Original Steed brollies and how not to pack a Corgi Gift Set

I seldom win at normal auctions. That is because the amount I am prepared to spend is too low and that is, in turn, due to the extraordinary additions for fees, tax, packing and more tax. A £200 bid turns into an invoice for £348! (30% fee, £30 packing/delivery, 20% VAT). Now £200 might have been a good price, a bargain even, but £348 more often than not isn't. So I do the sums and set a maximum to take account of all this - and lose.

Just occasionally, on a rainy day at some village venue with no internet connection, I am successful and once or twice I do win over the internet just by good fortune. Two of these occasions have been when I've won an Avengers Gift Set, each with the early green Bentley, original boxes in reasonably good condition but lacking the original packing pieces.

Whenever I send this set to customers, whether the models are lovely or chipped or the boxes reproduction or original, I wrap the cars separately and placed away from the box which, itself, is wrapped to prevent damage. I know what damage can be done if this is not done as the first set I won some years ago arrived and I found the box card had been pierced several times by a Bentley mudguard moving around and chips had been made to the white Lotus paintwork.

So on this second occasion I wrote to the auction house and the packing company they recommended, very clearly requesting that they take care to separate the models and the box.

Here's what arrived:

Although they had gone to great lengths to protect the exterior of the box from damage from the outside, I could see as I opened the box that everything was inside the GS40 box. The reason I started taking photos at this point was that I could hear and feel a rattle, movement inside the box, so was already concerned.

Inside the well-wrapped outside packing you can see here that the two models are not where they should be and seem free to move around.

All that had been added to the box were two loosely crumpled pieces of thin white paper, leaving the models plenty of scope for movement.

As it happens the damage was nothing like as much as I had feared. The cars had uprooted Mrs Peel and that had torn the flap where she stands, worn some of the wheel placement holes more than they were before and produced a small chip on a rear mudguard of the Bentley. I also thought that movement had rubbed some paint off the Elan S2 text in the casting but I think that had been deliberately done by the owner. It actually looks quite good and I thought it was a transfer at first, before I looked more closely.

The box appears to have survived. It was already a little worn but has all its flaps and, apart from some possible dents here and there, I cannot really complain about anything in that respect.

I have written to the people concerned and expressed my annoyance that my instructions were not followed and hoping that they'll be more careful when packing similar items again. I'll ask for a little compensation but don't expect much as with models that have been played with it is always difficult, in the absence of good auction house photos for comparison, to show fresh damage.

On a brighter note, I now have three two original umbrellas! 

I had two one before and this set had the third another. It is not at all easy to distinguish originals but I think I can now do so. Replacements are either metal, which are obvious, or plastic and there are two things to look for in the plastic types: the detail in the furling. handle and the tip. Originals have quite fine and detailed furling marks where the material wraps around and the tip is well-shaped. The reproductions I've looked at often have almost no definition and poor finish at the point. Both appear to have remnants of plastic from where they were detached from a sprue. Originals at the top, many reproductions at the bottom.

You will see two originals on the left are quite clearly different under magnification. I have to admit to believing that the third was original too and only now as I study the enlarged images have I realised that is not the case. So I still need one more! (And I must edit the listing I made yesterday.)

Because it is so difficult to distinguish these in a display of a Gift Set I have offered a substantial reduction in the set price for anyone who is content with three reproduction brollies and maybe then I can keep the two until a third appears one day.

 

Corgi Toys @ 60: Lotus Elan and a boat

 

It's July 1965 and the sun is shing. Let's fold back the roof and take a drive in a lovely Lotus Elan S2. And to remind us how scarce diesels were in those days, there's a 'I've got a tiger in my tank' sticker across the boot lid, promoting Esso petrol. I still have my tiger's tail, something you could get from Esso but I can't for the life of me remember how. I don't think I had to pay for it. The stickers were free but were somewhat smaller than the Corgi design! They were meant for bumpers when bumpers were chrome and just a few inches high.

