy gift set. I purchased a sample of the relevant Healey Sports Boat, with its added figures, several years ago. Unfortunately whether because of the poor packing or a previous rough life, the figure is adrift inside the car. Thanks to the Corsair's opening windows, there is some hope of grabbing it and forcing it down onto the hole in the driving seat, but even if I can find the right tool, that is a test of dexterity I may never pass!!

G'day all, I have just reeived another version of the Dinky 956/2 (Berliet) Turn-table Fire Escape. This came about when I noticed my existing verioin had a rivet behind the cab that went right through the chassis, replacing the screw of the original. So I did an impromptu survey on eBay 956/2s and found that half had the rivet and half didn't. So I managed to secure an unriveted one for a reasonable price and postage (some postage costs are above the original cost of the item!). It has now arrived and the reason for the rivet replacing the screw is obviously because if the screw is removed (by little hands?), the thin plastic chassis is likely to break at that point. The frame has also been reinforced at that point as well. Ron F

Jacques--Great photo.....thanks for sharing that with us! Best regards, Terry

Arrived this morning from ....... ITALY ! Normal for an Alfa Romo Kind regards Richard

Photographed on July 16, 2008 at the Muse des Pompiers de Haute Savoie[/url]. This is the real one. The museum contains fire engines only and is situated about 20 mile from Geneva. Behind the photographer is one of the only two Delahaye (32d / 899) fire escapes of this type made.