Corgi Model Club: Kingfisher Blue

If you had a Corgi Toy in 'kingfisher blue' in the 1960s you were very lucky. It was most likely to have been a Jaguar Mk X but it could also have been a Chrysler Imperial. The last time I had one of these on my desk was over 10 years ago, when I found this really nice example when I was slowly working through the American section of Corgi's issues to review and document for my then very new Catalogue. I wish I had not let it go all those years ago - I have not seen another since, not even one I cannot afford! So it is a delight to see the latest Corgi Model Club issue, even if they have simply repainted the red one from May/June 2024. It just looks and feels right, and there is something about that wonderful colour . . .

Now, let's take a closer look at this and what the Club say about it.

First of all, it comes wrapped in tissue-like paper with a couple of L-shaped pieces of foam to help protect the screen. The certificate specifies this as the kingfisher blue edition. They get that bit right.

They seem, however, to be unaware of the origins of this model, 

If thy had looked in the 1969 Corgi Catalogue they would have seen it on page 13.

This was planned as model #507, a new Bermuda Taxi to replace the ancient Ford Thunderbird. It would carry the same funny detachable roof as the Fiat Jolly and Thunderbird and a couple of suitcases in the boot, with a suitably well-tanned chap behind the wheel.

That model, however, was never actually 'available later' but a batch of Chryslers had been prepared and these have reached the market. Now, bearing in mind that the 1969 catalogue would not have been produced much earlier than mid-1968 and the #246 model ceased production in 1967, it must have been the case that this batch were put into whatever remaining #246 boxes were around and, as the box talks of a 'surprise in the boot' they popped a golf trolley in there too. It would have been too late for dealers to order but I guess they reached a few somehow.

There is a notable difference between the kingfisher blue and the red editions which tends to confirm this. That is the two holes just behind the passenger compartment where the roof canopy poles would have been placed. These are not present on the re-issue.

There is a further marked difference between the original and the re-issue and that is the colour of the base. The re-issue, understandably, keeps the deep grey of the 2024 re-issue whereas my original had a much lighter grey finish.

For all the mistakes in the description, I have to say that I do like this re-issue and I may get a second so that I can make the two holes, change the base, install a canopy, driver and cases and create my very own #507.

Corgi Toys Gift Set 25 (now almost complete)

 

I have now completed the Garage Forecourt layout for Gift Set 25. There are lots of pictures that I have now added to my earlier post. Below I show my attempts to reproduce the three 1965 Catalogue images. They're not quite right but pretty close!

You will spot one or two 'extras' in these and in the other photos in the earlier post! Looking at the catalogue pictures, there appears to be something like an oil can as well as a watering can. I only have two watering cans. If anyone has a spare oil can let me know! Or maybe they did issue two watering cans. The post with a sort of hook looks like an air dispenser and I wonder whether that should have a tube attached? Otherwise I do believe this is complete. 

The construction and painting has been completed to a high standard and I believe this was originally a kit made up for a display by a Corgi dealer in the States. I have a similarly well-made Chalet kit for which there is some provenance in this respect and the two items came from the same collection. Whatever the case it is extremely rare to find the items built and painted and all in such good condition. In many years of looking, I cannot recall seeing anything like this anywhere, only unmade kits.

By chance the models I happen to have here in stock do also match those illustrated in the catalogue, with the correct fixed shaped wheels on the Chevrolet and two Fords. Whilst the little red book accompanying the Great Book of Corgi refers to a black Bentley, all the illustrations I have seen have the green and cream model. Perhaps in the box, however, you might have received either.

I do not have the alternative BP transfers nor paint, brush or glue but the layout is a delightful reminder of how things once were.

Something as attractive as this is a remarkable addition to any Corgi collection and, although not as valuable as the whole lot in their original box(es) which sell for £4000 or more, I actually prefer this as I can look at it and smile every day.

I am not in a hurry to part company with this but if anyone is interested I will consider offers.

