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Discover a selection of models that will be on sale this week from tomorrow Monday October 20, 2025 until Thursday October 23 on our website AUTOJAUNE COLLECTION
en vente cette semaine: Mebetoys – Iso S4 Berline A30Dinky Toys France – Unic semi remorque porte tubes 893 – OK – Albion semi remorque porte pipe line 3758 – Mebetoys – Fiat 1500 A2
I remember...
…having witnessed the evolution of the model car collecting market.
My father and I are part of what I’d call the “new wave” of collectors, the one that emerged in the mid-1970s.
The pioneers of collecting aimed to trace the history of the automobile, from its origins to the latest releases at the last auto show. There was no room for utility, public works, or military vehicles. The title of the book written by Jacques Greilsamer and Bertrand Azéma is clear: “World Catalogue of Model Cars.”
Browsing through the Modelisme magazines, one notices the scant space devoted to heavy goods vehicles. Some appear among the new releases. However, there is a lack of commentary on the accuracy of the shapes or the manufacturer’s choice of version. It’s clear that they weren’t intended to be lined up in a display case, at least not in Jacques Greilsamer’s! The new wave of miniature collectors has emerged, primarily motivated by childhood memories of the “thirty glorious years.”
In France, when you’re interested in utility vehicles from this period, it’s hard to ignore the C-I-J or JRD models.
I thought of this again when I saw the superb Saviem S7 with its covered trailer for sale this week.
modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Saviem S7 ridelles bâché avec remorque 4-77
Of course, it never received the honors of model making. It’s normal, since it’s a toy. In the mid-1960s, its design was from another era. The side panel, trailer, and tarpaulins were made of folded and painted sheet metal. C-I-J had perfectly mastered the technique of folding and assembly. Enthusiasts who arrived in the mid-1970s, nostalgic for vehicles from another era, fell under the spell of this old-fashioned toy.
But some utility vehicle enthusiasts weren’t satisfied with this initial approach. Like the pioneers of collecting, they sought accuracy and historical fidelity. Thus, the first handcrafted French utility models in resin appeared, sold as kits or assembled.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Mini Véhicules Incendies – Hotchkiss
modèle en vente cette semaine : Comptours – Citroën 1200kgs pick up P.T.T 1064
modèle en vente cette semaine : Canam – Citroën 23 fourgon tôlé 14
As with cars, assembly isn’t for every enthusiast. These models require a certain skill. This week we have three representative models, all three of which were assembled directly by the craftsman.
I like the Hotchkiss DH60 and the Citroën 23 van. Both marked an era, and above all, no industrial manufacturer had thought of reproducing them until the 1980s.
During those same years, manufacturers were losing interest in popular cars. Here again, small artisans were filling the gaps. We had to find the right balance between quality, faithful reproduction, and selling price. It wasn’t easy. Heco Modèles was one of the leaders.
We have several models for sale, all very interesting: the Peugeot 405, the Citroën AX 5-door, etc.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Heco Modeles – Simca 8 coupé 102
modèle en vente cette semaine : Heco Modeles – Peugeot 405 sr
modèle en vente cette semaine : Heco Modeles – Citroën AX 5 portes 115M
on the other side of the Mediterranean
Airplanes have been the stuff of dreams for generations of young people. For today’s children, flying has become commonplace.
A few toy manufacturers in the 1950s therefore offered reproductions of airplanes alongside their range of miniature cars. The problem, of course, is the scale of reproduction. An airplane reproduced at 1:43 scale is very large…
Dinky Toys France, as the leader in the mid-1950s, offered a superb reproduction of the Lockheed Super G Constellation.
Bobigny had a special box made for the occasion. The airplane is so imposing that it is part of the Supertoys range. I remember that many English and American airplane enthusiasts I met considered it the most beautiful Dinky Toys airplane, of all ranges and countries of production combined.
We have a very fine example for sale this week.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Dinky Toys France – Lockeed Super G constellation Air France 60C
Solido and C-I-J also listed a substantial range of aircraft. While Solido focused on fighters and other prototypes, the Briare-based firm mainly reproduced airliners.
The one we have for sale this week, a Caravelle SE210, is unique. It’s the airline that’s interesting: Royal Air Maroc. This miniature is a promotional item.