Corgi's model was an attractive addition to the range and had side windows which slid up and down and seats that tilted forward. I never quite understood why because there was absolutely no room for anything, never mind anyone behind them! The bonnet also opened to reveal a nice silver engine (and everything else under there). It came with a blue helmeted racing driver and some numbers on black circular stickers which could be attached.

I preferred the car without the driver and without the stickers but at least we all had a choice.

The predominant colour for this model was metallic blue but there are also examples in white. The Elan in white, without the sticker or driver, would be included in The Avengers Gift Set 40 later.

There are also scarce variations of both the metallic blue and white models with cast wheels from very late in the production period of the blue model in 1967. Although the Gift Set was available through to 1969, white editions with cast wheels are just as scarce.

A common problem with these models is failure of the suspension. That is provided by a thin piece of plastic in an X shape with each end covering an axle. This plastic gets brittle and simply breaks.

There are two types of casting, one with a small hole at the front end, barely visible in the photo below.

There also seem to be shades of 'white' from very pure, almost blue-white through to a thick, creamy finish. Many of the cream may turn out to be from homes of smokers, of course! 

If the weather were fine then you could take the other July issue out on the river, lake or sea. This was one of precious few things that you could tow with a Corgi, not that there were many cars with tow hooks either.

This is #104 Dolphin 20 Cruiser on a Wincheon trailer with tiny wheels. The Skipper comes with the box. There is a stripe on the roof. The boat is all plastic and I guess it actually does float although I've never tried. At the back is a quite detailed outboard motor that can be pulled up out of the 'water'. The little propeller turns too. There's no suspension on the trailer but you will find later models have a tiny cast wheel in place of the original free-spinning smooth type.

This is, of course, the same model as first appeared in December 1964 in the Riviera Gift Set 31.

At this time there was a very limited choice as to what you could attach it to. In fact the only motor car at this time would have been the Buick again. For variety you'd need to use a Land Rover or Jeep FC-150 or one of the old lorries. Even after a few years the only additions would be a Renault 16TS, Rambler Marlin or the later issue of the Oldsmobile Toronado with Golden Jack wheels. (The first issue was only fitted with a tow hook in Gift Set 36 with the Glastron speedboat.)

As I said, there wasn't much to tow anyway, apart from some farm equipment, a Workmen's trailer, a couple of other trailers and a horsebox or two. 

Corgi Model Club: Lotus Elan

 (Updated 21 October 2023)

Here is the latest issue from the Corgi Model Club, the Lotus Elan #318. A quick review (updated now - see below) because it is a little late because I have been away and only today had a chance to open the package.

Inside is the car in a pleasantly exact and very fresh-looking shade of metallic blue, well-packed in the box, protected by a piece of tissue paper this time, not the flimsy near-soluble in air stuff of other recent issues and two squares of foam, one at the front and one at the rear to prevent damage to the windscreen. Also in the main parcel is a small plastic envelope containing four stickers on pale brown backing, very much like the original.

My numbers are 3. Just about every original model I've seen has had the number4. Quite where the fourth, whichever number you may have, is supposed to go I am not sure. One you have plastered the bonnet and doors there is nowhere obvious left due to the "I've got a tiger in my tank" transfer on the boot lid. This transfer looks a little pale to me and very white. Perhaps that is how it did look in 1965 but all the originals I see now have the slightly creamy-yellow off-white shade. Is that just age?

The first thing you may notice is that the driver falls out. He really is not a good fit. I guess the original was a bit odd too with arms that didn't reach the steering wheel but he did seem to be made of sturdier stuff and certainly I have no recollection of him falling out so easily. I have an excellent original which I shall dig out and experiment with, reporting later with more comparison pictures too which I know readers appreciate.

It should be immediately clear, however, that this is yet another first class production by the Model Club people and all credit to them. In the certificate text they refer to this model not being produced for very long, something I hadn't appreciated before. It appeared in July 1965, ceasing sometime in 1967, although not before cast wheels had begun to be fitted, so quite late in 1967. Despite that it sold over ½ million, more or less matching the Ford Mustang of similar vintage but which was actually produced for a much shorter period (as 320).

