Discover a selection of models that will be on sale this week from tomorrow Monday, May 19, 2025 until Thursday, May 22 on our website. AUTOJAUNE COLLECTION
en vente cette semaine: Icis – Alfa Romeo 2600 6 – Norev – coffret Land Rover ravitaillement 107- Norev – Simca 1100 avec voilier 505 – Icis – Lancia Flaminia 1
I remember...
…thirty years ago, a gentleman living in Versailles contacted me to sell a collection of Dinky Toys his father had built up in the mid-fifties.
He often traveled to Great Britain for work, a rare occurrence at the time, and had brought back a large number of models from London.
His son had thus amassed a collection of nearly 150 models, composed exclusively of French and English Dinky Toys. The benchmark of the time. These models were a source of pride for his classmates, who were unaware of the existence of an English branch of Dinky Toys…like many people in France at the time. It wasn’t until the early sixties that Liverpool began exporting a few models to France…but also borrowing molds from Bobigny to expand its catalog at a lower cost.
As a child, he had never played with them and had carefully kept them all in their boxes. Like many young people of his time, he loved cars, and he had created his own car “show,” trying to achieve the greatest possible diversity. For him, it was the scaled-down representation of a car that was paramount, the model aspect, even though these objects were, above all, toys.
I especially remember my disappointment when I opened the box of the two-tone Austin Devon with the green and pink sticker on the tabs.
He told me he was shocked by the colors, which were so far removed from reality, and how the following Thursday, he bought a can of black model paint and meticulously repainted the car so that it wouldn’t stand out on his shelves. I don’t remember asking him what he thought of May ’68 and the vibrant colors of that hippie era.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Dinky Toys GB – Austin 152
Forty years after committing his “crime,” and despite my explanations about the rarity of the two two-tone versions of the Austin Devon, he showed no regrets. I remember keeping the very beautiful box (see the swinging London blog)
modèle en vente cette semaine : Austin Devon 40D Collection Autojaune. extrait du blong SWINGING LONDON à lire ICI
I thought about this when I saw the fireworks of colors offered this week. I also remembered that during my forty years of professional activity, I’ve been exposed to these two “schools” of collecting.
Do you collect the toy or the reproduction of the car? Or both?
This week we have the famous two-tone Austin Devon. Beyond its aesthetics, which may be shocking, it seems interesting to me to place it in its historical context. It is nearing the end of production. The first colors, not particularly striking, were distributed in boxes of six.
Dinky Toys Austin Devon 40D Rouge Collection Autojaune
We note the initial presence of a luminous red color. This variation is rare, by the way. Other shades like lime green, jade green, and sage green were likely to please our Versailles enthusiast.
Moreover, I remember that he had all the other models in the Series 40, in conventional or less striking colors.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Dinky Toys GB – Hudson Commodore 139B
modèle en vente cette semaine : Dinky Toys GB – Hudson Commodore 139B Bleu clair
modèle en vente cette semaine : Dinky Toys GB – Hudson Commodore 139B
This week, we also have three different shades of blue for the Hudson Commodore.
Enthusiasts who are meticulous about reality have always had a greater tolerance for the American cars of the 1950s reproduced by Dinky Toys.
From this period on, the color schemes became somewhat exuberant. The Hudsons offered this week can even be classified as “moderate” shades. The oldest is dark blue.
Liverpool then replaced this blue with a subtle and beautiful shade of violet blue on the Hudson and several models in its range (Leyland Comet, Austin taxi, Dodge dump truck, etc.). This variation is rare.
Finally, just before changing its paint scheme, a beautiful French blue took over, and this for a very short period of time. This variant is rare.
solido
The Solido factory was located not far from Versailles. It’s clear that, like our friend from Versailles, the Oulins-based company had conservative ideas regarding the choice of color schemes for its models.
Let’s admit that it never took any risks in this area. However, it did try original combinations with its competition models. It must be said that at the time, in the 1950s and 1960s, the starting grids for motor races were colorful.
The choice of color schemes for the 100 series models is therefore in good taste and rarely disruptive.
This week’s program confirms this. If you want bright, unusual colors, then you should look to the brand’s foreign subsidiaries: Dalia, Solido Brosol, etc.
But this week, all our models are of French origin.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Mercedes 190sl cabriolet 105
Metallic red dominates the lineup.
The Mercedes 190sl and 220se coupé look absolutely stunning in these beautiful metallic red liveries.
Note that Solido has evolved its color, and depending on when the models were assembled, there are significant differences, much to the delight of today’s collectors.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Mercedes 220se 126
With this other model in the lineup, the Ferrari 250GT 2+2, we can offer a number of red variations, ranging from vermillion to metallic brown.
It will take patience and perseverance to bring all the shades together. This Ferrari is definitely worth it.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Ferrari 250GT 2+2 123
This week’s Citroën Ami 6 estate is green. The selection is excellent. There are two very important shades.
