13d Wrecker GREEN cab "HOLY GRAIL" copy

[Idris]

Harold Colpitt´s collector guides are not hyperbole or half remembered truths,they are set in print and sold in their thousands. The letter was on the old forum thread if i remember correctly

The letter was referred to repeatedly on the old forum but was never actually produced in spite of many requests to do so. Harold Colpitts' retraction/statement is not contained in his catalogue.

[Rooster]

Tell me more how this paint test works?
B

[SMS88]

Tell me more how this paint test works?
B

I would advise you to contact member tinman by personal message. He has in the past declined to publicly share the results of the paint tests carried out on the example he was asked to authenticate BUT if you get the orange dome example tested I would expect that he would be happy to say whether or not your paint samples from the orange dome example match the paint samples from the known Bob Brennan/Joe Stone crimped axle example and he can advise you on the correct lab test to request

[Tinman]

The paint testing would involve, at minimum, about $600 worth of expenses. More if you wanted to use expensive overnight or 2nd day insured shipping and/or to have a cover letter explaining the results. It would be an investment in assurance and not an expense to take lightly if only considering the purchase of a particular model.

That still leaves the rivets, dome light and incorrect labels problems/questions. My opinion is that the labes were probably added after the fact by some collector, especially since the large 13d label is incorrect and outside of the time line. IMHO, about the best this model could be is a lunch box special.

[kwakers]

I have quoted Harold's comment in it's entirety on the 2nd generation reverse Wrecker (as I have chosen to call this one) here in an earlier Post Idris. This is not a 'Half remembered truth', it is a factual printed statement by Harold himself which describes in his Guide the model as being 'hand produced in the Lesney factory'. He DID send out a copy of the letter he received from his friends at the Lesney factory pertaining to these Wreckers to all his early AIM Club members. I talked to Harold personally about the circumstances of this model's factory production Idris, it is not hyperbole, etc. on my behalf. I have repeated this same information on this Forum for 6 years now, I am sorry no one has produced a copy of 'The Letter' for you to read 40+ years after I received mine which was included with an early Club newsletter.
The letter was such a complete reversal of Harold 'The Matchbox Sheriff's' 'Fake' position on that N.Y. City collector distributed 'special', it forced me into my Boston Mass. Toy Show conversation directly with Harold concerning these crimped axle models. This was 40 years ago Idris, but I must repeat again, it is NOT a 'Half remembered Truth' as you repeat here to my dismay.
These crimped axle Wreckers were distributed around N.Y. City to some of our earliest collector friends that never included Harold in Lee Mass. at all, so his opinion reversal was a huge shock to both early AIM and NAMC Club members like ourselves. I have seen an original, held and inspected it to Buy in New Jersey, but feel a bit as you do as to it's value in an original regular wheel Lesney collection Idris. The base rivets were factory, the axle crimps looked excellent, and the model was from a close friend I still meet today at shows 40 years later. No speculations here Idris, just 40+ years of U.S. facts and experience on this 'Local' controversial 2nd generation reversed paint Wrecker. Many of our elderly veteran collector friends downstate had these in their collections that have been slowly sold off quietly upon their deaths, but I know a handful are still with their original owners 44 years later. To Bed Now......The 'Caveman of Collecting'

[Idris]

Dick, first of all, my apologies, no offence was intended and my comments were not directed at you.
Having checked back, all I can find in this thread is Harold's statement from his 2nd edition catalogue, not his original statement/retraction. However, now that I reread it, even that catalog quote is interesting. You wrote:

In Harold Colpitt's 2nd printing 1983 Matchbox 1-75 Series 'American International Matchbox' variation catalog, which is still available from Schatvet Seller on E Bay, I quote: In 1970, green cab yellow body models were hand produced in the Lesney factory which contained red plastic hook, BP labels, black plastic wheels with crimped axles! These were sold to collectors as 'authentic' Lesney produced for $15.00 each.

Writing as someone who makes great efforts to ensure that what I write is what I mean (and I have had numerous arguments over the year with people who have not read my words carefully enough and have misinterpreted them, deliberately or otherwise), I find that last sentence to be interestingly and cleverly constructed. Why is the word authentic in inverted commas, and the phrase '...sold to collectors as...' appears to have been carefully crafted. Look at it again: in spite of the words used, that sentence is anything but a ringing endorsement of these models! The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that Harold knew something else which he either couldn't or wouldn't say. What Harold was actually thinking when he wrote it?

[SMS88]

Writing as someone who makes great efforts to ensure that what I write is what I mean (and I have had numerous arguments over the year with people who have not read my words carefully enough and have misinterpreted them, deliberately or otherwise), I find that last sentence to be interestingly and cleverly constructed. Why is the word authentic in inverted commas, and the phrase '...sold to collectors as...' appears to have been carefully crafted. Look at it again: in spite of the words used, that sentence is anything but a ringing endorsement of these models! The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that Harold knew something else which he either couldn't or wouldn't say. What Harold was actually thinking when he wrote it?

My guess is resentment at not being offered one and humiliation having to admit to his readers that he got it wrong 1st time,which he had to do when so many knew Bob Brennan and his take on them - not a toy worth trashing his reputation over and clearly showing Harold was an honourable but not stubborn man

[Idris]

My guess is resentment at not being offered one and humiliation having to admit to his readers that he got it wrong 1st time...

Possibly.
Since Dick (Kwakers) seems to have had more contact with Harold than anyone else on the Forum, I would be extremely interested to read what he has to say about the way this particular sentence was constructed all those years ago.

[kwakers]

I have to admit now Idris that Mick's take is identical to mine on both the wording and the emotions felt by Harold after having made such strong accusations against what he believed was the 'Fake' 13D 1970 reverse paint Wreckers coming out of New York City. Bob Brennen formed his NAMC Club in 1970-71 with the address of P.O. Drawer 'E', Westborough, Mass. Harold Colpitts formed his first Club 'Matchbox' Collectors & Exchange Club in May of 1970, with the name being changed to 'American International Matchbox Collectors & Exchange Club in October of 1970. Harold's address was 522 Chestnut Street, Lynn, Mass., not too far at all from Bob Brennen.
Harold and Bob were not friends, but competitors in both their individual Matchbox Clubs and their desire to bypass Fred Bronner to receive direct shipments of Lesneys from England.
The wording you are reading and quoting is in fact Harold having to 'Eat Crow' and actually authenticate and document these factory produced Lesney 2nd generation reverse Wreckers Idris. If Harold's factory contacts did not change his mind to admit these models were factory produced, the fire of his words about them as 'Fakes' would have heated any room in your house. Harold was humbled with guilt about having been initially so wrong on the Wreckers his older friends proudly displayed in their collections by this time.
If Harold and Bob were friends, Harold's words may have been more happy and to our liking about these Wreckers Idris, but sour grapes will never turn sweet again. kwakers