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Discover a selection of models that will be on sale this week, from tomorrow, Monday, February 2nd, 2026, until Thursday, February 5th, 2026, on our website AUTOJAUNE COLLECTION
en vente cette semaine: Cherryca Phenix – Buick Electra 6 – Dinky Toys France – Citroën 11BL traction 24N – Dinky Toys France – Citroën 11BL avec malle 24NCherryca Phenix – Dodge Polara 10
I remember...
…that as a child, my father gave me the Solido Tiger I tank in its Afrika Korps livery. What a wonderful gift it was.
Looking back, I realize how generous my father was in giving me one of the crown jewels of the German army.
He was born on September 2, 1939, a date that falls between the Nazi invasion of Poland and the declaration of war against Germany on September 3.
As a young child, he experienced the exodus to his family’s home in the Auvergne region. His parents’ shop was destroyed during a bombing raid, and his father was taken prisoner, only returning after the liberation with lasting injuries. He knew the hardships common to children of his generation, including the deprivation—admittedly not a life-or-death situation—of toys.
Many children, unfortunately, suffered far more tragic fates. We must always remember this. But the years had passed, the wounds of war had slowly healed, and General de Gaulle had done much for the reconciliation of the two nations.
Solido contributed, in its own way, to this work of reconciliation by offering a wide range of German vehicles, as did the Starlux brand in France and Britains and Dinky Toys in Great Britain.
It’s important to understand these objects in their context. My father never hid the atrocities of the conflict from my brother or me.
That didn’t stop him from giving me this splendid Tiger I, identical to the one offered this week.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Char Tigre I Afrika Korps 222
As a child, this toy gave me a feeling of power, of invincibility. I loved its zebra-striped finish.
I also had the Berliet Aurochs.
For a long time, I thought it was a truck designed in Venissieux by Berliet before discovering it was actually an English Alvis Stalwart, manufactured under license in France.
I adored the frogmen included with the model, the large-diameter wheels, the suspension system, and of course, the diorama box showing… the truck emerging from the water. It really sparked a child’s imagination.
In fact, I was disappointed when, thirty years later, I saw one on an English road… it’s a small vehicle. The common thread between these two objects is that they are linked to personal childhood memories.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Berliet Aurochs 214
The PT76 tank, also on the program, I never owned as a child. I don’t think I liked it.
It was its unusual, flattened turret that I disliked, as well as its inadequate equipment for combat.
How could you win a war with a vehicle equipped with such a small gun! These were the thoughts I used to have.
As a collector, childhood memories have never been a reason for acquiring things. In over forty years in the business, I’ve realized that they are, however, a reason for acquiring them for a number of enthusiasts.
Now, as the years go by, memories resurface, and the need to find certain pieces becomes more and more apparent to me. That’s probably how you know you’re getting older.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Char Tank Russe PT 76 207
local barracks
The Volvo Express fire truck from Tekno, featured this week, was a gift from a great-uncle. I knew it was a wonderful present.
Yet, I wasn’t particularly fond of it at the time. I seem to recall that the pump located in front of the engine hood puzzled me.
As a child, I loved visiting the fire trucks at the local station, and I had never seen this type of equipment. Later, I learned that it was a common configuration in Denmark.
Once I became a collector, this initial reservation about the model was quickly forgotten. We even collected the various versions (with or without interior fittings, markings, and different styles of flashing lights).
It’s a very beautiful vehicle, and the one offered in its original livery, complete with its very fragile cardboard box, is superb.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Tekno – Volvo Express fourgon pompier Falck 459
We also have a splendid and very well-made Scania 76 double cab equipped with a large ladder and a hose reel at the rear.
A magnificent toy, especially in this very first version, without interior fittings and in its cardboard box. I confess I would have preferred to receive this vehicle as a gift.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Tekno – Scania 76 double cabine grande échelle pompier 445
Let’s stick with emergency vehicles with this beautiful Mercedes station wagon ambulance from Matchbox.
Matchbox models were available almost everywhere back then: from toy stores to tobacconists. My aunt, a chain smoker, gave me many Matchbox models. I loved going with her to the tobacconist. The value for money of these miniatures was exceptional. These toys were distributed all over the world. This particular miniature is therefore not rare. However, finding one new in its box, complete with its stretcher and the red plastic cover, is far from easy.
All the children who had this beautiful toy enjoyed lifting the cover. The injured person lying on the stretcher was in pretty bad shape. This was another way to spark children’s imaginations, allowing them to create a “before the ambulance” and an “after.” The box, which is quite rare, is worth the price of admission alone. We are in Bavaria. The setting, the ambulance scene, and the uniforms of the paramedics and police officers are all noteworthy.
The illustrator of these King-Size Matchbox sets deserves special mention. He created a dreamlike world, which is also reflected in the catalogs. Like many, I was captivated by these drawings. This is before 1968…soon it will all be over.
Make way for fast wheels, metallic paints, and garish, almost violent color combinations, which will also be found on the packaging and in the catalogs. The beautiful drawings will gradually be replaced by color photographs…a new era that must be appreciated within this historical context.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Matchbox – Mercedes Binz break ambulance K-6
I would have loved to have had that other model, the Simca Marly ambulance. Like all children, I loved the little removable flags that gave the model personality and character.
