Monday 16 May 2016

Kingfisher Blue

The red Chrysler Imperial was not the best-looking of Corgis models, not helped by a couple of large occupants squeezed in the front seats, but there is another version that looks a lot nicer.

This is the Kingfisher Blue edition. I am sure that every model that Corgi used this colour on has become eminently desirable. It just looks a hundred times nicer. It is also probably not far short of a undred times more valuable now as these are very, very scarce and hard to find in as good a condition as this one.

It was advertised in a group of blue Corgi models, with no specific mention of any model names and so escaped many dealers' searches for things like this that I am sure they must do every day, or have Ebay do for them automatically. I fully expected someone to outbid my fairly modest maximum while away at my son's wedding in Scotland but was delighted that I found several large packages waiting for me on my return. I had won all this particular chap's bundles of models that I had bid for! This was in one of them.


In the 1969 Corgi Catalogue there is a new model announced as 'Available Later' and this is the 246 Chrysler Imperial with a fancy canopy roof fitted and 'Taxi' stickers on the doors and bonnet and painted in the new shade.


This wasn't actually released as such, though, but it seems several did finish up in 246 boxes. What I don't know for sure, though, is whether they had the two occupants or not. although there is a taxi driver illustrated in the catalogue, my model doesn't seem to have much room for anyone's thighs to fit below the steering wheel. It realli is the taxi version to as there are two gaps behind the rear upholstery where some roof poles would have been inserted. 

I have popped a gold trolley in the boot as a nod towards the box illustration content and that's as far as I'm going until I know better. This is worth getting a box for if I can find one. Or a reproduction in the meantime would do fine. It really is a lovely example and I am delighted to have one at last.





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