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Discover a selection of models that will be on sale this week from tomorrow Monday October 13, 2025 until Thursday October 16 on our website AUTOJAUNE COLLECTION
en vente cette semaine: Dinky Toys France – Studebaker Commander 24Y- Corgi Toys – Commer fourgon vente de glaces”Mister Softee” 428 – Corgi Toys – Volkswagen Kombi Chocolat Tobler 441 – inky Toys France – Peugeot 404 avec caravane Pinder 882
I remember...
…from the blog “Green Cad,” which was inspired by Peter Farrell’s film “Green Book.” A story of racial segregation in affluent America in the 1960s. The story of a talented pianist whose only flaw, in the eyes of some, was his skin color. A true story, a tale of friendship between two characters who are complete opposites. (See the Green Cad blog).
I thought of this again when I saw a model scheduled for this week. No, it’s not a Cadillac. It’s a miniature that had to be quickly modified. The year is 1969. Corgi Toys is in decline.
The Swansea-based company is trying to relaunch itself with models inspired by comic strips or popular television series. The loss of the Gerry Anderson contract has left its mark on management. They’re feeling their way.
They finally decide to reproduce Noddy’s popular car. This character is the hero of adventures written for a very young audience by Enid Blyton. Morestone already reproduced her in the early 1960s, reduced to 1:60.
The Corgi Toys model is designed to be approximately 1:38, with three characters: Noddy at the wheel, Big-Ears the dwarf at his side, and Golly the hedgehog in the back. So far, nothing extraordinary.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Auto torpedo de Noddy (Oui Oui) Rare version 801
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Auto torpedo de Noddy (Oui Oui) Rare version 801
At that time, for obvious financial reasons related to the cost of local labor, Corgi Toys had already relocated the workshop where its figurines were hand-made and painted to Hong Kong.
But then the Asian workshop alerted management to one point: was it wise to paint Golly the hedgehog’s face black? This raised the issue of racial issues plaguing the United States in particular.
The American market was very important to Corgi Toys.
In this letter, the workshop proposed lightening the face’s color to gray. Management quickly accepted the change. However, the first units had already been delivered with the black hedgehog.
It is this rare and historic version that we are offering you. It is a model with a unique and singular history, to my knowledge.
But the hedgehog continued to pose a problem. European customers did not recognize the little gray-skinned character. He will eventually be replaced by a bear cub, Mr. Tuby, with very light skin.
Finally, for the latest versions, Noddy will be all alone in his big car.
If you’re looking for cars with a less troubled history, this week we have a large selection of Corgi Toys models. For example, this Bentley 4.5L and its two characters from the TV series “The World of Wooster.”
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Bentley The world of Wooster
This product isn’t very popular among Corgi Toys collectors, yet it’s rare.
It comes in a presentation case that gives the set a certain presence. One can imagine that its resemblance to the Bentley from John Steed’s “The Avengers” box set overshadowed it.
We also have another product that’s highly reminiscent of the 1960s. A special Commer Holiday Camp. It’s a clever reuse of the “Samuelson” version. A molded tarpaulin hints at a substantial cargo. It’s lively, and the vibrant colors add to the visual appeal.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Commer 3:4 minibus holiday 508
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Commer 3:4 minibus holiday 508
One last detail: the Corgi Toys design office has long understood its young customers’ attraction to animals drawn or delivered with the toys. In the late 1960s, Frederic Rossif’s first documentaries on wild animals were broadcast in France on Sunday evenings.
Remember the Esso advertising campaigns dedicated to wild animals at the same time? Corgi Toys has understood this well. And this harmless minibus features a whale on its right side! It’s not there by chance.
Good at everything
Great Britain has seen the birth of several models and brands that have become iconic in automotive history. The most famous and popular is undoubtedly the Mini, produced by Austin and Morris.
It continues to thrive even though it no longer has any connection to its origins. The image of this country is, of course, linked to high-end manufacturers: Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and to a certain extent, Jaguar.
We also cannot forget the sporty convertibles associated with the sixties, which have inspired several generations of drivers.
Personally, if I had to choose a car that epitomizes Great Britain, I would unhesitatingly choose the Land Rover. Literally, “rural Rover.”
This model was intelligently designed. It is a versatile vehicle, capable of fulfilling many functions in the countryside and even replacing a tractor for certain tasks. The Citroën 2CV was also intended to serve farmers, but it’s clear that, with its solid construction, the Land Rover had far more advantages. Dinky Toys clearly understood the value of this Land Rover and incorporated it into its catalog shortly after its creation, in its range dedicated to agricultural machinery (Series 27). This is logical.
Then, as is often the case, the Liverpool-based company let time pass without questioning itself. It let Corgi Toys take advantage of the opportunity.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Land Rover 109LWB véhicule de parade du cirque Chipperfields 487
It was a success, and the Swansea-based company developed its model based on developments in the original.
It was one of Corgi Toys’ biggest commercial successes… ten million units produced, all variants combined.
The Corgi Toys model reproduces a version with a long wheelbase and a pickup truck body, allowing for numerous variations (tow truck, covered pickup truck, parade car, etc.). This week, we have for sale the one in the colors of the Chipperfields circus. It is original. The presence of the monkey next to the clown is a good illustration of the comments in the previous chapter. The model is very well reproduced.