Like the Mercedes described above, the removable stretcher is a real plus for a miniature ambulance. Norev chose not to include a figure on it. The two-part tailgate opening system is well-designed. The model offered is a very early version, identifiable by its whitewall tires (a luxury!) and its crate-style box.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Norev – Simca Marly break ambulance 41
By a quirk of programming, and this is what created the common thread between the programmed models, I also acquired this police Porsche 911 Targa.
Like many children, I loved this car. Corgi Toys didn’t deliver an extremely faithful reproduction. As a child, the “whizzwheels” bothered me.
It would take me almost fifty years to accept them and understand that they were part of the story and that this model deserved my attention.
This Porsche 911 now sits in my collection, in the same condition as the one offered, with its box which adds to the model’s appeal. It’s a complete package.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Porsche 911T polizei 509
I would make the same comment about the two lovely little sets, each containing a Range Rover, one in police version and one in ambulance.
They are ultimately much harder to find than many other models from the Swansea brand, even though they were released twenty years earlier…
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Rover Range police vigilant 461
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Rover Range ambulance 482
no childhood memories
I have no childhood memories associated with the superb English Dinky Toys miniatures scheduled for this week.
That’s understandable, as their production spanned from the early 1950s to the early 1960s.
However, I do have collector’s memories attached to them. The Austin Atlantic on offer is much more interesting than it first appears. It’s the cream color of the rims that makes this version unique, as it dates from the beginning of production, when the miniature was only sold in packs of six.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Dinky Toys GB – Austin Atlantic 106
The same chronological pattern applies to the green Riley. It is also equipped with black-painted rims inherited from the post-war 30 and 36 series.
It has an early chassis, recognizable by its small lettering. Finding this model in excellent condition is far from easy.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Dinky Toys GB – Riley berline 40A
The same applies to reference 40B, the Triumph Razor Edge.
This is a version for connoisseurs. Its color places it at the beginning of production; however, a subtle detail: it no longer has the pillars supporting the rear axle.
The mold had just been modified, yet the model retains this color used at the start of production. I truly enjoyed searching for these intermediate variants. These models are superb, and their moderate prices encourage their collection.
modèle en vente cette semaine :Dinky Toys GB – Triumph 1800 40B
The Chrysler Royal was produced at the very end of its run, in the mid-1950s. This color was often seen in export markets: the USA, of course, but also Europe (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, naturally).
This color suits this imposing car very well. I remember finding several in Switzerland. This one comes from the German/Luxembourg border… I saved the most recent one for last.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Dinky Toys GB – Chrysler 39 E
I remember very well where I found mine, at the Windsor swap meet, or more precisely, before the event started, in the parking lot. Indeed, it was customary in Windsor to begin in the parking lot, sometimes two hours before the gates opened. Most dealers had a camping table and set up in front of the trunk of their car. Depending on the season, an electric lamp was sometimes necessary.
This rare AC Aceca was sold to me by a dealer I knew. He only offered it to me because he knew Jean-Vital Remy would be absent. It’s from the very end of production. The ivory, slightly satin finish is the same as that seen on the Porsche 356. A very interesting detail. Look at the box. It’s a single-color sticker that’s printed on it. I’ve rarely seen it. It’s a beautiful, fragile piece. Finding one in the condition of the one offered here is difficult.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Dinky Toys GB – AC Aceca 167
My favorite of the three Solido models on the program this week
Let’s stay in the realm of memories with these three Solido models, which are my personal favorites.
A childhood memory with these two Porsche 917s.
Porsche struggled to win at Le Mans. In 1970, victory was hard-won: the favorite 917s quickly fell by the wayside, as did the factory Ferraris. It was the smaller 917, the one equipped with the 4.5L engine, that won. Solido produced a splendid reproduction of it. It’s by far the most beautiful of all those offered at the time, to the point that it served as a basis for modelers for a long time. I don’t remember seeing it in stores in this orange livery as a child. It must be said that it was quickly discontinued, as Champion had the good sense to offer it for sale sooner, and with the decals already applied, which wasn’t the case with the Solido version. The Solido version is therefore rare, especially with the decal sheet not applied.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Porsche 917K Salzburg Le Mans 1970 186
My father, however, bought me the 1971 version in its Martini livery.
The example offered here has its original case. That’s a bonus. Note that there are several shades, ranging from pure white to ivory.
The miniature is number 198 in the Solido catalog…it’s the second to last in the 100 series. I often think about that. It still has zamac rims and rubber tires. The next one, number 199, the March 707 STP, will be finished: it will feature plastic wheels with chromed plastic inserts.
This 1971 917K Martini is therefore a more important piece than it might seem.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido – Porsche 917K Martini Le Mans 1971 198
For the Solido Brosol, it’s obviously a collector’s item.
These Brosol models were quite a challenge to find. I waited a long time before finally finding one in a collection, especially one with its original box. Yet, I like to say that I could have found them at the same time as the 917 described earlier. Indeed, Solex, in Brazil, produced them from 1969 to 1972. They are therefore contemporary with the 917.
In fact, the latter never had the opportunity to be produced there, as the venture ended prematurely. I appreciate the blue color of this Ferrari Testa Rosa.
As a side note, a similar model, in this blue color, was entered by Picard at Le Mans in 1957 and bore the number 29.
This Brosol Ferrari rarely comes up for sale, and its color is worth appreciating, adding a touch of diversity to a display case dedicated to cars from Maranello.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Solido Brosol – Ferrari 500TRC 103
also on sale this week
