Unusual 19c

[DrJeep]

How about this?

Perfect. And I should have said earlier - that's a really interesting find. How would that have happened? I suppose it's the car when the 19 decals ran out - there can't be many of those.

[Idris]

How about this?

Perfect. And I should have said earlier - that's a really interesting find. How would that have happened? I suppose it's the car when the 19 decals ran out - there can't be many of those.

I cheated. (I sent the photographs back to junior stepchild, who then rotated them on the device that took the original photographs, and he then sent them back to me.) Here's the other one:

19c-11.jpg (29.96 KiB) Viewed 617 times

As regards how it could happen, Dick told us that the first 19c models to hit the shops in the US had 52 decals. Furthermore, Graham had a 19c in one of his recent sales which was described as a pre-production because it has the bonnet decal. Interestingly, all three decals on that model read 52, supporting Dick's claim.
I therefore assume that this particular example had the decals applied as the new 19 decals were becoming available and, presumably through carelessness, with someone not keeping the sheets of 19 and 52 decals separate, ended up with mixed numbers. However, there is also the tale amongst collectors that some error pieces were made deliberately in order to relieve the tedium. This could be the result of one such capricious act.
The other possibility is that, given the difference in wear between the two decals, it is a fake. However, it only cost me a couple of quid. Would someone go to all that effort for so little profit?

[DrJeep]

I like the idea that it was deliberately subversive. Even as a small child, I think I’d have been pleased to find something like this!