Unmarked Tourer (update: MAFWO)

[Idris]

There was an interesting unmarked tourer for sale on Ebay recently (pictures below). can anyone identify the manufacturer, the approximate date and, equally interesting, the car it is supposed to be a model of? (It's a shame there's no photograph of the grille.)

[yellowfoden]

Hello Hugh,
According to the info at the end of the auction description it indicates it is made by Mafwo.
If you take a look at Vectis previous auction Wednesday 10th December 2008 2:00pm Diecast General at lot number 3506 , there is one light green and a red one within this group photo. The grilles are in view on these.
Bert

[Idris]

According to the info at the end of the auction description it indicates it is made by Mafwo.

So it does! (In my defence, I see that it is an update to the listing.)
So, having established that, what do we know about Mafwo?

[johnboy]

By coincidence, that's the second one I've seen very recently. It looks a bit generic in design, perhaps based on an Alvis?

[Idris]

Found this. Apparently it's a 1948 Alvis. (Good call there, Johnboy!)

[GHOSTHUNTER]

MAFWO is one of those most elusive companies as they remain virtually unkown to this Day. There is no evidence they made much of a product line and the Two models mentioned in that excellent website linked by Hugh are the only Two model cars that turn up in auctions. One surprising fact is that both models were available in the basic colours of Green, Blue and Yellow etc.

Hugh has shown the open Tourer in medium Green, I have pictures showing it in pale Green, and medium Blue.

The other model is close to a Grand Prix car...

MAFWO Grand Prix car.JPG (23.82 KiB) Viewed 1993 times

...with the dark Green above, plus medium Blue, Yellow, Red, dark Brown and Salmon.

There was an example of the Tourer auctioned by Vectis in medium Blue with Cream wings but with Black wheels on new looking Silver crimped axles and a Silver painted grille. This is either a fully restored model or a modern re-issue.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[johnboy]

This is a nice group shot from Vectis of the race cars:

http://www.vectis.co.uk/Page/ViewLot.as ... on=0&all=1

[johnboy]

Unchecked at the moment but MAFWO could possibly be Mears & Freeman

[GHOSTHUNTER]

My understanding of MAFWO is...

Ma.... Foundry Works Products.

Just don't know what the 'MA' is for, could be a Town or the name of the founder.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[johnboy]

Could Robert Newson shed some more light Ghosty?