chrome plated hillman minx

[GHOSTHUNTER]

The 'Giftware' range was introduced during 1962.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[Moyboy]

I believe these early ones were done by Wade themselves as besides the bus there are 5 1st series YYs painted and attached by single screw only - Y2, 3, 12, 13 and 14. I have a Wade catalog somewhere that I will have to dig out that lists these models along with some other intriguing stuff. Their plated bus description has the label 'Cliftonville' on it not souvenier and also describes an 'American Loco' in maroon and silver ( Y13 ??) and steam engine in black (Y14 ??) - I have searched for these last 2 for years but never found either.
Several Hillmans plated have been seen before and the same goes for the London taxi plus I have also had a red MB17 plated over the top of the red paint which I doubted was original. I do also have the plated MB 17 in silver and gold and there is no paint underneath these.
I will check for the Wade catalog and post scans here soon.

[johnboy]

Slight change of direction here, but Wade also independently produced a couple of "Souvenir from London" pin dishes. One was mounted with a very small Tower of London and I think the other was St Pauls. I sold one some time back.

[jeff f]

hi, thanks for all the information on this model, well i bought the small collection last nite ,so the Hillman is now mine, what i will do is pop over later in week to see Dave the case man and he will put some pictures up on the site of it, i dont have much interest in the model myself, and will prob put it on the bay, but i like members to see it first as its made some interest on here, as i saided be near the weekend before i can get over to Daves place ,thanks for all your help, cheers, jeff

[matchboxkiwi]

Thanks for that information Mick. That would make more sense as far as the bus on the dish goes.
I wonder then if the other first series 1-75's and painted yesteryears on the wade dishes were done as trials for Lesney or if wade did them themselves and some staff member at Lesney's saw them, mentioned them to management who though it looked a good idea but wanted to plate the models to lift their appearance so they didn't just look like toys on a dish.
That would fit in with Ghosty's start date of 1962,as these would have been done around 1961 so the old bus would have still been easy to get and the newer style bus would have just been released so not quite as plentiful yet.

Cheers, Steve
Matchboxkiwi

[GHOSTHUNTER]

The plating process was developed during 1961, so far 'Plated' versions of the 'Yesteryear' Bugatti have been discovered, but was not finally used on the catalogued 'Giftware' range. Sadly I no longer have access to the bulk of my 'Yesteryear' information, but I remember the Rolls-Royce, Bentley and the Renault were included in the first models (Six I think), to be plated and mounted on trinket boxes etc.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[ford_a_30]

Re: Wade trays.
I am under the impression that Moko were the distributors for Wade as well as Lesney and they (Moko) facilitated the original concept to join them together. Later trays were not made by Wade, and that would make sense after the split from Moko.
The bus is the only regular wheel I am aware of, although there could have been plans to use others.

[MOKOSEX]

I really need to come here more often ,lol,the description of the hillman being plated threw me a bit until it mentioned that the paint was still there,this reminded me of the ashtrays also but there were "plated buses" that still had their paint underneath and they weren,t screwed down they were glued via the wheels,the bases were marked up rk kohostrom or something like that ,who was "mokos " son.I am not saying the hillmans real just saying the processes were there and being used.
dave