A holy grail for sale......

[johnboy]

Poor photo this one, but it may help.

[johnboy]

I know there's a lot of variables when comparing photos, but in Stannard's the 11a is a lot darker, the 12a, 17a and 21a are closer but not completly right to my eyes.

[matchboxuk]

I don't have my Stannard to hand (I'm at work ), but how do the colours compare?

Philip used the same model for Stannard and the First Forty Years book. Between us we provided all of the models.

He has the only green 20a that I know off unless Hardy has one.

As far as I am concerned, the green one at Vectis is markedly darker than the model Philip has.

Ray Bush once did an article highlighting the spare wheel between cab and body which I think just happened to get lodged there in the fettling process. I can't remember if he mentioned the green version.

Like you, I am still a little skeptical of the Vectis model. I seem to remember Odell telling me that in the early days all models were outsourced to be painted, pending the design of Lesney spraying machines. He decided on a colour and so no pre-pros existed. The yellow 15a came about through a change of mind or a better paint colour submitted by the manufacturer.

Hope this helps.

Nigel

[Idris]

[He decided on a colour and so no pre-pros existed.

How about the 3a in green?

[kay]

So as long as the source of this Vectis model remains unknown, there is doubt about the authenticity - but nevertheless it is a first casting witout brace between cab and tipper. Joe pointed out that he once had a gold trimmed version without the brace in his collection - but from what I remember, none has ever shown up here, so it must be a very rare version!
It's hard to believe that such a rare casting would have been taken to fake the green Vectis model ....

Kay

[Idris]

...but nevertheless it is a first casting without brace between cab and tipper.

Easily removed (especially if stripping and repainting the model).

[motorman]

...but nevertheless it is a first casting without brace between cab and tipper.

Easily removed (especially if stripping and repainting the model).

It seems remarkable that Vectis would risk damaging its reputation by putting such a rare model as its star lot if this turns out to be a fake. Does anyone know who the vendor is in order that we can try to obtain some antecedent information directly from them?

[motorman]

How receptive would Vectis be if our concerns were highlighted to them?
I very much doubt they would pull the lot from the sale.

[nickjones]

The ERF is part of a large private owner collection being sold by Vectis, It includes a least 3 curved canopy road rollers, an 11a tanker with side decals, a yellow 15a prime mover, a two tone blue 27a bedford low loader, a tan interior 39a zodac, an apple green 43a minx, 45a victor without dash brace, 59a singer gpw dark green, two pink 74a refreshment canteens, two moko builders cranes, four large scale cement mixers, a large scale bulldozer plus 200-250 (approx) reg wheel commons and not so rares and all are mint and boxed, I would think as it is coming from such a nice collection it is more than likely genuine.

[Idris]

I would think as it is coming from such a nice collection it is more than likely genuine.

...and yet the colour appears to be incorrect. You would expect that for an item like this that Vectis would take the trouble of ensuring that the colour balance of their photograph was absolutely spot on.
Perhaps we should ask Vectis for close-ups of both crimps?