Solido nuances de vert sur la Citroën Ami 6 break Collection AutoJaune
The one offered is the least common; it’s lighter than the first one released by Solido. With this type of product, you can also vary the interior colors. This really changes the look of the miniature.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Citroën Ami 6 break 141
Take this week’s Lancia Flaminia.
You’ll have to admit, it looks great with its red interior! It’s much more attractive than one with a beige or black interior, for example. On the white Alfa Romeo Giulietta convertible, the red seats also enhance the harmony.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Alfa Romeo Giulietta cabriolet 106
modèle en vente cette semaine :Solido – Lancia Flaminia 121
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Alfa Romeo Giulietta cabriolet 106
Märklin and Mercury: more in common than meets the eye!
Through this week’s programming, I found it interesting to compare the treatment of German Märklin and Italian Mercury production.
My interest in the two companies led me to find many connections between them, even though at first glance they seem to have nothing in common.
Initially, these were two companies from two countries with different cultures. After the Second World War, and following this painful episode, Mercury needed to diversify its business (subcontracting zamak spare parts to Fiat).
One of the diversification options considered by management was the creation of a unit dedicated to toy manufacturing.
Mercury tracteur et système d’agrafes de fixation série 20
Several models from the beginning of production, the Auto Union Type D and the Mercedes W125, were loosely inspired by the pre-war models produced by the Göppingen company. The tractor designed to pull airplanes at Märklin appeared in Italy as an agricultural tractor, albeit slightly modified. The fastening system, with staples, of the disassembled Mercury cars (“20” sedan and “21” convertible, as well as the trucks with interchangeable bodies) seems to borrow from pre-war Märklin models. When we know that a few years later, Märklin imported Mercurys into Germany, we understand that their stories intersected, right from the very creation of Mercury.
However, I don’t know. Was it through Franz Carl Weber in Switzerland, to whom Mercury owes, thanks to Count Giansanti Coluzzi, the commercial launch of its toy business? The protagonists could have met at trade shows under the Count’s leadership.
One thing is certain: these two companies worked together. However, seeing the very different treatment of their products and color harmonies, it raises questions.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Marklin – Volkswagen Kombi minibus 8014
modèle en vente cette semaine : Marklin – Volkswagen Kombi tôlé 8007
modèle en vente cette semaine : Marklin – Volkswagen Kombi ambulance 8030
Look at the beautiful Märklin Volkswagen Kombi on the program. The colors seem to come straight from the Volkswagen catalog. It’s “Germanic” and exudes rigor. We are far from the exuberance of the Mercury colors of the Lincoln Continental (golden yellow) or the Studebaker Golden Hawk scheduled for this week!
modèle en vente cette semaine : Mercury – Studebaker Golden Hawk 27
modèle en vente cette semaine : Mercury – Lincoln Continental MkII 4
There’s no false note at Märklin, although sometimes the paint quality is far from perfect. The Mercurys are generally much better finished than the Märklins. The Göppingen firm has produced models with exceptional engraving. The Turin models are not bad in this area either. Looking at the other colors of Mercury models for sale, I tell myself that sometimes the Turin firm has remained wise. The superb blue Volkswagen 1200, the red Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti, or the white Fiat 1500 convertible are good examples of models that can appeal to a wide audience.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Mercury – Alfa Romeo Giulietta Ti 20
modèle en vente cette semaine : Mercury – Volkswagen 1200’54 15
modèle en vente cette semaine : Mercury – Fiat 1500 cabriolet 7
A special mention for the splendid color harmony of the Fiat 1800, sky blue and black roof. I love this model, which is far from being the easiest to find in Mercury. This color is off the beaten track.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Mercury – Fiat 1800 2
My favorite is the two Unic Lautaret van trucks from JRD.
My favorite is the two Unic Lautaret van trucks from JRD. There’s no doubt that truck enthusiasts and specialists will find them less than credible due, among other things, to the narrowness of the van body.
modèle en vente cette semaine : JRD – Unic Lautaret tracteur porteur Transports Internationaux 127
And for good reason, this set is the result of a DIY project by JRD, who assembled several elements from his catalog. JRD used the “one-axle” trailer designed for his Berliet TLR Kronenbourg, which he adapted to a Unic tractor designed to pull a low-bed trailer…you follow me…then JRD designed a part to receive and connect these two elements together. This part also serves as a rocker panel. It’s very ingenious. By creating a hitch bissel and adapting it to the body, JRD also designed a trailer. The whole thing, the Unic van with the trailer, is splendid. What a beautiful toy!
modèle en vente cette semaine : JRD – Unic Lautaret fourgon tôlé Hafa 126
What child hasn’t dreamed of owning one! Finally, if you are sensitive to color harmonies, you won’t be able to resist the Hafa version.
Vincent Espinasse
also on sale this week
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