Expensive glasses

 

You may remember that I have this promotional completed US sample of the lovely Motel Chalet. It was missing the Motel sign and also had just one glass on the table.

I have always felt that there should be a bottle and two glasses on the table but you can appreciate just how fiendishly difficult it could be to find such minute items now. The Motel sign is a little bigger but still may look just like any old piece of white plastic. So the only way I could complete this kit was to buy another that was complete but, of course, these don't come along very often and, even if they do, they can have parts missing.

So I have just paid an absolute fortune to be able to describe my sample as 'complete' at last. But there is a bonus - the kit I've acquired has two bottles and four glasses!! That means I can add a bottle and glass to my sample and still feel happy selling the kit with sufficient components to display as I would expect it to. (I suppose that, if all the kits have two bottles and four glasses then this one will, technically, not be complete but I think it'll have sufficient to satisfy whoever decides to display it).

Looking at the illustration on the box I can only see one bottle and maybe only one glass but, with two chairs, two glasses seems right. We don't get a plate in the kit, either.

Looking at the illustration in the Corgi Toys Catalogue of 1965 (or 1966) the Jaguar's number plate reads COR 64. On the 611 Kit box I have it is COR 62!

This is a lovely kit and, whilst it doesn't have the original plastic bag containing all the pieces, I have counted everything and they're all there, as well as the instruction sheet and transfers.

It's all contained in an immaculate box.

Another difference is that none of the illustrations, or my made-up sample have the Motel sign attached, although there are places for this to be affixed.

I have often remarked that it's the little things that make collecting Corgi Toys so fascinating and enjoyable. In all respects, here's another example, indeed!

As I think I reported a while ago, someone in Japan did buy the sample last year but one piece of the very delicate railing at the top and the parasol pole were damaged en route and I took it back. My brilliant artist wife repaired these pieces and I cannot see where she has done so which means I have put that up for sale again and if it goes then I may be seriously tempted to make this set up for my own satisfaction. She can paint it very professionally in the correct colours and I'll be more than happy to keep it for displays. Maybe someone will like the box so I can get some return on all the expense.