Sunday afternoon, at the Saint-Ouen flea market

Discover a selection of models that will be on sale this week from tomorrow Monday, June 2, 2025 until Thursday, June 5 on our website AUTOJAUNE COLLECTION

Dinky Toys France - Plymouth Belvedere 24D - Solido - Aston Martin DB5 130 - Solido - Ferrari 250GT 2+2 123 -Dinky Toys France - Simca Aronde Elysée 24U

en vente cette semaine: Dinky Toys France – Plymouth Belvedere 24D – Solido – Aston Martin DB5 130 – Solido – Ferrari 250GT 2+2 123 -Dinky Toys France – Simca Aronde Elysée 24U

I remember...

…of a Sunday afternoon at the Saint-Ouen flea market.

On weekends, my father and I had our ritual. We were coming from the north, and for convenience, we passed by the Saint-Ouen town hall and bypassed Porte de Clignancourt, which was impassable by car on market days. This way, we could park a short distance from the Jules-Vales market. The pilgrimage inevitably began with a visit to Daniel Tuffery’s stall. He used our visit as an excuse to drag us to the local café, “La Périchole.”

It was, as he called it, his “headquarters.” Daniel found in this place, which was frequented only by regulars, the ideal conviviality for doing business. The place seemed more suited to his personality than his stall. Each “good” customer was therefore entitled to a tour of “La Périchole,” and depending on the time of day, it was coffee, an aperitif, or a digestif. Daniel had an “open account” at the café; it was a different era.

After chatting with Daniel, and perhaps setting aside one or two models, we headed to the more upscale Vernaison market, where Gilles Sherpereel’s stand was located. During the walk, there was excitement and questions: what would he have new since the previous week?

Once I walked through the door of his stand, my first instinct was to look at the two display cases, one behind his counter and the other to his right. They were actually two reconditioned car grilles on display. I quickly realized that he placed unusual parts there. It was part of the learning curve.

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Berliet GLR citerne Shell 3-23

I remember asking him about the presence of a Dinky Toys Triumph Vitesse in an intriguing color, which was located among a few pre-war Gasquy, Märklin, and Dinky Toys, the benchmarks of the era. It was an Indian version.

Looking back, I realized that some of the pieces featured in these showcases during our visits wouldn’t have been there a few years earlier. The selection of models in these “first choice” showcases has therefore evolved over the decades, based on the demand of enthusiasts.

I’m thinking, for example, of a superb Unic JRD 60 hectolitres that was featured in this showcase and the pleasure it gave me, as well as these Renault 2.5T firefighter C-I-Js and the Shell Berliet GLR tanker identical to the one on display this week. They were difficult to obtain, for the simple reason that collectors had long disdained them, devoting themselves almost exclusively to car collecting.

Gilles Sherpereel, the essential reference of the era, understood in the mid-seventies that these miniature French trucks, which had initially aroused curiosity, had subsequently attracted new collectors.

These vehicles are still as desirable as ever, and I’m happy to see that they are delighting new enthusiasts. For some of these enthusiasts, this Berliet GLR was described to me as a 4-cylinder version, due to its “short” hood.

The Dinky Toys version, according to them, would be a 5-cylinder. For other enthusiasts I interviewed, it would be the same version, and C-I-J would have simply reproduced a shorter hood. In the meantime, this model looks great. The bright colors, of course, add to the pleasure.

It’s a shame that the “Azur” version remained a prototype. Why didn’t C-I-J try to derive other bodies?

C-I-J Berliet GLR citerne Azur (prototype) Collection AutoJaune-

cisterns !

Collecting tanker trucks was our first diversion after racing cars.

We were still in the learning phase of collecting miniatures.

When my father was asked about the reasons that led him to expand his collection, seemingly without logic, from the world of racing cars to that of oil trucks, I seem to remember his answer: color harmonies!

For my father, the visual aspect of the object always took precedence over rarity. I thought of this when I saw the beautiful series of tanker trucks produced by C-I-J, on sale this week.

The Briare-based company had special relationships with two oil companies, Shell and BP.

I remain convinced that they paid a lot of money to have their logos appear on the vehicles. We know that Esso had a special relationship with Meccano. The logos of French oil companies are strangely absent from the miniatures of the period.

liens entre Esso et Dinky Toys séries spéciales et pré- série Collection AutoJaune

It wasn’t until JRD that the names of two French oil companies, Antar and Total, appeared on two different tanker trucks. Unlike the Anglo-Saxon oil companies, they hadn’t realized the impact that toy advertising had on children, the future consumers.

This week, in addition to the Berliet described above, we have a rare Saviem JL20 Shell tanker tractor-trailer.

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Saviem JL20 tracteur semi remorque citerne Shell 4-69

The “Europarc”-style box is a plus. You may have noticed that the model depicted on the box is a 120-horsepower Renault.

The Saviem tractor did replace the aging 120-hp Renault, modernizing the overall look, but the illustrator retained the latter’s design on the box.

However, the “Saviem” inscriptions appear on the box’s tabs. Note that there are two variants of this Saviem JL20. They differ in the finish of the front grille (black or silver frame) and in two very different shades of yellow paint.

