Little treasures - Univers Autojaune

Discover a selection of models that will be on sale this week from tomorrow Monday September 8, 2025 until Thursday September 11 on our website AUTOJAUNE COLLECTION

Dinky Toys GB - David Brown 990 remorque disques 325 - Dinky Toys GB - Massey Harris Coffret agricole herse 310- Marklin - Volkswagen Kombi minibus 8014 - Dinky Toys France - Peugeot J7 fourgon pompier 570P

en vente cette semaine: Dinky Toys GB – David Brown 990 remorque disques 325 – Dinky Toys GB – Massey Harris Coffret agricole herse 310- Marklin – Volkswagen Kombi minibus 8014 – Dinky Toys France – Peugeot J7 fourgon pompier 570P

I remember...

…of this old Danish antique dealer, with a weathered face and faded blue eyes, presenting me at the Gothenburg Stock Exchange with a large wooden box, whose primary purpose was to hold cigars made in Cuba. The kind of box collectors like to preserve and recycle to house objects they consider precious, sometimes at the risk of disconcerting their loved ones. It’s through details like these that we understand how much the collector is a special person. In this way of doing things, we find a reminiscence of childhood and the little treasures we keep well hidden. He hadn’t handed me this box by chance; we had known each other for a long time.

From his little smile, I understood that it contained something special. It was about ten Lloyd Teknos, all equipped with the extremely rare oval grille. The models were new in their boxes. The prices were substantial. It must be said that until then, only one specimen had been recorded. It was a bit like the Lochness Monster, the one everyone talks about but no one ever sees.

Série de Llyod Tekno collection AutoJaune – extrait du blog Lloyd et serpent de mer à lire ici

I thought about this again when I saw the Renault Domaine from C-I-J offered for sale this week.

You read that right, “Domaine” and not “shooting break.”

Unlike the Lloyd described above, it predates the version everyone knows: the “shooting break,” so distinctive with its “wooden station wagon” finish and fuchsia color, ten years before this shade became widespread on post-1968 models.

Three elements differentiate it from the “shooting break” model.

The first is its completely different front end.

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault Domaine 3-53

Like the Lloyd, it is equipped with a bar grille. This grille is oval on the “shooting station wagon.”

The second is the absence of glass and suspension. The model appears to have been designed at the same time as the Briare-based company was releasing its Renault Frégate Grand Pavois. It also shares its dimensions: 1/43.

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault Domaine 3-53.

Finally, the third most interesting element is that it has a specific chassis engraved with “Domaine.” What circumstances could have stopped its production so quickly? At the time it was released, the Régie was offering a new grille on its estate, but I’m not sure that would have stopped its production so suddenly. Was there a technical problem with the tooling? Perhaps, but we can consider another possibility. The model was released at the time when the C-I-J lost its exclusive contract.

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault Domaine 3-53..

What if Dinky Toys had considered reproducing it? We know that Liverpool was considering reproducing the Renault Frégate. The plans exist and they appear in the book about Liverpool productions by Mike and Sue Richardson.

What if Bobigny had approached the Régie to secure exclusivity…shortly after, Bobigny would release the Peugeot 403 family car. The replacement for the abandoned Manoire project?

One thing is certain: several examples exist. I’ve counted three survivors, including the one on offer. Needless to say, this piece is exceptional. I can say that this model is even rarer than the Lloyd Tekno described above. It’s not a prototype. I also found its trace in the very first exhibition devoted to miniature automobiles at 9bis Avenue d’Iéna in April 1960. It is listed in the “World Directory of Miniature Automobiles” by Géo-Ch Veran from 1960. It is without context the rarest C-I-J ever produced. And undoubtedly the most enigmatic.

Think outside the box

Think outside the box. Let yourself be guided by your instincts, your favorites.

This week we have a few unusual objects, which, due to their reproduction scales, 1:60 or 1:24, will certainly disconcert die-hard 1:43 enthusiasts.

For my part, although I chose 1:43 as the reproduction scale unit at the start of this adventure, the “exceptions” to this unit have long since ceased to exist.

Let me explain. I began to take an interest in miniatures reproduced at a scale larger than 1:43 in Scandinavia. It was their aesthetic beauty that first attracted me. Then came the fact that they were produced by small local manufacturers and that they shared their manufacturing techniques with the 1:43 models, also produced by these small local workshops.

I wanted to bring together a coherent collection of Scandinavian-made toys that shared a common identity. When I arrived in the USA, I immediately fell in love with the American “National Products” models in 1/32-1/24 scale, as I saw a connection with Scandinavian toys in these models. This is logical, since it was American toys, first made of cast iron, then “slush,” “rubber,” plastic, or zamac, that inspired those made in Denmark or Sweden.

I had the opportunity to bring home a beautiful set that kicked off the collection. The idea of having a “sample” suits me very well. These branches of the collection cannot be developed in the same way as those of the favorite brands in 1/43 scale, due to space and budget constraints. This week we have some very interesting toys made in the USA.

