'Another fine Dinky Toy' was delivered today. It's a fourth type cream and red export version of no. 25b Covered Wagon. I have never had such a bright example in my hands! Only remaining a first type wanting. Kind regards, Jan 

Very nice Jan. It is always a challenge to find these "trade box models" in such fine condition. Good luck in finding a first type!

Kind regards,

Rob

Jan—A simply stunning example....very well done! It is wonderful to find such pristine examples after so many years since they were made. I also love that color combo. Congratulations!
Best regards, Terry

Richard,

The Modeler,s World van has been issued by Mike Richardson who probably applied the stickers.

Best regards from Moscou.

Here is a colorful newcomer!

A beauty to be proud of indeed! 

A very nice 25b Covered van and a beautifull 470 Austin van. Congratulations.

Has the Shell / BP van been made with this extra part or was this added for the Nestlé van only ?

Hello Jacques, I found the one below on the internet, with the extra axle covers. Apparently a later example. As the Shell-BP lasted until 1956 and the Nestles was introduced in 1955, this casting adjustment must have an overlap too. 

Richard, the military Austin is harder to find, so a real fine addition indeed!

For me, I managed to acquire a true collecting milestone at last, the final prewar military sub-set wanting, the no. 151 Royal Tank Corps Medium Tank Unit. A stylish present on the occasion of my forty years' Dinky collecting anniversary this year. In the many years that I have been looking for one they were very brittle or had even completely collapsed, the box poor and the set too expensive for me. This one is superb, with a bright sturdy box and less expensive than I have ever seen before! It was in the recent Vectis Hampstead Collection auction of 3 September last, no. 162. A snap shot below. Kind regards, Jan 

And I still have to find that blue one, Richard!

The other day the models below came in. All very common and affordable models, but in very nice condition, in order to replace poorer examples in the collection.  

The postman arrived with a postvan today. The second - larger - parcel contained a first proof example of my home made Dinky calendar for 2020, this time celebrating my 40th Dinky collecting anniversary. The photo a bit dull because of the very dull weather ... Kind regards, Jan 

after months of hard labour, I managed to find something to swap for this superb early production 24h. Just got it yesterday.

Nikolaz

As you write, S U P E R B. Congratulations.

Exceptional beauties, Erwan, thank you very much for sharing! Kind regards, Jan 

Hello thanks to you.

Jan, it's a nice D3A you got, it looks pristine !

Sales of some of my replaced models at yesterday's Houten fair went that successful, that I could not let this absolute bargain go: French Dinky Toys no. 811 Caravane de campin (1959-1963), the second state with finely ribbed roof. Kind regards, Jan 

These arrived over the last month or so ... The Kodak artic (a favorite model if there ever was one) is an upgrade to one I've had for a long time; the Kodak van is not an upgrade but came along as part of one affordable lot.

The Plymouth meanwhile is an upgrade to what I think was my first-ever Dinky Toy. The car that hooked me on the range at age two because it was the same model and colors as the Blue Taxis in Oak Park (a Chicago suburb where my family lived).

Not so affordable was the fire tender. This monster weighs about 1.2 pounds (around .55kg) and unfortunately cost me about 30 euros postage coming from Italy.

Jonathan--Another very nice group of acquisitions!  As you well remember, the Kodak artic has always been a favorite of mine.  The only one I ever saw new was in the toy section of a large department store in San Diego, in 1958.  It was in a glass display case, and I bought it on the spot for $2.50....I was instantly smitten with the gleaming yellow paint and striking Kodak livery.  After over 60 years of ownership it is not quite mint anymore, but still very dear to me.  And the little Bedford van is a great companion with it.

   I am not normally a big fan of those two-tone fabrications that Meccano came up with......I doubt any of them actually existed, but the Jaguar Coupe does happen to look fetching.  Very nice!
     Best regards,  Terry

A lovely item indeed, that Panhard artic 'Kodak'. Your example with the fatter characters, especially for export to the US (1954-1956). Congratulations, Jan 

My idea about the short lived Panhard Kodak is that Meccano messed up the Kodak logo and was asked to stop production in 1953.

Two years later in 1955 a new batch was made with the proper logo, it was sold only in the USA. This was either a request from Hudson Dobson or from Kodak as a promotionnal. Other French Dinky were available in the States at the same time.

Thanks, Jan, for sharing the catalogue page. It is also impressive that the $2.50 price stayed in Terry's memory all this time.

Looking at the subtle differences between the two logos, I am surprised that Kodak would have objected to the first version, but of course anything is possible. Meanwhile if the second version was US-only, and at Kodak's request, I'm surprised they did not drop "Films and Appareils," and either change it to English or simply enlarge the Kodak legend.

All I can say for sure is that by the time I started collecting Dinky Toys, the Kodak version was long gone from the shops and for a long time all I was aware of was the SNCF version. In the late 60s of course we had no information about the history of French Dinky Toys -- at least not in English -- and so I was surprised and delighted when I first came across it, listed by a mail-order business catering to collectors.

'If you don't value small things you are not worthy of greater things':

No. 760 Pillar Box (1954-1960).

This week's new arrivals (with thanks to Jose Heraud, who alerted me to the relevant auctions) ...

(Well, the Hornby cases didn't arrive this week, but since the GWR is my favorite, I couldn't resist adding them to the shot.)

Nice GWR, the SR is very nice too.