The superb box adds to the pleasure of the purchase. The graphics and colors transport us to the other side of the Mediterranean, and I can’t help but think of the children to whom this miniature was given.
It’s the kind of gift the flight attendant would give once the toddler was settled in his seat, hoping that the toy would occupy the child for part of the flight!
modèle en vente cette semaine : C.I.J. – Sud-Aviation Caravelle Royal Air Maroc
commercial success
Corgi Toys is an example of commercial success.
Just like Matchbox, for that matter. Both manufacturers share their country of origin, Great Britain.
They benefited from the economic power of this country and its colonies around the world to develop. A keen sense of commerce and business allowed these two companies to dominate the global miniature market for nearly 20 years. The history and development of Corgi Toys are just as fascinating as its miniature range. By analyzing the balance of the latter, we can understand this success. The week’s program is revealing. The first part of production was devoted to automobiles of English origin: it was necessary to start by nibbling away market share from Dinky Toys. In the 1960s, the English automobile industry was still flourishing.
The Mini is the symbol of this.
Modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Morris Mini minor 226
Modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Morris Mini Cooper De-Luxe 249
Modèle en vente cette semaine :Corgi Toys – BMC Mini countryman avec planches de surf 485
This week we have three beautiful variations. We’ll appreciate the station wagon, its roof rack, its two surfboards, and its character.
The design office undoubtedly owes its inspiration to the Californian group “The Beach Boys.”
The three Citroën IDs in the program have also been a great success.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Citroën ID19 break JO 1964 475
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Citroën ID19 safari 436
The estate car bodies allowed the Corgi Toys design department to give free rein to its imagination. And it succeeded. Roof racks loaded with trunks and skis contributed significantly to their commercial success.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Citroën DS19 rallye de Monte Carlo 1965 323
The Citroën DS19 from the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally is also a great success.
It reproduces a car that participated in this rally in 1965. The race number is correct. The four small rhinestone headlights added above the bumper are a real plus. A very beautiful miniature.
In the early 1960s, sales on the American market exceeded those on the English market. The Swansea-based company even received an award from the Ministry of Industry.
American cars therefore logically have an important place in the catalog. This version of the Plymouth Suburban in the colors of the American postal service “US Mail” is a very good example.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Plymouth sports suburban US mail 443
If you prefer the classic version, we have that too.
The 1959 Chevrolet Impala, the second of its name, so distinctive with its rear fenders inspired by the world of aviation, had to be included in the catalog. The car remained the best-selling model in the United States for many years. Corgi Toys delivered a fine copy.
The color of the first version surely disconcerted some conservative customers: pink! It fits well with the era.
That’s the one we have.
For fans of variants, the one offered for sale has second-style rims, much less common than the first, flat ones. The Impala’s dog-carrying station wagon version is highly indicative of the Corgi Toys “spirit.” The presence of the four dogs that the child can easily remove from the car is a stroke of genius. It’s a toy. But it’s a beautiful toy.
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Chevrolet Impala 220
modèle en vente cette semaine : Corgi Toys – Chevrolet fourgonnette Kennel club 486
My favorite: these two Tatras on sale this week
A diplomatic T 87 from Moravia and a T603 from Rétro 43.
Tatra cars are fascinating cars. One can be drawn to their technical or aesthetic design. For me, it’s their silhouette that fascinates me, and the presence of that ridge in the center of the roof on some of them makes these cars unlike any other.
Igra Tatra T603 Collection AutoJaune
It is no coincidence that after the war, Solido, in its “Junior” series, offered a Tatraplan to its customers, just like the Belgian brand “Gasquy”.
modèle en vente cette semaine Retro 43 – Tatra T603
The car was distributed in Belgium. The Tatras are therefore unique, mysterious, and intriguing cars. They take us back to the time when the Iron Curtain cut the world in two. The two examples on offer are handcrafted models from the 1980s…produced on the other side of the wall…which gives them a real plus. They are indicative of the Czechs’ passion for their automotive heritage and collecting miniatures.
modèle en vente cette semaine Moravia – Tatra 87 limousine diplomatique 1936
Vincent Espinasse
also on sale this week