Something for the younger ones

 I am by no means a fan of Corgi's output after the mid-1970s but I have recently acquired a bundle of Corgi Collector magazines issued from January 1986 to Christmas 1989. These have been fascinating, with contributions from collectors and Corgi staff on occasion too. One contributor, who I hope will not mind my reproducing part of his article here, was Roderick Ward, who wrote in 40 years ago as follows:

"The new Corgi management is run by a group of people who were nearly all Mettoy managers but rarely in a position then to make decisions regarding choice of model subject, quality, target market and so on. They were aware that somewhere down the line collectors had been lost to Corgi and a sneaking feeling that this market was possibly larger than previously thought. It may surprise collectors to know that Corgi were unaware that all those promotional Routemasters in funny colours, when they first appeared, were being bought by adults. When this realisation dawned, an attempt was made to identify this market.

We have already seen the first fruits of this realisation. In the Thorneycroft and Renault vintage trucks and the 99p 1:43 scale cars. the message has got across that 1:43 is the scale collectors want, and children will buy it, but other messages have not got through yet. A make soon gets devalued for collectors if too many variations of colour or livery is produced (Thorneycroft vans). Finish and detail should not be too obviously cheap (1:43 cars). Packaging should not be too brash or childish or too space-consuming (whole range). I fear that the latter fault may be due to the employment of an outside agency, who took the existing "36 months" target age range too literally.

Another crossed line is in connection with reissued models. Many people would like to see re-issues if ever possible of early Corgi models from the blue box or yellow and blue box era. Lowest priority for reissue would be the Corgi Classics, so what was chosen for reissue? You guessed it.

When the new company was formed, there was a lot of goodwill around. we all wished Corgi well, and were prepared to accept a few faults, a few too many RM liveries and some strange marketing decisions. Now perhaps we can look forward to Corgi responding actively to demand. You don't have to be a Frank Hornby these days, with an instinctive feel for what the market needs. You just need to listen, as collectors are very vocal, very opinionated and will talk your ear off all day with what they want.

You can always tell when a model range is confidently put together, and it usually strikes a chord with collectors who not only avidly collect them, but have a good idea of what they will be collecting in the future from that range. We're not quite there with Corgi yet, but I hope that the next year will see the final meshing of collectors' interests and Corgi's products."

As we now know, things did not change very quickly and rather more changes of ownership were to follow. And, of course, Hornby, as a company if not Frank, eventually told hold of the reins after all and we do now get re-issues of models we had hoped to see again. 

I am aware, though, that there are people who do collect Corgis from the 1980s and, from what I can tell, there is limited material available by way of comprehensive lists of what was actually issued in those pretty mad and, on occasion, desperate times. So I thought it might be helpful to a few people out there to see what these magazines included by way of model variations that they may not know about. Each month there was a section that showed the special issues being released, either for export or as a limited edition for a particular organisation, some of which may have reached normal dealers too.

At this link are extracts from the magazines I have, detailing the export and special editions over that period.

There was also an interesting series of articles about the many editions of the Ford Escort Van too, which may help those seeking to discover whether they have a complete collection or not!

These models, as I said at the start, are not going to be everyone's cup of tea but I know there are a number of people who do like them and, with prices really very cheap in many instances - including the scarce editions as many dealers simply don't appreciate they are scarce - they may be able to build something quite worthwhile for a very modest outlay.

Of course, by publishing this I may have scuppered some chances of finding a bargain, for which I suppose I should apologise!

If anyone would like to buy the magazines themselves, get in touch. I have 18 and they're all clean and tidy. Issues 12 to 32 with one or two missing. There's quite a bit from contributors about the original Corgis too which makes them worth browsing.

Corgi Gift Set 25 Garage Layout

This is my project for August, a comparatively quiet month for me and particularly so because my wife is in Ukraine and will be stuck there for a while. That leaves me free to occupy some space with Corgi material that doesn't have to be packed away every evening!

I now have all the bits and pieces. No, not an original box, nor the glue, paints and packing pieces, just the display things, so I cannot sell it for a fortune and retire - instead, I can enjoy it as I might have done 60+ years ago.

Missing until recently had been the Batley Leofric garages. Corgi Model Club to the rescue! No-one need know and I challenge anyone to tell the difference. 

I am not as adept at handling small parts as I once was and the 'up-and-over-door' mechanism is very fiddly but I got there in the end.

There are pieces to join the individual units as 'Mews garages' but I shall not do that and I don't believe the three in the catalogue illustration were joined either.

Things are taking shape. Waiting for the Corvair at the moment. I shall update this post in a few days.

All complete now. Enjoy the many views in the pictures below.