Yes, Jacques, we badly miss our tmt forum, where we had filled a nice years long thread with this kind of 'social Dinky history'. Good initiative of you to pick it up here, although I remain hopeful that tmt will be resurrected once again!

Last month our Argentinian Dinky collector friend Hector Spinelli and his wife visited us. After having guided them along museums, canals, polders, dikes and mills all afternoon, we arrived home for the main menu, both my and my wife's collections:

Kind regards, Jan

It was a pleasure, Jacques, to welcome you and I am happy that some documents of mine and some special coloured items are of some kind of interest for you and the Dinky Toys fans !
For the 622, I think that I already opened a thread few times ago, but it was, perhaps, on an another forum.
I will look for it.
Kind regards
Richard

I finally made contact with the seller of the Argentinian Centurion and I have bought it.

I will do something about it once I have received it.

Dave

Jos

Jan

Thanks for sharing with us your mini Dinky reunion 2011 - especially seeing my old friend Jos who seems not to have changed since I last saw him on 27 July 2005.
That's my wife Lina next to Jos and our two daughters, Cassandra (L) and Francesca (R). How Jos met up with me was unbelievable - we had just alighted from our canal cruise when there was a tap on my shoulder. On turning around, this tall, slim gentleman ask if I was the fellow he had been in correspondence with from Australia. (We had planned on meeting up with each other, although the exact logistics had not been decided.) I was struck dumb, which is very unusual according to my wife! It is hard to believe it is almost 10 years since then! Needless to say, the major topic of conversation centered on Dinky Toys!

That is nice, Bruce, it's a small world!
Jos attends my Dinky parties regularly. Unfortunately he is less active as a military Dinky collector, because he sold his collection recently. I found some other photos with Jos attending:

26 may 2006, on the left, also Jacques Dujardin and Nigel Pearson, on both sides of me in the middle. Enjoying many bottles of Champaign that Jacques took with him from France!

17 October 2009, David Cooke next to Jos, the others known. The Jag is Jos's!

Kind regards, Jan

Jan--
Nice photos to share..... and being a Jaguar fan, I loved that vintage one that looks so nice!
Best regards,
Terry

dinkyfan wrote:
"Jan--
Nice photos to share..... and being a Jaguar fan, I loved that vintage one that looks so nice!
Best regards,
Terry"

Terry

It was very memorable meeting up with Jos - even though it was for such a short time. Further to my previous post, this is what I wrote in my diary after we had a meal at de Bijenkorf department store where that photo was taken and the girls had re-joined the tour group and were driven back to the hotel while Jos offered to drive me back and we could continue our chat on Dinky Toys:

"I accompanied Jos back to his car (I did not note it as being a Jaguar otherwise it would have rated a mention in my diary!) in a nearby parking station, and we then headed for the hotel in which we were booked. Unfortunately, Jos got us thoroughly lost, but I was able to see a part of Holland that none of my girls were to see!! At one stage, as we were parked on the side of a road checking a map, a car with German tourists pulled up and asked Jos for directions! Eventually we found our way to the hotel where we talked some more and he gave me the book that I had bought through eBay. I gave him a bottle of Australian honey and a tea towel and then he left."

It was an all-too-short visit, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with him, although it is a pity we were on a Trafalgar Tour otherwise I would have got to see his collection!

Bruce

Bruce--
That's a great story, and so fun to have those memories of past times together. I wanted to mention that Jan has put Jose Heraud and I in contact, and we have already written each other back and forth. I am delighted to finally have at least on other collector from the U.S. to talk to. He seems very interesting and knowledgeable, so am looking forward to staying in contact with him.

Best regards,
Terry

Another very pleasant Dinky enthusiasts get together at my home this weekend. A lot of discussing, exchange of information and admiring each others treasures and specialties (everyone had to bring a special item from his collection). At least three of those present will definitely join the DTCA!

Kind regards, Jan

Jan----What a nice get together and a great way to share one's collection. I like the idea of each person bringing a special model......I bet some pretty neat stuff showed up! And some new recruits for the DTCA asa well......well done Jan!
Best regards, Terry

Jan, it was a great day and many thanks for your invitation. It is always a pleasure to meet new collectors and talk about our favorite toys.  John.