Here are a few pieces of the correspondence with H.Hudson Dobson that I managed to save. Most of these date from about 1958 when I was 13 years old. I had met another boy at school who also collected Dinky's and we formed an immediate friendship that lasts even now. We were young, ardent collectors, but limited to buying at the few toy stores in San Diego that sold Dinky's. So after getting one of the catalogues, we noticed that Dobson was the U.S. distributor and thought they might be another source. They were and for a while, did have some left over stock which they would sell for the original listed price plus postage.
Many of the items I bought were new in the box...many of the others had been in trade boxes and were now loose, so even though they were unsold some had minor scratches, etc.
And by the way, as a 13 year old boy, Dinky's were quite expensive...most of the auto models were around $1.00 and the trucks more like $2.50 or so. I made money by mowing the lawns of neighbors, and usually got around $1.00 or so for a couple hours of work. So I also appreciated the models I did buy then!
One last note: around 1959 we became curious about the French Dinky operation as we already had several French models. Somehow we obtained the address and sent a letter inquiring if they could please send us a French catalogue, and could we order some models if we found some we liked. They did send us back a catalogue and low and behold, there were many models not listed in the U.S. catalogue. So we did order several models, and that is how I obtained my salmon and black Buick Roadmaster for about $1.50.
Here is one of the post cards with prices shown...oh, for the good old days!
Hi Terry
These letters are absolutely super and give another dimension to the US side of the Meccano business.
Many thanks for sharing them with us.
Dave
Hi Terry and others, I have some Hudson Dobson letters too. As I stated earlier, I'm impressed by the seriousness with which the factory and its agents replied to all kinds of requests for information about Dinky Toys by their huge group of small clients. For reasons of privacy I chose to blurr the addressee's name and address information. I owe a lot to him, because some years ago he donated his whole collection of catalogues and this kind of documentation and correspondence to me, free, selflessly, just because he liked my way of approaching the subject. Some examples then:
Kind regards, Jan
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-508 DAF
--14c and 401Coventry Climax Fork Lift Truck (1949-64)
FRENCH DINKY TALBOT LAGO
-Boxes General Discussions including end flaps, both British and French
--14c and 401Coventry Climax Fork Lift Truck (1949-64)
--14c and 401Coventry Climax Fork Lift Truck (1949-64)
-508 DAF
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ORIGINAL MECCANO DINKY TOYS FACTORY BOX ART 175 HILLMAN MINX SALOON + DRAWING
--29c and 290 Double Decker Bus (1938-63)
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--29c and 290 Double Decker Bus (1938-63)
--29c and 290 Double Decker Bus (1938-63)
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