Gold prices

Some remarkable prices were paid for the 'gold' Corgis from the Wilford Collection this week. In case you haven't seen them in previous posts I have included illustrations below, with the approximate prices the buyers will have had to fork out.

One is still with me, though, and that is the model that I had actually expected to be the first to go as, unlike the others, I was able to find some reference to a few others being made and one had been offered by an auction house a few years ago at a small fortune. So this one has history and, of them all, has the best finish. So you still have a chance to own one of what we think may be just half a dozen of these 314 Ferrari Berlinetta Le Mans in gold metal, possibly brass but if appears not to tarnish so perhaps another gold-coloured alloy of some sort.

£1560

£520

£975

£1170

£3250

On the subject of gold, I have recently acquired another Golden Guinea Gift Set 20. There is no box, unfortunately, and I have yet to find someone who makes reproduction boxes too. The three cars are in particularly good condition and prices still seem remarkably low for these. I can understand that the Ford Consul Classic is not the prettiest of cars and the Chevrolet Corvair was never exactly popular but the Bentley Continental is glorious in this finish. With only 23,000 of these sets sold, they all ought to be seriously expensive as that makes each model's sales fewer than the 351S RAF Land Rover, and you know how difficult it is to find (and afford) one of those!

The Wilford Collection Pt 6: a gold Batmobile

For many, this will be the 'star' of the Wilford Collection. This is a 267 Batmobile, entirely as issued in 1972 or 1973, judging by the 8-spoke hubs which were fitted at that time, but produced in what I believe is solid brass or some gold-coloured alloy that is also non-magnetic.

The base features the text used prior to 1976 when it appears that they were informed that copyright information had to be included.

The various features are all believed to function, although I have not been able to test the missiles. Batman is also missing but an original character can be found and would certainly be an essential purchase for this.

There are no dents or scratches and this appears to have been stored, wrapped in a cloth in a drawer for many years. I have been unable, so far, to trace anything similar being referred to in other publications but from what limited information I can gather it would appear that this would have been one of very few, possibly 3 or 4 that were made for VIP guests associated with whatever deal Corgi had made by way of getting permission to sell the 267 model and later variations on the theme.

In my view, this is a seriously rare, and hence very valuable item. I hesitate to put a price on this at this stage and it will be interesting to see what offers are made. At the time of writing it can be seen at London Auctions premises in Chiswick. I have agreed that it will be included in their auction of a range of Corgi and other toys later this month, where several other items from the Wilford Collection will be available.

More details of their catalogue for the day can be seen at this link. Unsold items will be returned to me after that date but for a couple of weeks that is where you will find this wonderful model.

The Wilford Collection Pt 5: The Daimler that was not 'Available Later' and odd Bentleys

The 1966 and 1967 Corgi catalogues included illustrations of 9022, a 1910 Daimler 38 with a hood, marked as AVAILABLE LATER. To all intents and purposes this looked like 9021, a red Daimler 38 with folded back hood and driver plus a full load of passengers, but painted blue with a red-brown closed hood.

Corgi were good at making one casting do several things. This one, however, never got into production. What I have here is a sample, looking almost complete but lacking a steering wheel.

A full selection of images of this unique item can be seen here.

It is in excellent condition with no chips or scratches, the screen has survived and so too has the vulnerable radiator emblem.

I also have the 9021 Daimler which may also have been a sample but it appears indistinguishable from examples of issued models that I have. I would, nevertheless, prefer to see these kept together in case, at some point, someone does spot some differences. Shown above is a production model and, below, the model in the Wilford Collection.

What is quite different, however, is one of the 1927 Bentley 3 Litres in the collection. This clearly was intended to be an example of a model with the hood down by the look of the windscreen(s) which would not have supported the full length hood. The horn on the side is painted bright silver, as opposed to the black on issued models, and there is a very detailed dashboard with a tremendously realistic-looking (albeit rather small) steering wheel. This needs a rear folded hood, in my view, but they are simple enough to obtain and I may well supply one with this when sold.

You can see where the idea for this style of screen came from.

Whether this was an early sample for what would become 9001 I do not know. It may also have been the older Mr Wilford's team working with an existing 9001/2 body to create a different edition, perhaps even an idea for Steed's Bentley in the Avengers Gift Set. It would have been in keeping with the Bentley they might have seen in the instalment this screenshot came from:

However, here's John Steed again in a Bentley with the same registration - but it's  on a 3 litre car now not the 4½ litre! 

I have visions of some confusion in the office as the series progressed! Do they re-brand the model 4½ litre? Do they move the spare wheel, not just from left to right but maybe to the rear? That might explain the odd editions that they did include, none of which bear more than passing resemblance to any of the Steed vehicles. 

Another Bentley was in the Wilford office drawer. It looks like a standard 9001 at first glance.

