"MATCHBOX" copies etc.

[fixer]

found this on ebay another Spanish copy this time a #59 galaxy fire chief by java , obvious difference is the blue window unit and clear roof light
interior looks to be the same and the base is made from plastic

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hello Reg, thanks for putting the Galaxy copy here.

'PAYA' are not known for their diecast metal toy production as they mainly concentrated on tinplate based toys and vehicles. In recent times they have re-issued many of their product line back onto the retail markets in Spain.

These diecast models are certainly inspired by "Matchbox" if not direct copies and I have shown two more below and another version of your Galaxy but with a red roof beacon.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[fixer]

hi Ghosty are these made by Paya or Java (or are they the same) I thought it was Java as that is what the logo to the left appears to say also its how the seller described it on ebay
the casting is a very close copy the only changes I can see are no locating marks for the bonnet/hood decal and doors

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Its 'PAYA' and the little logo to the left on the baseplate is based on their original logo, it has a very large elongated letter 'P' running right through the rest of the design, shown here on this modern re-issue (top right corner), and rather annoyingly it does tend to read 'JAVA' along the top half which may be a play on Javea, a place in Spain.

Ghosty.

[fixer]

yet again Lord Hunter comes to the rescue

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Here is a nice copy, unfortunately I have no details for this one, I found this picture on a website showing model recovery tucks.

The fact it is all relatively in focus, suggests the model is quite big, around 1/20th scale I reckon and in line with other plastic toys of this period, probably made in Hong Kong during the late Sixties.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[ritchie]

Hungarian copies of Matchbox Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II made by Metal Car.

DSC_1525hs.jpg (36.41 KiB) Viewed 877 times

DSC_1526s.jpg (33.85 KiB) Viewed 877 times

DSC_1527hs.jpg (32.1 KiB) Viewed 877 times

DSC_1528hs.jpg (46.31 KiB) Viewed 877 times

The body is almost identical

DSC_1529hs.jpg (51.87 KiB) Viewed 924 times

The grill is different

DSC_1530hs.jpg (47.02 KiB) Viewed 924 times

[johnboy]

This is a larger scale friction drive Commer Ice Cream Van by Telsada, on a buy-it-now: Pricey, but it looks quite nice.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TELSALDA-COMM ... 486b8e50f1

[misterpop]

I remember those ice cream vans on the markets with an FX3 taxi and always thought they may be worth buying for the future..Little did they know they where producing a collectors piece.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Thanks Ritchie for showing the 'METAL CAR' Rolls-Royce copy here.

'METAL CAR' models are illegal copies of SIKU, NOREV, BURAGO and MATCHBOX among others. There is usually a logo cast onto the metal baseplates or moulded onto the plastic baseplates, but the Rolls-Royce (and probably others), does not have this and Ritchie's picture shows this clearly, it only has a paper label and this allows the models to be marketed under other 'Brand' names.

The Rolls-Royce as an example was marketed in Poland under the 'BLEKTRO' name, the fact it has the same sticky label on the roof suggests it was made for 'BLEKTRO' by Metal Car themselves and just handed over to 'BLEKTRO' for them to market it!

'BLEKTRO' is even more obscure than 'METAL CAR' and it is only the Rolls-Royce I know-of from that company, but other models from the 'METAL CAR range must have been part of the range.

Shown below is a picture of the 'BLEKTRO' Rolls-Royce from Poland and two pictures of 'METAL CAR' baseplates, a plastic one and metal one, both showing the 'M' in a circle with a little crown symbol over the 'M'.

GHOSTHUNTER.