We also have two charming tanker trucks, which preceded this Saviem in our catalog.

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Panhard Movic citerne Energic BP Energol mécanique 4-20

It’s the early 1950s.

The Panhard Movic is in BP’s livery. There are several liveries and variants (with or without mechanism, different aluminum or plastic rims, green lettering on a yellow background and vice versa)—plenty of fun without breaking the bank.

These beautiful models are sold at modest prices. The second, from the same era, is a Renault in Shell livery. The same goes for the car. Their vibrant color scheme is enchanting in the window.

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault 5T citerne Shell Mécanique 4-21

It’s also this harmony of colors, red and yellow, that adorns the Saviem LRS coal tipper.

In reality, I’ve never seen a truck operating in the sugar beet field in Picardy in these colors. I remember that these coal tippers were generally gray. The same goes for quarries. But we’re in the toy world, and anything goes.

Fortunately, the C-I-J enthusiast can create superb color combinations, each one more cheerful than the last.

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Somua LRS benne charbonnière 4-80

Looking at the other models on sale this week from the Briare firm, we see that it has managed to produce toys with happy harmonies: the Dauphine, a red and black taxi, the white and blue Renault Domaine ambulance, the Plymouth, a belvedere, etc. It was the “new wave” of collectors, from the mid-1970s, who were the first to appreciate these toys and put them in the spotlight.

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault Savane 3-43

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault Prairie taxi 3-45

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault Prairie 3-42

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault Frégate Grand Pavoix

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

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault Dauphine taxi 3-56T

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault Colorale 3-43

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault Dauphine police 3-57

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Renault 300Kg Postes Belge 3-68 B

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Plymouth Belvèdere 3-16

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Panhard Dyna Junior 3-5

modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Plymouth Belvédère 3-16 Rouge

nouvelle vague

It was also for this “new wave” that LBS (Louis Surber), the manufacturer of models for Eligor, among others, offered this series of Berliet trucks in 1977. This series was revolutionary in more than one way. First, because of the scale chosen for the models, 1:43.

Second, because the manufacturer combined two materials: zamac for the cab and chassis, and plastic for the body or dump body. Note that one series would be entirely injected in plastic and distributed under the “Minialuxe” brand.

exemple de liens entre Minialuxe et Jouets Mont Blanc Berliet GLR collection AutoJaune-

modèle en vente cette semaine : LBS – Berliet GRH 280 benne

Initially, the LBS were designed for promotional use: the advertisers appeared on the walls of vans (mostly hauliers) or public works companies, for skips. I don’t know of any specific case for these advertisers, but it may exist. Subsequently, these models were also distributed commercially. And it was of course the collector clientele that was targeted, not the children! But the high price of the models limited their distribution. This was the emergence of a new market, that of collectors, whose existence Jean de Vazeilles doubted. I knew this exciting period well. This series met with some success at the time.

modèle en vente cette semaine : LBS – Berliet GRH fourgon transports Mory

Unfortunately, a successor to the Berliet truck will have to wait a long time. Busy with the production of the Eligor, whose sales took off during this period, Louis Surber took a while to offer other trucks. This week, we have a van and two superb tipper trucks in the colors of a well-known public works company. The prices are reasonable. You have to know how to look at them.

modèle en vente cette semaine : LBS – Berliet GRH 280 benne Screg

My favorite for these few artisanal models

My favorite for these few handcrafted models, contemporary to this same era, also offered this week. Taking advantage of the strong demand, a few “Sunday enthusiasts” who often tinkered with their miniatures on a corner of the table, will take the plunge and become professional craftsmen. They thus satisfied their passion for miniature cars, by turning a hobby into a profession. I might as well tell you, there will be disappointments, and some will break their teeth. But this week we have two examples of people who managed to overcome these pitfalls: Gérard Dahinden and Dominique Esparcieux. These two craftsmen made the heyday of Modelisme magazine. I can’t count the number of models in the magazine that bear their signature. They have in common a form of eclecticism. They could indeed go from the creation of a utility vehicle to that of a racing car with equal happiness. I knew them both very well. First, Dominique Esparcieux, in 1977, when he worked for Michel Elkoubi (MRE). I admire his work. It’s neat, very well done.

modèle en vente cette semaine : Esdo – Citroën CCX ambulance 6 roues Tissier

His assemblies are sober and of very high quality. He often used Solido bases that he developed and/or modified. Once the rough draft was completed, he made a mold and produced his models in quality resin. The superb and original Citroën CX 6 wheels Teissier is a perfect example of his achievements. We also see the quality of his work in its preservation over time. Fifty years later, it is still perfect. What is the point of adding a multitude of details and added parts if they do not last over time, as was the case on the first Brianza models by certain other Italian craftsmen of the same era? I can make the same observation with the magnificent Bugatti 251 Grand Prix by Gérard Dahinden. It is a total creation. French craftsmen had a know-how that I greatly appreciate. These models seem to me far superior to what was being made elsewhere.

modèle en vente cette semaine : Rétro bolide – Bugatti

Vincent Espinasse

also on sale this week

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