The bonnet opens in an almost springy way when pressed at the front and is a much firmer hinge than all the originals I have encountered which seem invariably quite loose. I really must get that original out soon as I seem to recall a slightly different view under the bonnet with some black showing somewhere.

The interior is an excellent match with tilting seats and side windows smoothly moving up and down.

Its stance is lovely - a car that I feel looks better as a model than the car itself did. I saw one a while ago and it just seems smaller and more bulbous than the model. It may have been an earlier Elan, I suppose.

I am surprised that the Model Club did elect to 'correct' the steering wheel. This is the only difference that I can quickly spot and I recall some discussion about this in the social media posts when they first talked about this model being considered. They even had a poll of some sort as I remember and the vast majority of respondents on that particular branch of social media were requesting that they retain the original version, that is with the vertical bar at the top, not at the bottom.

So, once again, full marks to the Corgi Model Club. Another nice model to add to this rapidly growing collection. At this rate they'll have a good proportion of the range available!

Something I am sure many will be wondering is whether there will be a white one! Maybe from Horny-Corgi with a transfer on the boot but my money is on the Club creating The Avengers Gift Set 40, Steed, Mrs Peel, brollies and all in the not too distant future. Even now I can see this being utilised for the set with a respray as it is cheaper to acquire than an original. 

I am intrigued to know how the suspension has been provided. It feels quite firm and not like the flimsy and very vulnerable original piece of brown plastic. For all sorts of reasons I see this selling very well.

Now I have had a chance to see the Elan side by side with an original.

Firstly the colour is spot-on, really good, and with just the right 'metallic' sheen too. My second model had RN5 stickers, by the way.

Absolutely nothing to distinguish at the front other than that wonderfully detailed grille.

More at the back, however, to tell them apart. The edge of the boot seems slightly higher on the new issue and, of course, that very white transfer.

Yes, the Club decided to break with their policy of attempting an exact match by turning the steering wheel round. This is, of course, a more natural position (with the wheels facing straight ahead as they are) but still not right as a reproduction.

One surprising difference is the lack of definition on the re-issue when compared to the original. That's definitely not the way round one would have expected!

The engine is, indeed, all silver, as my original (although I am sure later editions of the original had some black elements, not that I can recall more than one example which would have been a white GS40 issue). The writing on the top covers is much clear too.

The box is really the only item which I was disappointed with as the model itself is a superb effort. I accept that modern printing processes may have to create the shinier surface but the illustration is much more gold than it should be, my box not being faded, and showing the true illustration colour. More importantly, though, is the continued failure of whoever does the text part of the design to recognise how wrong the font is, especially for the list of features. That section is quite wrong and really easy to have corrected. The title bit bottom right is always not quite right on the re-issues too, in this case a fraction too big which, again, is easy to spot and correct. The numerals they now get pretty much right so, come on guys, more attention to the text next time, please.

New arrivals in 2020 Pt 2

Another example of the rare Citroen with fog lamps has come along. It is not in the best of condition and it is beginning to look as though the fog lamps go hand-in-hand with free spinning wheels on this model.

At first glance this looks like any other Morris Mini-Cooper but it is a scarce type which has a white bonnet and free-spinning wheels. Usually it is only the models with just a white roof only that have the free spinning wheels.

A super example of the gold Bentley, issued in the Golden Guinea Set. As this set sold only about 30,000, the models in it are really much scarcer than many people seem to realise. That is not a great deal more than a 322 Rover International Rally edition, for example, regarded as one of the more expensive Corgis.

Issued in 1959 and withdrawn in 1960, this was the last but one model to have a friction motor and these are now hard to find in good condition. I am lucky that this one also has a smooth, working motor.

