matchbox_n_molars wrote:Nice find indeed with those gray plastic wheels. And typically, like this one, the side tanks usually do NOT have any trim paint on these gray wheeled examples.
Yes, second that. As these with gpw have silver SPRAYED trimming, it´s very unlikely to find a factory applied trim on the tanks.
On the contrary my friends..... Both Mike Stannard and Nick list all but the very last variation of this 20A as all having hand applied trim on them. It doesn't matter whether painted in maroon or red, this model is more likely to have hand painted trim than not, so I like it as it is shown to us. Many early trim painted Lesneys in the 1958-59 period (when metal wheels were ending and the Gray plastic wheels were first being introduced), are commonly found with this gold/silvery trim mixed as on this model with it's normally painted tanks. Please check all of your 5Bs, 9Bs and 19Bs as other prime examples of varying gold/silvery trims right out of the Lesney factories. These Gray plastic wheeled 20As are so hard to find in any condition that I have only ever owned 2 (One repainted), and only one of them from an OLD collection was as minty as this example shown. I believe this model OZBOXROX has shown us to be quite original as-is, and quite a mint rarity at that.....kwakers
The one problem Numi is that we are talking about painted trim that was done on our very early Lesneys 55+ years ago now. I like the idea of the silver and the gold paint detailing pots being mixed in at busy times at the factory as we are discussing here in this Post. That is a possibility "New" to me that I had never thought about before now. I also clearly understand what you have stated as environmental issues that may be responsible for discoloring certain color trim on some of our models over many years Numi. We are left only with the few mixed trim models like this one that Forum members have shown us over the last 7 years to wonder and speculate about now.
My comment on our first hand experience with Lesneys would be that we did find early (1957-58) "Models of Yesteryear" with this silvery/gold mix painted trim in our stores, but virtually no odd trim regular wheeled models from the 1950s. Mint Boxed First Series Yesteryears were available many years after they were discontinued, while first & 2nd series regular wheel models from 1958 were all gone by 1964 except in expensive Gift Sets. I like the mixed pot theory because lots of early Lesney YY models came with either gold OR silver trim on the same model. Any of them could have come off the production line with either color trim during any given day. These were mass produced Toys, not works of art, so hand painted trim varied with the skill and mood of the painter or his boss on that production line. Just Ideas to consider Numi, maybe not totally new, but food for thought anyway.......kwakers
..."so hand painted trim varied with the skill and mood of the painter or his boss on that production line."
Male workers were usually in charge of flow lines, not actually working on them, this was done by Women. There may have been some stand-in periods when a worker was taken ill and the 'Charge Hand' or sometimes the 'Foreman' would take over that operators work station to finish a run of models.
I don't believe so, but I have never seen any accounts of when that "Home Detailing" practice ceased at Lesney. I own a 1A and a 9A out of trays that were purported to have never made it back to the Lesney factory for their wheels, and I seem to remember a 14A as the only other similarly advertised model the Seller had. Everything including the "Home Painted" trim is accurate on my two, and the base areas show no signs of ever having had axles installed in the models. They COULD be well done re-paints with period trim, without paint analysis who can say for sure they were stolen 60 years ago. It seems by 1958-59 when Lesney introduced at least 20 new castings, the factory was in full swing with a full line of workers to cast, paint, detail, assemble, and then deliver thousands of our favorite little Toys to stores all over the globe. I had considered the idea of the very early home painting of trim also Johnboy, so my observations and theories are now based on two days of my having carefully thought this through. No real facts here, but maybe Nick and others have interviewed actual early factory workers from that period? kwakers
The best details I've ever heard were that outsourcing the trim painting ended pretty early, about the mid 50's. Same thing with outsourcing the painting of the entire model.
kwakers wrote:. I own a 1A and a 9A out of trays that were purported to have never made it back to the Lesney factory for their wheels, and I seem to remember a 14A as the only other similarly advertised model the Seller had. Everything including the "Home Painted" trim is accurate on my two, and the base areas show no signs of ever having had axles installed in the models. They COULD be well done re-paints with period trim, without paint analysis who can say for sure they were stolen 60 years ago. It seems by 1958-59 when Lesney introduced at least 20 new castings, the factory was in full swing with a full line of workers to cast, paint, detail, assemble, and then deliver thousands of our favorite little Toys to stores all over the globe. I had considered the idea of the very early home painting of trim also Johnboy, so my observations and theories are now based on two days of my having carefully thought this through. No real facts here, but maybe Nick and others have interviewed actual early factory workers from that period? kwakers
I have these (sounds like the same seller) - inspected carefully and match other models in colour and trim.
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"What one loves in childhood stays in the heart forever." ---Mary Jo Putney
