Incoming today

[Ecclesley]

Received a #39 plum Shadow II in a far better condition than the one I already have.
And a gmw #44A with painted grille/indicators and rear lights.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Two nice clean examples you have there Gerrit.

The Plum coloured Silver Shadow II can be found in a few variations like dark and light Plum body colour, bare metal, Silver-Grey and Black baseplates. Clear or Amber glazing, White or off-White seats and normal or flat 'PAT No.' on the baseplate.

Here are my 'Plum' examples.

DSC06618.JPG (97.44 KiB) Viewed 742 times

The model in the Yellow window box is the Japan market issue and it has a satin 'Plum' paint finish and is numbered MB 14 (inside the box end flap it also has MB 39!).

The model in the foreground is a factory oops with over-sized wheels that fit so tight in the wheel-arches, they do not revolve unless forced and is the actual example shown on Christian Falkensteiner's website.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[Ecclesley]

Thanks a lot Kevin for your reaction. Good information always welcome.
You are the "plum" Encyclopædia Britannica of modelcars.

[ritchie]

Two nice clean examples you have there Gerrit.

The Plum coloured Silver Shadow II can be found in a few variations like dark and light Plum body colour, bare metal, Silver-Grey and Black baseplates. Clear or Amber glazing, White or off-White seats and normal or flat 'PAT No.' on the baseplate.

Here are my 'Plum' examples.

DSC06618.JPG

The model in the Yellow window box is the Japan market issue and it has a satin 'Plum' paint finish and is numbered MB 14 (inside the box end flap it also has MB 39!).

The model in the foreground is a factory oops with over-sized wheels that fit so tight in the wheel-arches, they do not revolve unless forced and is the actual example shown on Christian Falkensteiner's website.

GHOSTHUNTER.

Worth to mention that there are 2 different blue window boxes used for the Plum SS II. One is (c) 1981 Lesney Products PLC and one is (c) 1983 Matchbox International Limited. I think you have got both versions Ghosty by looking at yours pictures. The position of MB39 RR at the bottom right corner has little difference for the 2 versions that the 1983 version is a little bit lower than the 1981 and is harder to find.

R

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Thank's Ritchie, in fact both boxes in my picture are...'1981 LESNEY PRODUCTS PLC', but the darker blue box has a barcode on the bottom, shown below.

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It is just possible to see the Two shades on the boxes, on my laptop screen, not sure about your screen.

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So from your observations Ritchie, I need to look for another Blue window box which I believe takes the count to Three if I already have Two different designs.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[ritchie]

I didn't aware there are "with barcode" / "without barcode" difference on the blue window box. Fortunately I found both versions from my storage. The right most one is the (c) 1983 box. The left one with barcode is also darker blue.

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The (c) 1983 box was for the French market I think. Because the bottom of box stated "importer Matchbox S.A. Domont, France.

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I go a bit further on the non-Plum, and non-UK made Matchbox RR SS II with blue window box designs different from the above.

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And also 2 versions of the Japanese yellow box. The difference, besides the model itself, is the country made stated at bottom of box.

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DSC_1533s.jpg (77.27 KiB) Viewed 703 times

Cheers,
Ritchie

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Thank's Ritchie for the extra pictures. I did not check which Japan box my example is, but it means I have to look for the other version so I can have both boxes.

This collecting of models is quite good fun when you really get into it...

Ghosty.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

I have found these Two in storage...

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DSC06626.JPG (92.77 KiB) Viewed 661 times

The left box has '1981 MATCHBOX INTL' and a barcode on the bottom, the right box has '1983 MATCHBOX INTERNATIONAL LIMITED' (NO contraction), and it has a barcode on the bottom.

The left model is dark Red with White seats and metallic light Grey baseplate with the normal PAT No. and this version was issued in 1985 only, the same model can be found in a '100 Years of Motoring' 'Gold' box dated...'1984 MATCHBOX INTERNATIONAL LIMITED' (NO contraction) and the barcode.

Interesting note about the clear film on the left window box...it is not clear! it is Amber and I hope it shows up in this colour on your screens.

The right model is another 'Plum' version with White seats and Silver-Grey baseplate, it also has the flat PAT No. (I will have to explain this at some point!).

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DSC06628.JPG (87.04 KiB) Viewed 661 times

You will note at some point this has been opened, but I am pretty sure the model has always been with this box.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[ritchie]

Congratulations! So you actually do have the 3 designs of blue window boxes used by the plum Silver Shadow II. Your japan yellow box should printed Made in England at the bottom since it contains the plum model. The country printed on box should normally matches the model inside. The other box with Made in Macau printed at bottom should contained the dark red (made in macau) model, same one also released using the 100 years of motoring Gold box.

These are just the blue window boxes. There are more headaches with other packagings, blisters especially, more fun though. May be i should start a new thread for it?

Cheers,
Ritchie