Most early 438 Land Rovers you'll encounter will be in deep green but the very first that were include in the Farming Gift set 22s were a much lighter shade, more of a mid-green. They did not have a canopy, nor were they ever issued in individual boxes to buy at your local store. So these are quite rare and worth a good price, especially when coupled with the all yellow 101 trailer. that too, was only available in that Gift Set. It did survive to get coupled to the deep green Land Rover too, however, so, whilst not at all easy to find is slightly less expensive.

The first Fordson Power Major Tractor, model 55, coupled with the first edition plough, model 56 to make Gift Set 18. The plough would only fit this tractor, with each using a very accurate but awkward attachment method. This Fordson has the later red plastic wheels but early editions had pale orange metal wheels. I don't know which are the scarcer.

The Massey Ferguson Combine Harvester was on my Christmas and Birthday Lists for many years but never arrived. It was quite expensive at 19/11d. (That's one penny, or about ½p less than £1) when first issued in 1959 with metal times like this one. This edition is unusual, however, in having orange wheels.

From the same collection as the Combine Harvester, I received this lovely Massey Ferguson 65 Tractor with a Fork attachment, also featuring unusual orange wheels. Both came from the States and I wonder whether the export models had different wheels.

Continuing my purchase these days only of the slightly uncommon models, here is what looks like a very ordinary, and not very good condition, 218 Aston Martin DB4. It has fixed shaped wheels, however, and they are looking to be quite rare on this model. It started with smooth wheels but also was fitted with a criss-cross type of cast wheel to look like spoked wheels and later editions got free-spinning wheels. Those with shaped wheels, however, like this one, are few and far between.

One way to use up the stock of spare Hillman Imp castings was to make them Monte Carlo Rally editions and Corgi did this a couple of times. In 1966 there was the 328 Hillman Imp and a year later along comes the 340 Sunbeam Imp. The 328 gets a couple of jewels added but the 340 gets six, with two replacing the headlights. The interior is a distinctly different white too.

I finally got a black hard top - and another E Type Jaguar to put it on! Love this model.

With a big chunk of paint missing from the front of the bonnet, this 281 Whizzwheels Rover 2000TC is not exactly mint but it dos have a complete chrome section front and rear. It is such a shame that this model had such poor paint, which comes off if you as much as blow on it, and very brittle plastic used for the revised front end. One of the rare ones, though, with only 48000 made. That's less than the yellow Fiat Ghia Jolly.

Another model only around for a very short time and selling in small numbers was the Whizzwheels version of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, two models now available in a strange pink colour. Note the different headlamp covers too. I need a supply of right hand targa tops! It is always the right one that goes missing!

The rather better and gorgeous-looking 300 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, also only available for a short period before getting the Whizzwheels treatment.

A rare 'transition' model - the 387 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray with Whizzwheels but retaining the rear jewelled lights which were mere blobs of casting metal in the vast majrity of models. This one now gets its right-hand targa top which had been mssing for a year or two.

A nice example of the rare 438 in deep green and red interior.

A complete Gift set 41 with all the right cars on the Transporter.

Here is something most unusual. The 319 Lotus Elan from the Lotus Racing Gift Set 37 but with spoked wheels! In fact, the chassis came from a 318 from the same set but that was in very poor condition so I switched it to this one. I presume this is something that someone has created at some time. Looks great and a lot nicer than either the small shaped wheels or cast wheels normally used.

These Rover 2000 International Rally models are expensive so I could only manage to get this quite worn example. It is all original and the screens are undamaged, though, which means it still will not be cheap.

Lastly for now, a very rare Land Rover! It is the fawn edition from Gift Set 2 but with a yellow interior. I didn't even know that this existed until a collector friend in Germany told me about one he had found. I had to pay quite a bit to someone in America for this one, not because of its scarcity but because it was in America and, for some reason best known to Americans, they all want to use some Global Shipping Programme that is really profitable for whoever runs it and ruddy expensive for us who have to pay. It was also virtually unmarked, as was the matching Pony Trailer.