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Discover a selection of models that will be on sale this week, from tomorrow, Monday, March 23, 2026, until Thursday, March 26, 2026, on our website. AUTOJAUNE COLLECTION
en vente cette semaine: Tekno – Volvo Express fourgon Tretorn 457 – Tekno- Dalia – Ford Transit autopistas 415 – Tekno- Dalia – Ford Transit telegrafos 415 – Tekno – Volvo N88 semi citerne Gasolin 434
I remember...
…from the moment, more than fifteen years ago, when I realized I was going to have to buy a cell phone.
The reason was simple. In the United States, phone booths were gradually disappearing, and calling home was becoming a real hassle.
The same phenomenon gradually appeared all over Europe.
At that time, I always carried Danish, Swedish, and American phone cards in my wallet… One feature of the cell phone had particularly impressed me.
The first person to extol its virtues to me was Jean-Paul Brault, a great collector of racing cars. He explained that he could, from the other side of the United States, send a photo of the model he had in hand, send it to a friend, and wait for a reply… depending on the time zone.
I saw it as revolutionary.
I remember that at the time, I was still sending some clients long handwritten letters with photos that I had developed at the photographer’s shop on the corner of Rue de Meaux.
Some distant clients still speak to me. I thought of that when I saw the rare Macchi Büssing from Wiking.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Wiking – Macchi 5000 car
The day before the Milan show opened to the public, I saw a red plastic bus on a tabletop.
It was mainly the box and its resemblance to a model I knew well that caught my eye. When I picked it up, I immediately understood. It was a promotional item made by Wiking for Macchi.
This company, based in Varese, assembled Büssing buses. Macchi began as an aircraft manufacturer before becoming a coachbuilder, working with many Italian truck manufacturers.
These manufacturers supplied Macchi with bare chassis, which they then fitted with bodies. The miniature is identical to the German model… but it proudly displays the monogram on the sides. Seeing this model for the first time, I imagined its rarity and thought of my friend Wolfgang Ghert from Hamburg.
And there, precisely, I could take a photo and send it instantly… without worrying about time zones. Although it wasn’t my scale of reproduction, I found the whole thing so charming that I didn’t wait for Wolfgang’s reply. I bought it.
His reply arrived late that evening. He confirmed his interest in the model and its rarity. However, I decided to keep it, and I must admit I don’t regret my choice.
This week we have one for sale, the only one I’ve seen besides my own purchase.
I love this item, which has a unique history. A German bus made in Italy, reproduced by a German manufacturer and intended for the Italian market.
By a quirk of timing, we have another rare product, Italian, made by a major Italian model train manufacturer, Rivarossi, which worked with the German company Wiking. Rivarossi distributed Wiking equipment in Italy, in boxes bearing both names. The Fiat 500 is a rare and fragile car.
I admit that I initially bought it for myself, hoping it would be a slightly different color than mine. That wasn’t the case. I see collecting different colors of rare models as a challenge. I’ve managed to collect four.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Rivarossi – Fiat 500
Let’s stay in Italy, with plastic, and this interesting Fordson tractor and trailer produced by Politoys. I like the idea of the confusion Politoys created when they offered a Fordson tractor in the red and gray colors of its competitor, Massey Ferguson!
This set is hard to find, especially with its individual case.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Politoys – Fordson Major tracteur agricole 65
a nice sample
I started collecting CORGI TOYS Whizwheels less than two years ago.
It was the purchase of a collection with a very nice selection that triggered it. I’ve often done this in the past. I didn’t have a particular fondness for these models, although they were from my generation and I remembered the red and yellow boxes and the beautiful, evocative illustrations on the back.
The historical interest of this line, with the arrival of needle axles, plastic wheels, and colors and decorations reflecting this era of change, finally convinced me. I was recently looking at the cover of the 1972 catalog, which I knew well as a child. I was surprised by the number of models painted in pink, purple, bright yellow—colors that were very much in vogue at the time.
I don’t regret embarking on this adventure, and I’ve since deepened my knowledge of this line. This week we have a nice selection of six models. I’ll let you look at the photos.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Volkswagen 1200 police 373
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – MG C GT competition 378
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Iso Grifo 7 litres 301
modèle en vente cette semaine: Corgi Toys – Ford Capri 3 litres Texaco 303
modèle en vente cette semaine: Corgi Toys – Ford Capri 3 litres GT 331
modèle en vente cette semaine: Corgi Toys – Chevrolet Stingray customized 376
One thing links these six models: they all have black-painted hoods.
This also reflects a trend that emerged among car manufacturers at the time.
