Qualitoys update

 

I had something of a dilemma with some recent Qualitoys purchases. These models are packed in a sturdy bubble pack which might have been nice on the shelves but not ideal for collectors. The plastic is simply glued to the card and, whilst one or two have become detached with age and the model can be slipped out without further damage, those that remain firmly attached require a decision to be made. Do I keep the item like new and never actually see another view of the model? Or do I break in somehow?

As these particular models appear to be available pretty cheaply I decided that there would be precious little difference in value between the model in a nearly mint pack and one in a slightly damaged pack. At the current low prices that a nearly mint one can be found for then there really is not much to lose! I was also heavily influenced by wanting to see whether there was a horse in the Horsebox, as well as simply wanting to take a closer look at these models.

For some I made a neat cut with a scalpel in the card at the back to release the model and it closes up neatly which should still be reasonably satisfactory for someone as and when these are to be sold again.

The nice new models are illustrated below and they are really quite nice out of that bubble. As many that are available loose do tend to have been very well played with by kids, as indeed was the intention, it is unusual to see them in this new condition.

The trailer is one item that doesn't do anything but you can still load it up and attach it to one of the trucks.

The pony is there and this one's brown. I am sure that others I have seen were white so that is something I need to research more. The white roof comes off quick easily, and was hanging off in the packet but not by enough to see the horse. There is a ramp which folds up too which didn't look right in a half open, half closed state in the pack so I am happy to have got it out.

The tower truck has three plastic sections, one of which can be lifted up and the top one rotates.

The Breakdown Truck has a familiar 'Corgi' hook and a handle I've seen before!

This version of the Truck has a rear section that tips to one side. Otherwise it looks just like the basic Truck but in a different colour scheme. It was probably the most popular model and there re many around but, so far, I haven't seen a nice one at a reasonable price.

One mystery is now solved! I had not looked closely at the models promoted on the back of the card for some models - you'll see that there is a Horsebox Trailer and that is catalogued as #709. I have yet to see one, though. I wonder whether there is a set of the basic Truck with the Horsebox Trailer? Anyway I have now updated the list as you'll see below. There may still be one to find but so far a different model eludes me. It does seem that some of these items may be particularly scarce - or are they just not deemed worth listing on Ebay or wherever by anyone who has them?

Corgi Model Club: Citroën Safari (Corgi Ski Club)

 

Here is the latset edition from the Corgi Model Club. It's the second version of #475, with Winter Olympics replaced by the Corgi Ski Club but otherwise, I think, the same. (I have always wondered whether the skis and ski poles and roof rack changed from one edition to the other and there are also versions with the interior colours switched round but whether these variations occur within a model run I have to investigate.)

Anyway, this one has yellow skis and poles and a red roof rack. It looks a lot whiter than I remember but that may just be because I've only ever had a pretty well-played-with model myself!

The certificate information appears not to have been edited very carefully. I quite like the two 'i' s in skiis, though, and we'll forgive that but they claim that the last model of this car was #499 in 1968. That model was issued in October 1967 and the last one was #513 in September 1970 (incidentally also the last Corgi issued with 'normal' wheels).

In the box the car is wrapped in thin tissue-like paper and there is a small piece of plastic foam (not shown above). The figures and skis are in a plastic bag and separate to the car in the box. I was surprised to have two skiers, four skis and four poles. The original only had one skier.

I am a little intrigued too by the 'instruction sheet' included. My copy has just one side printed whereas this should have the usual membership text and form on the reverse. In fact, with this particular issue, all the examples i have seen have not had the wording about adjusting the skiers legs. That text seems to have been added for the #499 model with the TV21 style footer. The one supplied is odd and I wonder whether someone has not advised them well on this or, perhaps, I'm wrong and there simply might have been a variety of 'instructions' used of which the one they've supplied is just one.

The #499 original instruction sheet

The #475 original instruction sheet (both editions)

This is a good-looking model and the now familiar top quality accuracy in reproduction and near-perfect silver detailing. I still find the shaped wheels not quite right and I believe the roof rack should have straight parallel sides rather than the curved variety we have here. However, that may, again, be my memory?

The car arrives with ski poles in the bag but they should be stowed in the roof rack for which there is space provided. I haven't done that in the photos, though, and it may be that the thin plastic poles would be vulnerable to bending if left there in the box for a while.

I also note that the skis are attached to each other in pairs. Is that how they were originally? It does make it easier to keep the chap standing upright so maybe not a bad idea even if not as they actually were provided originally.

This is all very fine engineering in both metal and plastic and an enjoyable model to have in this growing collection. As always, I find the box lacking in being very shiny and the fonts for the number and features are still not right but I guess they never will be so I'll have to put up with that.

Of course, now that we have this model, expect Corgi to come up with a few variations (or the Club to have a go at one of the others in due course). Just not the hearse, please.

Vanguards for sale

Some time ago I set about making a website to feature all the models that Corgi produced through Vanguards in Great Britain. This would have been during the short period from 1996 to 1999 when production was moved to China. 

It was an interesting project as it was quite difficult to get the model numbers as catalogues seemed few and far between and I never managed to identify some gaps that appeared between the numbers. Many sellers also either didn't state where the model they were selling was made (or got it wrong) and, unlike most Corgi listings, they never took photos of the base either. It was not easy to build a collection of just the British models but I found a good proportion of the cars and vans.

The site can be viewed at this link (there is also another version here as I made one with some ancient software first and oddly that appears first in searches rather than the Google Site!). The first link is better though.

Since then, however, only one or two of the missing models have surfaced, and even then only very occasionally and I've not had the time to chase after them. Because I don't particularly like some of them and didn't want to start on the trucks, which are a different scale, I have not pursued this for some time and the whole collection is now in one large box where it has been for a few years. Values for most of the models seem quite low still and, whilst some seem to have a significant value, most seem to sell for around £10-£20. All mine have original boxes and the internal packing plus mirrors (not fitted, separate in a bag) and a card and maybe some other information, basically as close to mint as you're likely to find. Most for sale are like this as no-one plays with these models. They're attractive but just for display or use in photoshoots.

So I'm going to try and sell the whole collection as a single item. Hopefully someone will like them and maybe even continue to look for the few missing items. If you're interested, get in touch. There's a list on the site of the 83 models.