2019 arrivals

Very early GS2 with a box and inner tray which displays the pony separately. Later editions had no holes for the pony, which was wrapped in card in the trailer. As seems appropriate, I have used a similarly rare and early trailer without a handle at the top of the ramp. It's not going to be cheap.

58 The Beast carrier with calves and the green mesh on top (although that's not shown here)

151 Scarce edition of the Lotus XI Le Mans in red with original screen

200 Ford Consul in mushroom brown. I though it was a cream one when I saw it advertised! I now have two of these to sell.

202M I also have two of these mid green Morris Cowleys with working motors

203M Vauxhall Velox with working motor

208 Nice Jaguar 2.4 with super original early box

208M Jaguar 2.4 with working motor

209 Riley Pathfinder Police Car lovely but missing the bell.

213 Jaguar 2.4 Fire Chief's Car - excellent and complete but missing a transfer

214 Ford Thunderbird (I bought this hoping it might have had shaped wheels).

231 Triumph Herald - very clean examples in each colour

234 Bentley Continental - superb examples in each of the main colours and one with a lovely original box too.

238 Jaguar Mk X in a really stunning deep cerise shade. I have two of these, equally good, one with an original box.

246 Chrysler Imperial with original box. All very good. I bought this for the golf caddy - the one sold with it is a replacement.

252 Rover 2000 in maroon with an odd wheel!

252 Rover 2000 in maroon with an original box.

318 Lotus Elan S2 - very scarce with cast wheels

323 Citroen DS19 Monte Carlo Edition with an original aerial!

384 The last 1:43 Corgi car. From 1977 a VW 1200 Rally Edition - only available for a short period.

508 Commer Holiday Bus with original luggage cover (but no cases)

These are all quite recent additions, listed in catalogue order. Please enquire for availability and price as there has been quite a bit of interest in some of these.

Corgi Toys @ 60 : Mercedes, Jeep and another Bedford

April 1959 brought a second Mercedes model to the toy shop shelves, #304. It is the 303 chassis with the interior element and screen removed and a hardtop with windows fitted instead. 

Most of these models were a creamy-yellow colour with a bright red hard top. There are all yellow examples out there, however, and these command quite a significantly higher price.

I believe they all have smooth, fixed wheels.

It was a long-lasting model, getting a strange form of suspension a couple of years later in 1961 - but no interior throughout its life. It was never as popular as the open roadster 303 model, always seeming a bit basic but nonetheless, an attractive and well-made casting.

The second release in April 1959 was something quite different; an American Jeep FC-150 Pick-up truck issued as #409. All were in pale blue or a slightly darker shade with a tin hook and these were not supplied with a canopy. The grille is painted red. Still no interior on Corgi models.

It is an odd model. Firstly, I do not know how you are supposed to replace a tyre on the spare wheel if it ever gets worn. Secondly, it appears to have been manufactured quite differently from all the models issued to date. The door outlines are proud of the main surface whereas all other models have them engraved into the body. Underneath, too, the construction looks quite different to other models. Maybe another chap took over that part of the process for a while. 

The Jeep may not have been the most exciting model but it lasted a long time and the casting was to be used in a wide variety of ways right up until the last release in 1968. It certainly seems to cause a great deal of confusion with sellers often advertising one version as another but, as far as I am aware, there was only one colour #409 (allowing for shades). It can be found with shaped wheels and these are not uncommon. I would also imagine that there could be a free spinning wheel version as this remained until the mid-1960s. That would be a pretty nice find, though.

The third item for this month is another use for the Bedford S cab, now pulling a Mobilgas branded tanker unit, Corgi Majors catalogue number 1110. This can be found with either fixed smooth or fixed shaped wheels but that is the only variation I am aware of. It was quite a good seller and the rear section lasts for ages, getting attached to a very odd-looking later Bedford TK cab in 1965!