The Studebaker Golden Hawk from AMT is superb.

modèle en vente cette semaine : AMT – Studebaker Commander

American collectors call them “promos.” Their creation is linked to promotional use. They are supposed to guide people towards the purchase of the “real” one! They have even become a tradition among American car manufacturers. Their disappearance corresponds to the decline of this industry. These “promos” series began before the Second World War with the creations of “National Products.” Almost every year, the models received modifications, sometimes minor, and each year the “promos” manufacturers modified their scale models accordingly…

Modèle en vente cette semaine : Marx – Willys Jeepster

Modèle en vente cette semaine : wannatoy – Willys jeep civile

I’ll let you imagine the number of models and what an interesting collection they make up.

Quickly, in the mid-fifties, for cost reasons, plastic became the preferred material. Here, AMT, a famous model manufacturer, delivered a splendid reproduction of this elegant Studebaker, well-known to Dinky Toys France enthusiasts! The model is equipped with a sheet metal chassis and a small friction mechanism. The quality of the plastic used is superb. The other model offered, the Willys Jeep from Marx, is very interesting. This is a toy reproducing the rare road version of the famous Jeep. A civilized, elegant version, perhaps too ahead of its time! It anticipates the trend for these urban 4x4s.

In the fifties, Marx was the largest toy distributor in the world. I say distributor, because Marx had already anticipated the “modern world” and outsourcing, having his products manufactured in the four corners of the planet.

The quality of the plastic here is also superb. The box seems like a real plus to me. In a Jeep collection, this miniature has a central place. We also have a very original Willys Jeep “made in the USA,” reproduced in 1:43 scale and full of charm.

It’s the design of the windshield that makes this Jeep an atypical and highly original model. The red figure at the wheel creates a harmonious harmony with the model’s blue livery.

Let’s stay with this type of toy store with a charming International van and the American LaFrance truck, which share the bright golden yellow color.

modèle en vente cette semaine : Banner – International fourgon vente ambulante

modèle en vente cette semaine : Banner – American La France premier secours

accessories !

It is easier for a 1/43 enthusiast to “slide” to lower scales like 1/60 and even 1/75. Quite simply because many companies, notably Dinky Toys and Solido, have reproduced their utility range in 1/50-1/55, which has visually accustomed us to scale reductions on this type of model. Spot-On is the exception. Moreover, same cause same effect, it is the utility vehicles in this range that shock by their dimensions! The 4-axle AEC Mammoth truck seems immense next to the Foden Dinky Toys, also equipped with four axles. It is like a snub to Liverpool’s conservatism. Spot-On will choose 1/42 as the scale unit and not 1/43! This is also why we appreciate our English friends.

modèle en vente cette semaine : Spot On – Austin A60 Cambridge 164

modèle en vente cette semaine : Spot On – Humber Super Snipe break 183

This week we have some beautiful examples that have in common the fact that they have removable accessories positioned on a gallery. These were a delight for children who saw them as a little fun extra. Later, when the children became collectors, they will arouse their anxiety…is a suitcase or a ski missing? What joy for the child to realize that the suitcase opens! Even if, after repeating the operation ten times, he realizes that the opening has given way! We have all experienced this kind of disappointment.

modèle en vente cette semaine : Spot On – Boîte waiting limited

modèle en vente cette semaine : Spot On – Boîte 6 panneaux slow major road ahead

Like Spot On, Siku has also chosen a scale unit, 1/60. The German brand has also given in to the fashion for accessories: roof racks, skis, luggage, Lübeck cones and so on. Adding miniature accessories to the models has even become the brand’s DNA. This week we have two splendid Ford 17M Tournier (estate) in firefighter and ADAC versions… the models contain all the accessories. This desire to push the details ever further has allowed Siku to find its place among international customers. I remember very well being impressed in the mid-seventies by the Mercedes L408 vans and all their accessories… more robust than the Spot On suitcases! This ADAC model holds a special place in my collection. The first model I gave to my granddaughter was a Siku Mercedes estate in ADAC colors… but now, for safety reasons, no more small removable accessories! The miniature is robust, it still has it!

modèle en vente cette semaine : Siku – Ford 17M turnier feuer notruf 342

modèle en vente cette semaine : Siku – Ford 17M turnier ADAC V-313

My favorite, for these two toys, C-I-J equipped with a key winding mechanism.

My favorite, for these two C-I-J toys equipped with a key-winding mechanism. Their historical interest is due to the fact that they synthesize pre- and post-war toys. These two models, the Panhard Dyna X and especially the Renault 4cv symbolize the automobile finally accessible to the general public, they are modern cars. The Briard firm hastened to put them in its catalog. It simultaneously offered versions equipped or not with a key-winding mechanism. Pre-war toy manufacturers had in their specifications the constraint of miniaturizing a mechanism as powerful as possible and of installing it without distorting the volume of the miniature.

en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault 4cv mécanique 4.48

An exercise that AR has carried out perfectly. I have documents showing the reliability and power tests of Solido’s key-winding engines. They calculated the number of meters traveled by the toy based on the type of engine! These two models on offer are products that must be placed in the history of miniatures in order to fully appreciate them. The first collectors shunned them. I know enthusiasts who even removed the mechanisms because they were unsightly in the interior of the miniature. In my opinion, these are very interesting models that must be appreciated.

modèle en vente cette semaine ; C.I.J. – Panhard Dyna X mécanique 4-47

Vincent Espinasse

also on sale this week

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