To give a car a sporty look, manufacturers had come up with this trick: paint the hood black and add matching stripes along the sides… I remember the Simca 1000 Rallye and the Opel Manta, cars I loved back then.
For those who couldn’t afford such a model, buying and installing a bullet-shaped rearview mirror, a dual exhaust, fog lights, and an Esso tiger tail on the rearview mirror transformed the ordinary sedan into a racing machine ready to tackle the hairpin bends of the Col de Turini.
I remember this trend from the seventies. I find a bit of that same joyful spirit in the colorful Corgi Toys Whizzwheels. By adding a few decals and a two-tone finish with a satin black hood, models that had been languishing in the catalog for some time, like the MG, the Corvette, and the VW, are transformed.
I appreciate the fluorescent red of the MG. Admittedly, the two Ford Capris and the Iso Griffo also have a certain flair.
As for the Corvette, far from being a common sight, it seems to be there to compete with Matchox and Hot Wheels and their outlandish cars.
It’s time to recognize the value of these products. The boxes seem essential to me; they form a complete package with the miniature.
the repercussions of the 1973 oil crisis
A few years passed. Then came the first oil crisis in 1973 and its repercussions.
This was the first blow to the automobile and the dreams it embodied. This initial crisis and its impact on the automotive world, motor racing, and consequently on the production of industrial miniatures, were underestimated.
I think it’s worthwhile to analyze subsequent production. When I see the Norev models for sale this week, it’s hard to believe that only a few years separate them from the cheerful Wizzwheels described earlier: the colors are as dreary as a rainy day. The same goes for the boxes.
Gone are the vibrant colors of the Jet Car series packaging from the early seventies or those of the Wizzwheels described above.
These rare sets offered this week date from the mid-seventies. They were intended for sale in supermarkets.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Norev – Peugeot 604 avec caravane G229
Was this a reason for Norev to create such tasteless packaging? Years have passed. Now, enthusiasts seek to recreate the brand’s history or the stories they may have had with these products. By 2026, these sets are hard to find.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Norev – Peugeot 504 avec caravane panoramic 93
I’ve rarely seen the one containing the Peugeot 604 with its caravan.
After the 404 and the 504, also scheduled for release this week, this 604 ensures continuity.
That’s a good reason to acquire the product. Besides their rarity, these three sets have their excellent condition going for them.
That’s the element I would prioritize and what would motivate my purchase. These boxes are fragile and have rarely been spared. Collectors were dismissing them as recently as 15 years ago.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Norev – coffret ambulance tour cycliste 211
We also have two rare Citroën DS21s from the same era as these sets.
This car is hard to find. The later versions, molded in a less glossy but non-deforming plastic, are quite rare. It’s worth noting that the Jet Cars had already appeared on the market, and the “plastic” range was now relegated to supermarket sales at low prices.
This range, like the sets described above, was also overlooked by collectors who are now making up for lost time.
The high selling prices of these products demonstrate the renewed interest in this range, which was scorned in the 1980s.
modèle en vente cette semaine. Norev – Citroën DS21 caramel 158
modèle en vente cette semaine : Norev – Citroën DS21 158
My favorites are two products that share the fact that they were produced in France before the war.
Although I wasn’t familiar with these toys, and for good reason, they are my favorites.
The first is the C-I-J Fire Station. It’s a testament to the expertise of the Briare-based company, which mastered woodworking, sheet metal work, and stenciling like few others in France at that time.
It’s just a few pieces of wood assembled, and yet, the C-I-J workers managed to bring it to life. This toy has a soul. The paintwork, using well-placed stencils, is truly extraordinary.
Compare this fire station with the one produced by Tekno and photographed last week. They are similar products, but the feel is different. On one hand, you find Danish precision, and on the other, French lightheartedness and carefree spirit… which led to the creation of an apple-green and light-blue fire station. We are dealing with a playful object that invites the child to play.
modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Accessoire caserne sapeurs-pompiers
I could make the same comment about the extraordinary Berliet PCK7D from Gulliver. Orange!
A bright and rare color. This color wasn’t listed, I believe. Five years ago, when I first saw it, I thought it was a faded model.
When I held it, I realized it was indeed a color I hadn’t seen before. That’s also part of the charm of collecting: discovering new things again and again. I put it in my display case.
And then, a second example resurfaced. This one comes from the United States. It’s also equipped with a key-wound mechanism and splendid red tires.
It’s an exceptional piece. I remember very well that I got my first one from Philippe Moro in Niort many years ago.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Gulliver – Berliet PCK7D mécanique
also on sale this week
