Corgi Tourist

 

A delightful product arrived this week from an auction in Kent. This would appear to date from late 1967, maybe more like 1968, as the Commer Camera Van seen in the image was not issued until December 1967 and the Lancia Fulvia only a few months earlier. It is a case which, as well as carrying up to 18 models, opens up to a garage service station and car park scene so that we could play with our Corgi Toys while away from home

 

It's made of strong card covered with Corgi-blue vinyl with a black plastic carrying handle.

I have only just realised that the 'Corgi toys' label on the right shown above is not just a label but a sign that can be placed on the roof of the service station. There is also an interesting reference to Corgi Cards which sound like something I would very much like to try and find if, indeed, they were, in fact, ever issued. I have found some issued in 1971 by Devlin which were included in packs of Sweet Cigarettes but, so far, none that might have been available in 1968. That might explain why I have yet to see one of these cases with any of the cards of the type described included

This case appears never to have been used at all, with the original stickers still in the John Dickinson & Co Ltd semi-transparent envelope they were supplied in.

The fuel pumps still have their display stickers.

Of course, I couldn't resist adding a few of my models to the display!

Of particular fascination for me, and the reason I hoped to acquire this item, is something extra that was included in the sale. It looks like an announcement or a draft Press Release maybe from Woolf Christie Laing & Partners to Mettoy Playcraft (Sales) Ltd in Euston Road, London. It has to be some sort of draft advertisement. The firm were, at around that time, agents for Fiat promotional work in the UK but I have been unable to find much more about them so far. It would seem reasonable to assume that Corgi, or Mettoy, were clients and this was an example of some early thoughts on how to promote the Corgi Tourist pack.

The text has a reference which, to my mind, suggests a date of March 1969. That seems quite a bit later than most other sellers say this might have been made available so maybe I'm wrong about that - or perhaps this is a later effort to improve sales. It certainly was not a big seller as few are now around on the market.

On the back of the draft press release is a photograph of the product. This is, however, missing a red 'bridge' which I have in mine. I am guessing that this fits over one edge of the box and allows us to drive our cars onto this layout.

At about 18" by 10" by 4" this is quite a big item - bigger than I had expected from the pictures I had seen before. With a full compliment of cars it would have been quite a weight too!

The price quoted 39/11d is one old penny short of £2, which is quite reasonable for a parent but beyond most of us receiving only pocket money at the time. I do not recall seeing any advertisements for this, and certainly not the item itself being clutched in any little hands that I saw on my holidays or outings and it does seem to be quite a scarce item.

Prices seem to range from around £100 for a slightly worn example to £400+ for something like new. If anyone is interested in acquiring this one, with the correspondence, get in touch. I can also fill it with the Corgis of your choice - for a fee, of course!

If you'd like a challenge, see if you can identify all the models illustrated, including those in the box!