Jensen's Mini: Myth or Mystery Pt II

The search for some evidence continues. I am afraid to say that nothing is getting that much clearer but let's see how it all adds up so far.

QDT have written to me again and say:

We have now received information which leads us to feel very confident regarding the early blue 226 model, and, to a slightly lesser degree, the 225 models (especially red) too.

This is based on an article in DieCast Collector magazine in 1999 by someone they regard as a 'well known Mini expert', Mike Battsford (although they then add 'apologies to him if the spelling is incorrect') which shows the red and blue Minis in his collection. 

This certainly shows that these were around a lot earlier than some people have maintained and ends the theory that some believed which maintained that these models only appeared when the reproduction transfers appeared in 2008.

Otherwise, all it does tell me is that this chap Mike had red and blue Minis with Jensen's transfers on and, because he writes for DieCast Collector and is known to be 'a careful collector', we could accept that they exist as genuine promotional items. If this chap Mike Battsford had genuine articles there then, as each in the illustrations feature the early smooth wheels, that tends to put paid to my view that the promotions were a short-lived affair sometime in 1964. 

My reasoning for the date was that the Hillman Imp only appeared in November 1963 and I had always been inclined to the view that a promotion would be relatively short-lived and, even if it had involved more than one model, these would have been produced at about the same time.

QDT add:

This does not necessarily prove anything but we know Mike to have been a very knowledgeable and cautious collector.

I have found no reference to him in a brief search of the name and, if he was that well-known, one might have expected both QDT to remember how to spell his name and some reference to appear online fairly readily. So I am not really very convinced. This chap Mike might merely have had a couple of fakes in the photo and we're none the wiser. I am prepared to accept their view as to his knowledge and caution, however, and keep an open mind.

What does intrigue me, though, is the article appears to refer to the Minis being "a promotion for a Dutch car dealer." Er, hang on, not a Danish Jewellery store then? As you'll see below some of the auction listings have been quite specific about the Danish Jewellery Store. But then they have also talked about a Dutch firm, another Danish store and, as you'll have seen from my previous post, the logo actually now belongs to a German meat company!!

QDT also tell me in some detail about someone who acquired a Mini with 'Jensen's' transfers from a house clearance in 1999. I accept that this proves that the '2008 appearance of reproduction transfers' is irrelevant but it doesn't mean that someone wasn't creating good copies back in the 1990s. After all, this is still a good 30 years or more after the originals. The models would have been considered scarce then, I'm sure, and there would have been plenty of incentive to make some transfers and stick them on something like a Mini that doesn't need to be repainted first.

QDT go on to say:

In summary we are now convinced, beyond reasonable doubt, that the early 226 is perfectly valid. It is, unfortunately, no doubt true that examples of 225 and 226 Jensen’s models have been made, post 2008, using original transfers. This does not mean though that there are not original examples too.

I do feel they're putting too much faith in Mike, whoever Mike is, as far as the Minis are concerned. There is no other evidence there that stands up and rather too many queries. So I have to continue, not a great deal wiser, and I thought I might next share some of the different examples that I have found. 

2004. A very pale blue example with what looks like a genuine transfer. The only example I've seen with fixed shaped wheels. 

A QDT item from a few years ago with what appears to be genuine transfers but, despite their comments about Mike the Mini man, this is referred to as a Danish jewellery firm promotion.

Toymart have this extraordinary primrose edition illustrated! amusingly, it has a 'value' far less than they quote for the blue one but, to be fair, their prices are way, way out of date for many models now and shouldn't be given much credence. I share this as an indication of just how silly things can get. Again, the transfer looks genuine but I very much doubt this is a genuine promotional item or even a sample, the primrose colour lasting only a short while in 1960. If the paint is original, though, this is a very scarce model in its own right with fixed shaped wheels.

This is from an Australian auction several years ago. This one looks familiar, with the 3/3d on the box and the reference to a 'Georg Jensen' leaflet which we now know is the Danish Jeweller and not, it seems, the subject of the promotion at all. This doesn't look good - at best someone has mistakenly tried to add provenance and a box to a genuine car. At worst, and more likely, a normal 226 with good transfers added.

This one appeared in Newbury in 2014 with some very poor quality transfers.

I really don't know what to make of this one from Vectis from April this year. The transfer is dreadful, much like, if not identical to the Newbury one above. However, they claim the box has a J sticker and even go so far as to assert that it is a 'correct' J sticker! Note, however, the more cautious 'believed to have been a Danish promotional issue. I am beginning to think the J sticker could be faked easily too, as the rest of this does not look right to me.

Lacy, Scott & Knight had this - again almost identical item - in 2015. One does wonder whether it might not have been the same one all along? Another poor transfer but another 'J' label on the box. Odd.

Vectis with a very pale blue edition in 2005. The transfer looks good but they refer to a 'Georg Jensen' card which rather ruins this one's provenance. No mention of a label on the box, either.

This is Vectis again in 2018 with a rather tatty Austin and another dodgy transfer but different to the previous one. The box has an odd mark at one end which is more likely to be where someone has rubbed off a price than where a J label night have been attached. This one does not look at all genuine.

And now, just to confuse us even more, another auction house I can't recall the name of had this blue Morris with old smooth wheels in a kind of mid-blue. 

Here, at last, is the mysterious 'J' label!! So I am inclined to go with this box, at least. I can't get a close-up on the transfer but it looks like I'd expect a genuine one to look, rather than the tatty efforts we've seen on so many on here. But then, just as we're beginning to think that everything in the garden may be lovely and here is something genuine, the firm declares, starting in capitals: PLEASE NOTE: The model has had applied ORIGINAL 'JENSON'S'  transfers at a later date. Hmmm. Jenson's. Even if we allow them one typo, it's all a bit weird.

So where does that get us?

A Morris box with a 'J' label is encouraging. There are also one or two genuine-looking transfers on a Morris but in all but this one respect, their provenance is seriously flawed by the reference to a Jeweller in Denmark. If the auction house genuinely believed that to be the case then we can excuse them where there's no additional stuff like cards or special leaflets added to the mix.

I am still inclined against anything but later shaped (and preferably free-spinning) wheels which tie in with the most likely production period. Perhaps samples of a Mini were produced earlier? That's my best shot at an explanation for good transfers on smooth fixed wheels.

I don't buy the red one, other than, again, as possible factory samples, but none I've seen are convincing, either because of poor transfers or boxes with prices on.

We still need to know (a) just who 'Jensen's' were (and, ideally, are now so we can ask some questions) and (b) when these would have been produced so we can try and exclude some base and wheel types. Finally, I'll try and get a good image of a genuine transfer too to provide another way to sort some of the good from the bad.

Anyone with any knowledge about this, please help!