Dealer Display Help

[yellowfoden]

Congratulations Bob, This is a wonderful display case and the first I can recall seeing in a personal collection. Nicely set up with models also and condition does not always matter as many worn or played with models have greater significance in many a collection.

Bob, you could always buy your wife some models , I am sure you would know the exact ones she would like. My wife has some stunning major pack models in her collection that differ from mine .

Thank you for bringing this story and result to the forum, we will thoroughly enjoy looking at this often.

Bert

[Bob/Ohio]

Thanks guys,( Gary, Bert), this was a fun project for me to do. Brings back many memories when I see the Display full of models. I still remember getting excited as a child looking over all the models in the store, and trying to pick out just one!

Bob

[johnboy]

Very nice Bob, that was quick work, it's really come alive now and looks superb. Isn't it a shame that kids these days miss out on such simple pleasures. (btw, how's the negotiation with the wife going?)

[Bob/Ohio]

John,
I think my wife has donated all she is going to, for this project. The only thing I got out of her was some help in sorting through models to put in the Display. Now she keeps reminding of how she found this, and how she bought it for me. I guess she is right, so I won't push my luck!

Bob

[johnboy]

Fair enough Bob, quit while you're ahead

[yellowfoden]

It is interesting that a metal construction was chosen and the colour not the usual yellow or white. Is it steel or aluminium please? Manufacture cost and freight would have also been higher you would think. One advantage though would be the instant set up as apposed to many of the cardboard ones requiring assembly by shop keeper.
Bob, I went back through my folders and files of displays as was confident of having a colour pic but the best I could find was a 1966-1967 Canadian catalogue of a similar display. This too is described as metal and wood construction with glass top. Similar in format with angled steps to allow for larger scale models. I have tried to scan this to show some detail as it has always had me curious as to the white dot on many of the models.
A close look at the model arrangement will reveal a few missing or swapped about.

I remember the childhood days of displays in our nearest area was a news agent in a small town and when we went shopping as a family my younger brother and I would make a bee line for this newsagent. They had the unboxed in a glass display on the counter and rows and rows of pigeon-hole shelves behind the counter. If you wanted one out of the display you did not always get the right box. Our father would have his list of the ones he selected from the shelves to match train set scale. The trick was to get something different from what he selected.

Bert

[Bob/Ohio]

Bert,
The Display is made of steel,not aluminum. The glass doors weigh more than the metal frame does. The only place I found pictures and a description were in the 1964/1965 Dealer Catalogs, which show it as M-26. It seems the picture that Ghosty posted was from the same catalog also. I also found a description and an old value of it listed in Charlie Macks book. I would think the cardboard Displays would be much easier to pack and ship, as they would probably be flat, and very light. The one I have would be heavy, and probably be in a large box, not easy to ship or store. I would guess that is why it was only shown for 2 years,although it would be a much longer lasting display.

Bob