first of 2014 & some

[fixer]

let's get together and see what we can do

[GHOSTHUNTER]

When Reg has some decent swoops they'll end up in his cabinate no doubt

You both could go to a Wife Swooping party...

Ghosty.

[fixer]

Won these little gems and then found out it was from another member, thank you Sir I just wish I had one the first one on the Mini Mite blister as well
Beautifully packaged too , any visitor's reading this, this is how you send items through the post NOT IN A JIFFY BAG

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Fantastic Reg, what great additions to your 'LONE-STAR' collection.

These are rarely seen in the UK.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[motorman]

Well done Reg always good to see your collection growing mate.

I agree with you that it is reassuring to see that some sellers take great care to ensure that items reach their customers in tip top condition, so thumbs up to the seller for being so considerate!!!

[fixer]

thanks Kev & Al i'm so pleased to win them especially as the other bidders had very deep pockets the first i have had a chance of getting , there were others but i wanted the 3 Imperials on 3 different cards , missed the first one but got these

[johnboy]

They're beauties Reg, was Pee Wee the importer?

[fixer]

yes JB as was mini-car & mini-mite
i'm sure Kev can enlighten us more

[johnboy]

yes JB as was mini-car & mini-mite
i'm sure Kev can enlighten us more

Thanks Reg (come on Ghosty, where are you?)

[GHOSTHUNTER]

OK Guys, here is a little bit for you.

Durham Industries based in New York, were a large American based toy distributor started during the 1960's. They actually worked with some of the more well established toy companies for supplies of toys for their own product line, they had a working partnership with 'BUDDY L'.

'DI' logo..JPG (13.99 KiB) Viewed 542 times

They did do some design and manufacturing, but had to copy other toys already being marketed like the mid 1970's plastic locomotive set below, being copied from a Louis Marx train set.

Durham Industries 'Rail Power'.JPG (70.85 KiB) Viewed 542 times

They also worked with...The American Greetings Corporation to market a range of miniature furniture pieces for Doll's Houses as shown below.

Doll's House furniture.jpg (42.46 KiB) Viewed 542 times

They introduced a Speed Track set with stunt Motorcycles.

Speed track set.jpg (59.11 KiB) Viewed 542 times

Made in Hong Kong of course!

Something they did invest in was a copy of the 'Hot Wheels' cars. They were around 43rd scale, had wheels on fine steel axles which were a direct copy of the 'Red Line' design used by Mattel and marketed as 'Free Wheelers'.

Durham Industries 43rd scale 'Free Wheeler'.jpg (32.25 KiB) Viewed 542 times

I only know of Three cars in the range, the MGB above (said to be based on the Corgi model, but I have not personally checked this), a VW Beetle and a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III (like the Dinky Toys model #127).

The 'LONE-STAR' models must have been one of their most successful product lines and they did well to secure the distribution of these in some American markets. So they were importing them and having them re-packaged in Durham Industries blisters and boxes as 'Pee Wee motors' into the US.

Durham Industries got into trouble during 1979, with the Japanese 'TOMY' company over copyright infringement of Disney caracture toys, not sure if this was the start of the demise of the company, but not much activity seems to exist after the mid 1980's.

GHOSTHUNTER.