Time to go: a few surplus items from my own collection

For some reason there are quite a lot of models that have accumulated in drawers or boxes but never made it into my store as they have mostly been part of my own collection over the years. In a big 'administrative tidying-up operation' I shall try to ensure that everything gets featured and here are the first few that I have found.

A late edition of the 218 Aston Martin with free spinning wheels and closed vent.

An unusual variation of the Plymouth Sports Suburban - with a cream colour base instead of grey.

A late edition of the 222 Renault Floride with free spinning wheels in metallic blue and red interior.

A factory error that has put a 227 Morris Mini-Cooper base on a 225 Austin seven body!

Nothing unusual about this one - just a very, very nice example of the delightful early 252 Rover 2000 in light silver-blue.

These are all now available in my store if anyone is interested.

A chance for someone to catch up with the Corgi Model Club 2021 Reissues!

 

A colleague has decided to sell his complete collection of the 2021 Corgi Model Club issues. The four models are:

474 Thames Wall's Ice Cream Van with Musical Chimes

339 BMC Mini-Cooper S 1967 Monte Carlo rally

258 The Saint's Volvo P1800

330 Porsche Carrera 6

Each has a reproduction box and original packing and ancillary items where applicable.

The following reproduction items are also available:

1505 Garage Attendants

Corgi badge

1966 Corgi catalogue

Certificates of Authenticity

Collector's Tin for the Certificates

All the models are mint. Some boxes have very minor marks where the awkward flap has been opened.

The Ice Cream Van is the 2nd issue from earlier this year, not the January 2020 issue (although it does appear to be identical). Only the certificate and box differ.

Although the more recent items may still be available to order from the Club, restrictions mean that only one of each model per address will be supplied and the Club do not accept orders from outside the UK. The Ice Cream Van has now been discontinued and the Mini-Cooper may not now be available either so this may be an opportunity for someone who is either a little late to the party or who is based abroad to catch up with these lovely new 'old' Corgis.

Contact me for more information. Ideally we would like the set to be sold in its entirety but the individual items are also being advertised so don't delay.

New arrivals for June 2021.

Some nice new arrivals on my desk and shortly to appear in the store. 

This lovely 276 Oldsmobile Toronado has an original box too. 

The scarcer edition of the Fiat 1800 in mustard with a bright yellow interior.

A pretty reasonable example of the black edition of the 230 Mercedes-Benz 220SE with its emblem on the bonnet still present!

I was surprised at how long it has taken me to find a really good example of the plum red 307 Jaguar E Type. This one is excellent and had an original hard top. After taking so long to find I shall not be letting this go for a song! the last one I had (and sold) was my own from my childhood. Since then I have had several dark metallic grey editions which I do prefer and which also seem very much in demand but more plentiful.

Two nice Jaguar 2.4 models in 208S form. One has the later shaped fixed wheels ad is in super condition with lovely bright paintwork showing only very tiny marks on one or two raised body lines.

The earlier edition is not quite as smart but still a nice example for someone one day.

I took the opportunity to sort out all my other Jaguars - the 208M models, all now listed, including the rare grey base edition.

I always love the less common varieties of models and here is an excellent example of the Oldsmobile Toronado with plain shaped wheels, not the usual cast type. Only a few early editions had these fitted. It comes with a good box too. Splendid.

Maybe not particularly rare but the lovely old Rolls Royce didn't last long before Whizzwheels were fitted. This is the more common colour scheme but in very nice condition and undamaged emblem and chrome.

I found a yellow trailer and so have been able to put together a nice Gift Set 17. This is the better of two sets I now have available, the Ferrari being very fine and the nose not missing paint as most do! I have always thought it silly that there should be a driver in this set but as that's how it was sold I have to follow suit!

The farming vehicles have always had a fascination for me - as I was brought up on a farm and learnd to drive on a Fergie 20. I am really pleased with the old Massey Ferguson Tractor and have paired it with one of my better trailers and put Farmer George in place for a Gift Set 29. If you take out Farmer George then it's also a Gift Set 7!

A real 305 Mini Marcos GT850 in blue.

I definitely have plenty to keep me occupied during quarantine after my return from Ukraine! This is the extremely rare Mini Marcos GT850 in blue. It was issued only in a few of the Gift Set 20 Transporter Sets and is just so hard to find.

Some years ago I did come across a seemingly immaculate model but it lacked the sill transfers and there was just something about the finish that made me suspicious. Now, for the first time, I am satisfied that I have an original 305 model in my hands. Indeed, it is the first I have encountered in any media, let along touching one! Someone contacted me about a very rough one some years ago but that was the closest I got until this week when this one arrived.

