New variation SF19 F1 Lotus

[racer X]

Curious, it seems as they failed with the color and they painted it again.

[Idris]

Now, this is really interesting.
Another 19c Yum Yum has surfaced. It's just been auctioned on Ebay. In near mint condition, the hammer price was £446, but what is really interesting is that it was auctioned from Denmark.

Now, I reckon this is the ninth example known: four appeared at an SAS auction (so let's ignore them for the moment, simply assuming that they were set aside by person or persons unknown). That leaves five. Of those, one belongs to Mick (SMS88), resident in Denmark. My two playworn examples were purchased in Denmark, and this latest example appears to have originated in Denmark. The final example (also owned by a VBD Member) was sourced in Austria IIRC.
So, we have five models with a known source. Of those five, four have come from Denmark and one from the Continent. I therefore suggest that we can conclude that potentially all the examples of this abortive promotional were boxed up and shipped to Denmark to be sold there through normal retail outlets. This means that Mick's reported "fact" (regurgitated on Facebook) about it being a promotional handed out at a London paint conference is yet another of his fantasies. (No surprises there!)
Having said all that, what I find puzzling is the shear number of models now known. If we ignore the four SAS models (they are not survivors since someone set them aside), that leaves five. Assuming a 10 -15% survival rate, that suggests a batch size of up to 50. That needs to be inflated for the examples yet to be discovered, it being a comparatively recently recognised variation, so let's say we're looking at, perhaps, 100 models. Not an unreasonable figure were it not for the fact that the Yum Yums appear to have been hand-sprayed.
Why would Lesney spend so much time and effort on so many models? it must have been a lucrative contract (before it went belly up!).

[GHOSTHUNTER]

I agree, 100 examples sounds perfectly reasonable but we must wonder how many were planned?

Ghosthunter.

[Tinman]

My head hurts after reviewing the whole thread. Gone but, unfortunately, not forgotten is the best thing I can say about the threads author. Please feel free to delete my comment if anyone is offended.

[Idris]

One more point, and that is that this latest example is also in a new model box, placing production firmly in 1970. (Mind you, I see from Nick's guide that the SF version was only around for a year, so did all of this model's boxes carry the word 'new'?)

[GHOSTHUNTER]

''so did all of this model's boxes carry the word 'new'?''

I think they do. I looked at the various examples for sale on ebay and they all seemed to be of the 'NEW' type box design.

I also found this...https://www.flickriver.com/photos/57141 ... 400044814/

Ghosthunter.

[Idris]

I also found this...https://www.flickriver.com/photos/57141 ... 400044814/

That's a good example of how fake information is spread via the Internet.

[motorman]

One more point, and that is that this latest example is also in a new model box, placing production firmly in 1970. (Mind you, I see from Nick's guide that the SF version was only around for a year, so did all of this model's boxes carry the word 'new'?)

Hugh all he type G boxes for the #19 had the ‘new’ text thereon for the short production life of the model.

[motorman]

Now, this is really interesting.
Another 19c Yum Yum has surfaced. It's just been auctioned on Ebay. In near mint condition, the hammer price was £446, but what is really interesting is that it was auctioned from Denmark.

19c Yum Yum.jpg

Now, I reckon this is the ninth example known: four appeared at an SAS auction (so let's ignore them for the moment, simply assuming that they were set aside by person or persons unknown). That leaves five. Of those, one belongs to Mick (SMS88), resident in Denmark. My two playworn examples were purchased in Denmark, and this latest example appears to have originated in Denmark. The final example (also owned by a VBD Member) was sourced in Austria IIRC.
So, we have five models with a known source. Of those five, four have come from Denmark and one from the Continent. I therefore suggest that we can conclude that potentially all the examples of this abortive promotional were boxed up and shipped to Denmark to be sold there through normal retail outlets. This means that Mick's reported "fact" (regurgitated on Facebook) about it being a promotional handed out at a London paint conference is yet another of his fantasies. (No surprises there!)
Having said all that, what I find puzzling is the shear number of models now known. If we ignore the four SAS models (they are not survivors since someone set them aside), that leaves five. Assuming a 10 -15% survival rate, that suggests a batch size of up to 50. That needs to be inflated for the examples yet to be discovered, it being a comparatively recently recognised variation, so let's say we're looking at, perhaps, 100 models. Not an unreasonable figure were it not for the fact that the Yum Yums appear to have been hand-sprayed.
Why would Lesney spend so much time and effort on so many models? it must have been a lucrative contract (before it went belly up!).

I agree with the assumption that these were shipped to Denmark, there seems to be quite a few turning up in that neck of the woods, very similar to the gold #29 racing mini promo that keeps surfacing in Sweden were allegedly the aborted promo was supposed to have taken place.
By the way I was the underbidder for this latest offering, it was such a clean example I went all out for it but despite bidding very strong someone else won it.

[Idris]

By the way I was the underbidder for this latest offering, it was such a clean example I went all out for it but despite bidding very strong someone else won it.

Sorry to hear that you missed out, Alex.
I would like to think that the strong interest in this auction is an indication that, although we may not have that many active Members, what gets written on the Forum is taken to heart by the wider collecting community. Hopefully the new owner will reveal himself on here in due course.