Metallic blue and metallic green

In a chat a couple of days ago a collector was interested in the metallic green and metallic blue colours that Corgi had used and reckoned that several models had the same colour. I have also wondered about this and thought the best thing to do would be to get out as many as I had lying around and take a closer look.

Let's start with the mid metallic green, first seen on the MGA, Rover 90 and Citroën, with the second issue of the Austin Cambridge possibly getting it as its second colour in the two-tone edition.

Whilst the MGA and Rover 90 are very much alike, the Citroën is a bit lighter and the Austin seems to have more blue in the mix. They are certainly all pretty close but I would say that only two have the same paint. Those two being produced at the same time encourages this view too. 

There are not many in the lighter metallic green shade. One I do not have to hand is the two-tone Ford Consul which has a similar shade as part of its finish. Of the others then the Renault and TR3 are so close I am inclined to say they're the same. Both the colours of the Thames and Bentley look very much the same too but, in my opinion, differ slightly from the others. The Minivan is an outsider here, being quite different.

Now for the blues.

I'll start with the light blue finishes and the Rover and Jaguar are close but not the same. The Buick is also different with a touch more green. The other Jaguar is out on its own with nothing like it!

Amongst the darker shades of metallic blue I had expected to see some matches but no two appear the same.

In the last group of mid metallic blue shades it is the same story. When you put one next to the other, no two match here either.

Now I do know that there are also many shades within the production period for some models, especially the Ghia, Jaguar 2.4 and Rolls-Royce in this group and for the Oldsmobile and Hillman Imp in the other group. In the light green section the Bentley and Thames each have quite broad shade ranges (especially in the pale colour). So it is quite possible that, had I used some other models, we might have found more matches or more differences. I am inclined, therefore to conclude that, apart from a few models where production took place at the same time, for the vast majority of Corgis issued, no particular policy of using the same colours applied. Particularly where the different production periods are separated by several years then any match would seem accidental if, indeed, there has been any. Paint of different quality and composition will age differently too so, with some of these that I have illustrated being more than 60 years old it is difficult to be certain about anything!

With the new Corgi Model Club issues, we get to see the design sheets which specify the colours they want the Chinese factory to use. I was going to say that that might give us a guide as and when they produce some items which might be in the same colour but, unless the Club had access to records which specified the original colour then they may well just be working from an old model themselves. So that might not be of any help either.

If anyone does know all about Corgi paint suppliers or specifications for old models then do get in touch. In the meantime if you have any other matches, tell us about them.