You'll see that this is not in great condition! But it could be worse and, posed at the right angle, it might not be immediately obvious that it has no windows, a missing door and one that doesn't close properly and a damaged bonnet! Oh, and missing headlamp covers.

It's real, though, and I am delighted to have this on my desk. Now I have to work out how to improve its appearance without taking it apart or causing more damage. The headlamp covers will be easy. I just need to buy any old wreck and swap them over. The windows I think I can repair, thanks to the missing door. Whilst I still cannot get the whole unit in as one piece, I can cut it and attach it to the roof inside so that the front is retained and also the rear and two side windows. That will make a big difference.

The existing door has a twisted hinge so it moves up as you close it. I shall try to straighten this but may leave that to last as it looks fine when left open as shown above. I have replacements for both doors and will see how I might be able to attach one on the other side. I doubt I will be able to make a permanent fix that still opens and closes but a door that fills the gap (and painted in the correct colour) will be a good thing to have.

The bonnet I have a replacement for as well. Again, I may not be able to fit a new one that still opens and closes easily. The existing one has a tear in the metal near one of the hinges at the front but it is, of course, painted the right colour and original and I am tempted just to keep it as it is as it does close almost in line satisfactorily.

First I shall attend to the windows and headlamps and then see how it looks with a silver door lodged in position. I may decide to leave it at that.

As for its value, that's a tough question and it really has to be very much down to what someone might pay once I have made it a little more presentable. As with several of the particularly scarce models that I have in my collection, I am in no hurry to sell this, nor will any price I do decide to quote be particularly attractive! This is something special, even in this state!

 

A Tale of Two Thames

 

I have recently acquired the second issue of the 474 Ice Cream Van. I was lucky to get the first issue in January 2020. There are some differences.

The first issued had a Certificate of Provenance.

For the second this has become a Certificate of Authenticity. Frustratingly, the old one will not fit in the tin supplied with the Mini Cooper designed for their storage! That's odd as I would have thought that the tins might have been already in production or, certainly, well past design stage. As those of us who had received the first issue were not permitted to get the second issue direct it is all the more strange that we would not be able to store all our cards together. This is a minor thing, of course. More significant is the different 'China side' of the box.

The packing is slightly different, with a black piece of protective polystyrene replacing a white chunk for mine.

As for the models themselves, I cannot detect any difference.

The Corgi Model Club: Porsche Carrera 6

 The latest 'new old' Corgi has been released and mine arrived a few days ago. It comes with a reproduction of the 1505 Garage Attendants set of six characters. Each looks very much like the original, with maybe just that almost 'too perfect' paint application to distinguish the new from the old.

They are slotted into a card inside the box rather than supplied on a sprue - a better idea, although I have to admit that I've never noticed any signs of detachment on originals but then neither Have I looked very closely.

The 330 reproduction is excellent and the less common edition in blue and white, no red, and with a yellow engine cover has been copied. It's very much the original - just the shade of the engine cover seems a little too 'lemon' where the original is more 'orange'.

The rear red jewels are good too. let us hope that they have found a better source of jewels now for future items that will need them.

New old Corgis: a Porsche Carrera 6 coming next

Here is the latest list of proposed issues from the Corgi Model 

Following The Saint's Volvo P1800 we have the Porsche Carrera 6 to look forward to later this month.

This would appear to be another really accurate reproduction and I am pleased to see that they have used the less common colour scheme with an amber engine cover. I see there is a driver too - there seem to be several originals where the driver has been omitted and I have yet to figure out just how scarce those editions are.

With this model collectors should receive a set of Garage Attendants, originally issued as 1505. These characters and the box look very accurate too. They were originally issued on white plastic sprues. i wonder whether that will be the case this time?

looking at the list, I am not too excited about the Lotus F1 Racing Car but the early edition 417 Land Rover will be interesting, as will be the Mustang, Ghia and Bentley! I understand that the Bentley will be in two-tone green as the original. I would have quite liked to have seen both this and the black over silver edition produced for this iconic and very major part of Corgi's history but one will be good to see.

The Mustang is the Competition model so will be in white with, presumably, the double red top stripes (and not the sill stripes!). Chalk blue or green interior? They also have a choice of three wheel types! I just hope the suspension lasts a bit longer than the original 325 model.

For the Ghia there is a choice of logos for the bonnet - DeTomaso or Ghia? An aerial that survives for more than a few weeks would be good too!

[Acknowledgements to the Corgi model Club for the images.]