The wheels, radiator and headlamp unit and handbrake are all in a gold-coloured metal rather than the usual grey or silver colour. We know that this gold colour appears on the 9004 Jeeves & Wooster Bentley and, reportedly, in some Avengers Sets but this one has a RN3 on the back and the Union flag on the passenger door à la 9001.

The screen has a chunk missing and this also needs a hood of some type but is otherwise complete and in very good condition. It is certainly another unusual edition and will be made available soon, possibly paired with the small twin screen edition and a complete 9002 from the same source that does seem totally standard.

More images of the small screen Bentley, the gold wheel 9001 and this red 9002 are available.

From The Great Book of Corgi. "Some very near Misses".

From the 1966 Catalogue

Still shown in the 1967 Catalogue

I do believe that the 9022 Daimler is unique in being the only proposed model that remained AVAILABLE LATER across two catalogue printings.

These items are available to purchase. Contact me if you would like more information.

The Wilford Collection Pt 4: Minis

As I have spent most of the last two weeks studying Minis and creating ever-lengthening lists of what collectors may wish to search for, it seems appropriate to take a break from the gold and probably very expensive items and look at some of the more 'normal' models that I have available from the office drawers of the two Mr Wilfords.

Included in this post are five Rally Mini Coopers from the 1964-66 period and a reproduction of the Wilford family Mini from 1972.

The Mini Coopers all have a little extra detailing in silver and all but the Sun Rally 333 models have what seem to be unique Monte Carlo decals, being noticeably smaller than those on the issued models. Apart from the extra detailing, the Sun Rally models do look like those that were issued.

It is a little sad, perhaps that a Whizzwheels edition of the Morris Mini Minor was used! The old shaped wheels were a far better likeness to the real thing. Below is a 1966 advert for the Morris. The model is otherwise really very good!

This is a charming little item, with all the little details presumably added by Mr Wilford who then mounted the car using a simple bolt through a varnished wood base. 

The unique Rally Minis should fetch a good premium over and above the price one would expect to pay for the normal models and the company connection should add some value to the two 333s too which are themselves identifiable with the extra detailing.

The Wilford family Mini is just a delightful item to have and if you must have a Whizzwheels Corgi Mini then I guess this will be as good as any! So Mini collectors, get in touch and reserve any that you might like. These are being made available only here and on my main site at the moment to give our regular visitors and colleagues the first chances of acquiring them.

The Wilford Collection Pt 3: Gold Rovers

Two more items from this fascinating collection now. I am pretty sure that these are both solid brass - a 252 Rover 2000 and 438 Land Rover - each with exactly the same features and general build as the normally issued models and very heavy.

I have seen a similar Rover which has been attached to the top of a cigarette box to make a gift to be distributed by the Rover car maker in or around 1964. This model, however, looks like it was intended to be presented as it stands, probably boxed, as the base is all as normal, including rivets.

The Land Rover is not something I can find any mention of anywhere. Yes, you will read about 'gold plated Land Rovers' but they were just shiny 1998 items made in China for Land Rover's 50th anniversary. This is a real 1960s 438 model with the same lemon plastic interior and grey steering wheel, suspension and with even a quite ordinary grey plastic canopy that would have been fitted to the dark green editions sold in boxes.

I would imagine that each of these is one of a few that would have been produced for gifts for special visitors - either to Corgi's premises or, perhaps, Rover's.

Once again, any information that anyone might have which could provide evidence for the purpose of these wonderful models and how many were made, as well as expressions of interest from anyone wishing to acquire them, would be much appreciated.

The Wilford Collection Pt 2: Gold Jaguars

The second and third items from the Wilford Collection are Jaguars. At first glance you might think that this is just another 312 but it isn't. This is a brass 307 E Type Jaguar. It has all the same features as the standard red or grey model, brown plastic interior and clear plastic headlamp elements and seems to have been made with the same cast.

This one is heavy, and very bright, gleaming like gold.

The Jaguar Mk X is similar, based on an original cast with opening bonnet and boot, twin jewelled headlamps too. It has a lemon yellow interior.

I believe that a small number of these would have been manufactured as gifts for special visitors. Someone like the boss of Jaguar, I would imagine. The would not have been cheap to produce and, being in such small numbers, the costs of individual polishing and final, careful finishing would have been substantial. This originated from Mr Percy Wilford's model-making office and I would imagine he would have been the person responsible for overseeing the production of these.

I can find no reference to Jaguar models like either of these anywhere so would appreciate any knowledge that you may have. These are available to buy. Offers invited - but they will not be cheap!

In many ways these must be the ultimate E Type or Mk X model to have for fans of the cars and Corgi Toy specialists. 

More photos are available at these links:

Jaguar E Type gold | Jaguar Mk X gold