7a with silver milk crates

[Tinman]

We had a discussion back on Lefora about this variation. The 7a with GPW and mask sprayed silver trim. Many thought the driver was part of the mask spray application and I argued that the drivers were hand painted and only the crates were mask sprayed. Here's some proof that the driver was not mask sprayed and that paint was hand applied to the driver. Obviously, not all the workers got the memo that the driver was to be detailed in silver too.

[SMS88]

Hat looks the same colour as horses tail which may or may not have been detailed after installation between the shafts. A super neat example done with so much extra care one could suspect it was a display sample made for Bronner.............

[Idris]

...one could suspect it was a display sample made for Bronner.............

Pure speculation

[SMS88]

...one could suspect it was a display sample made for Bronner.............

Pure speculation

Yes of course, but to be precise you mean I intended ´´pure charitable speculation giving the benefit of doubt to the toy´´
2 other interpretations of this cream hat would be that the spray mask was so clogged that no silver paint landed on the driver and the hat was later painted on by a hobbyist or that the messy silver on the driver was removed with solvent before toy´s owner painted hat white.
Short of professional paint analysis, there is no way to prove that any hand applied trim on Lesney models is factory original rather than added at home some time after the toy was sold in a store - when hand applied trim has been observed to be inconsistent with previously recorded models nothing short of professional paint testing can remove the taint of being a home made custom or fake.
We have seen years of obsessive speculation from idris relating to hand applied silver or gold trim on all sorts of models never recorded as such in the 1960s and 1970s but anyone choosing to support such a jolly convenient way to create a demand with price premium for other wise low value common models invites more fakery not less....

[Idris]

We have seen years of obsessive speculation from idris relating to hand applied silver or gold trim on all sorts of models never recorded as such in the 1960s and 1970s...

We have seen years of obsessive rejection by SMS88 relating to hand applied silver or gold trim on all sorts of models never recorded as such in the 1960s and 1970s but which have subsequently come to light and which have been shown to be genuine (e.g. 6a, 19c, 45a, 57a, 58a, and 68a). Have a look at this thread.
We have also seen years of even more obsessive and completely baseless speculation by SMS88 related to all sorts of models posted on the Forum. Have a look at tthis thread, but don't overlook the fifth post on page 9.

[SMS88]

Yes indeedy idris I have consistently rejected all speculative attempts to remove the taint of being a home made custom or fakes relating to hand applied silver or gold trim on all sorts of models never recorded as such in the 1960s and 1970s because no significant evidence that would stand any sort of scientific scrutiny has been presented here, merely Mackian style deductions to justify claims of discovering new previously unlisted variations that encourage ebayers to satisfy the demand created by idris et al to earn a price premium for ´´detailed´´ other wise low value common hard to sell models....

[Idris]

...to earn a price premium for ´´detailed´´ other wise low value common hard to sell models....

...which are then sold at no premium at all (thereby completely negating the logic of your argument)!

[SMS88]

...to earn a price premium for ´´detailed´´ other wise low value common hard to sell models....

...which are then sold at no premium at all (thereby completely negating the logic of your argument)!

Ebayers are always selling with non specific descriptions in the HOPE of earning a premium from eagle eyed self rated expert collectors -with PAYPAL´s refund policy there are no guarantees of any profit these days but regardless its still an excellent way to get ´´book´´ for a common model otherwise worth less than the cost of tracked International shipping !

[Tinman]

... well, there goes my hope for a serious discussion.

[Idris]

... well, there goes my hope for a serious discussion.

On the contrary. Now that I'm home, I've just had a look at my silver-trimmed example (incidentally without a white hat on the driver) and I would agree with you. The top of the crates are painted very precisely whereas the same cannot be said of the driver. Furthermore, my example has a small amount of silver on the back of the seat - very definitely from an errant brush stroke. So yes, I think you are correct, this variation was both hand and mask trimmed.