Given its commercial success, many toy manufacturers have taken inspiration from it.
So, this week, we have two Spanish Nacorals, made of zamak.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Nacoral – Land Rover 109 longue dépanneuse 117
modple en vente cette semaine : Nacoral – Land Rover 109 chassis court Guardia Civil 114
These models also exist in plastic. The Land Rover was actually manufactured in Spain under license under the name Land Rover/Santana. The car was therefore part of the Spanish road scene.
These two Nacoral Land Rovers have always been difficult to obtain. The finish is less meticulous than that of the Corgi Toys. They were sold for less money. They are also much rarer, especially with their fragile box, which few enthusiasts have thought to keep.
The short-chassis model is inspired by the Norev production. The same can be said about the quality of execution. In a collection focused on Land Rovers, the Nacorals form a beautiful set, because in addition to the plastic-injected and zamac models, there is a third range reproduced on a larger scale, the 1/24, in plastic.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Hong-Kong – Land Rover 109 pick up avec nacelle
modèle en vente cette semaine : Hong-Kong – Land Rover 109 pick up avec barrique
Land Rover enthusiasts can of course find a very wide selection in Asian models.
Seeing the success of Corgi Toys models, European sponsors of Asian-made toys understood the value of having this type of model in their catalogs as early as the 1960s.
The Land Rover quickly became an iconic automobile. Better still, it left the rural world for wider spaces and more distant lands. The car epitomizes adventure. It therefore lends itself to all kinds of transformations.
We have some good examples demonstrating its versatility.
The decision-makers in Asian design offices sometimes went very far, as with these versions equipped with a barrel or a gondola. While the barrel probably didn’t pose too many design problems, the same was not true with the functional gondola. These two miniatures are still in their original packaging. Their price is an additional advantage.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Hong-Kong – Land Rover 109 pick up bâché avec remorque et Lola Climax
The set, containing a tarpaulin-covered Land Rover, a flatbed trailer, and a single-seater Lola Climax, was inspired by Corgi Toys. I appreciate one small detail.
At the Swansea-based manufacturer, the Land Rover is towing a Ferrari 156, in red, of course. To avoid the wrath of Corgi Toys, the Asian manufacturer copied a Lola from Solido and reproduced it in…red. The set is made of high-quality plastic. The box is in keeping with the original. Here again, the selling price is reasonable.
Over time…
It took me a while to become interested in zamac Politoys and Mebetoys. Time passed. I seized the opportunity to keep some examples when purchasing important collections in Italy.
When you’re interested in the history of miniature car manufacturing, it’s difficult to ignore such manufacturers. Far from seeking out color variations like Dinky Toys, Solido, or Tekno, I tried to reconstruct the history of production by box type. At Mebetoys, these dictated the production. First came the white cardboard boxes, illustrated with black and white photos. Cardboard boxes with color photos followed. Then came boxes with plastic bases and transparent lids, similar to those made by Dinky Toys.
Mebetoys has a unique feature that I’ve already highlighted. The Milanese company uses a relatively limited color palette and applies it to its entire range. There’s also a rigor in the composition of the paints used. Unlike Solido or Dinky Toys, there are shades and variations of colors. The metallic green or metallic blue is the same throughout its entire application, and this applies to all models in the range.
We can therefore see the interest that the brand’s passionate enthusiast may have in collecting all the models finished in metallic yellow or silver, for example. Each time, they can align the entire range produced over a defined period of time… and since Mebetoys kept its models for a long time, I’ll let you imagine the difficulty of the task!
This week, as a nod to this uniqueness, we’ve lined up three metallic blue miniatures.
Modèle en vente cette semaine : Mebetoys – Matra 530 Vignale A38
Modèle en vente cette semaine : Mebetoys – BMW 2000CS A17
Modèle en vente cette semaine : Mebetoys – Porsche 912 A12
We also have a splendid metallic red Fiat 500L. This color will also be applied to a very large number of models.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Mebetoys – Fiat 500L nuova A36
The Innocenti Mini rally version is part of a series of four models available in a Monte Carlo version.
A clever way to reduce the cost of the tooling while also meeting a growing demand. Solido, which introduced decals with its racing versions, quickly understood the pleasure buyers derived from completing the livery. Mebetoys would follow suit.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Mebetoys – Innocenti Mini Monte Carlo 1968
modèle en vente cette semaine : Mebetoys – Innocenti Mini minor Pop A28
My favorite is the Porsche 908/03, winner of the Targa Florio from Spark.
My favorite is the Targa Florio-winning Porsche 908/03 from Spark. This manufacturer has been the leading manufacturer in the miniature model market for over 15 years. And by far. It can be criticized for its inaccurate sales policy and product distribution. Seeing this Porsche 908/03 brings to mind the FDS kit released in the mid-1970s. And I realize how far we’ve come.
When I was assembling this kit, originally from Italy, I would never have imagined that such gems could be produced in small batches at a reasonable retail price. Unimaginable. The outsourced manufacturing in Asia partly explains this success. But we mustn’t forget the constantly refined working methods. And the desire to always go further. Because even with this manufacturer, the first models have nothing to do with the latest productions.
modèle en vente cette semaine Spark – Porsche 908:03 Gulf 1er Targa Florio 1970 43tf70
Vincent Espinasse
also on sale this week
