en vente cette semaine:  Dinky Toys GB – Morris Coffret Post Office Service 299 – Mebetoys – Lancia Flavia A6 – Mebetoys – Fiat 1100 R A9-Norev – Berliet TBO tracteur semi remorque porte engin avec pelle 115

…of the exhibition “Red, Art and Utopia in the Land of the Soviets” held at the Grand Palais in 2019. A wonderful discovery. The exhibition recounted the artistic movement that accompanied the Russian Revolution of 1917. A group of artists took advantage of this revolution to question the concept of art by inventing “an art of production,” intended to transform the workers’ way of life. The premise is simple. Art is present at all stages of daily life. It is with the workers in the places of production. Very quickly, the communist leaders were overwhelmed by these artists, whom they did not understand. Lenin remained impervious to the movement. Worse, Stalin did not hesitate to institute a veritable witch hunt, soon accusing these artists of generating a “bourgeois art” far removed from the people.

affiche de l’exposition “Rouge. Art et utopie au pays des Soviets”

 

modèles Dinky Toys dans le bureau de président de la République François Hollande – Extrait France 3 “A l’Elysée, un temps de président”

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault 5T premier secours avec dévidoir et échelle

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault 5T grande échelle pompier

The presence of helmeted firefighters going to fight the fire brings these toys to life. The child can identify with these valiant fighters. We have a Citroën C4 torpedo first aid with its four firefighters and its central hose reel. It accompanies two Renaults. The latter are more classic, but remain endearing. Note that C-I-J will also supply beautiful lacquered wooden fire stations. Several formats are available. These Renault trucks then take on a whole new dimension.

modèle en vente cette semaine : Jouets Citroën – Citroën C4 premier secours

More modern, we also have a Volkswagen Variant adapted into a fire engine. A flashing light and a steel antenna were enough to transform it. This process would be repeated by many German manufacturers. German toy manufacturers have been interested in the theme of firefighting vehicles since the creation of the first toy cars.

modèle en vente cette semaine : Marklin – Volkswagen Variant pompier 1807

Let’s return to France with these two large-scale Berliet GBKs. The large-scale model is the bodywork that has always symbolized the firefighting “vehicle” in a toy catalog. It’s also the flagship of the fire station, and its size indicates the importance of the station. Suffice it to say that this double cab was reserved for fire stations in large cities. This week, we have the first version offered by Norev, superb, in its dark red plastic. Its color will lighten over time. Norev will keep its model in the catalog for a very long time: this type of product had to be amortized over the very long term.

modèle en vente cette semaine : Norev – Berliet GBK18 grande échelle pompier 97

The other version of the Berliet on the program is of… English origin! Liverpool’s management did not hesitate to borrow Bobigny’s superb Berliet GBK in order to modernize their offering at a lower cost. The English management remained faithful to old, outdated values. Fire engines were already no longer of interest to young people in the sixties. The page had been turned. Count the number of fire engines offered by Liverpool from 1960 onwards. It is edifying. We must rediscover these toys and remember that for our ancestors, miniature fire engines were the toys of their youth, just as racing cars would later be for people of my generation.

modèle en vente cette semaine : Dinky Toys GB – Bedford Type S grande échelle pompier 956

modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Ferrari 512S 24 heures de Daytona 1970 182

modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Mac Laren M8B Can Am 176

Don’t look for a photo of this car in competition, it never raced in this color. Solido had to use an overflow of paint ordered for another model (Opel GT, Porsche 914, Lamborghini Miura…) to apply it to its Mac Laren usually painted orange. It is this type of variation that enchants Solido collectors. Marklin, with its long yellow Porsche 907, offered this week, did not bother with reality. No color variation proposed by Märklin corresponds to reality. Yet the choice of this car forgotten by other manufacturers was original. It synthesizes the rise of the Stuttgart firm. Will follow the 908, the 910 and the 917. You must have in your collection this strange car situated between the 906 and the 908 presented here in its long version, for fast circuit.

modèle en vente cette semaine : Marklin – Porsche 907 L 1815

modèle en vente cette semaine : Dinky Toys GB – Leyland Beaver transport d’autos avec remorque 983

This type of product was distributed only in large cities, where purchasing power was higher. Its distribution was therefore limited. This is the set we have for sale this week. Superb set. I particularly like the idea that to access the upper deck of the trailer, you have to position the truck in front of it. You actually use the truck’s ramp to access the upper deck of the trailer. A manual is included and explains the maneuver. I found an advertisement made for the Dutch market where we see the truck loaded with English and… French Dinky Toys (Mercedes 190sl, Citroën 2cv firefighter(!) and Peugeot 403 family. The whole thing is sumptuous. It’s a superb product that many children had to be content to look at in the window or in the catalog. Catch up!

modèle en vente cette semaine : Mebetoys – Autobianchi A112 promotionnelle A48

modèle en vente cette semaine : Mebetoys – Autobianchi A112 promotionnelle A48 –

Vincent Espinasse