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I realise this is a diecast forum but I have seen the odd comment over the years that makes me think some members have at least a slight interest in hollowcast lead toys, particularly motor vehicles. Do any of you know of a good book to help with identification? My collecting focus has shifted yet further back in time and I'm starting to pick up some items I can't find anywhere online. I do have the Norman Joplin 'Great Book of Hollowcast Figures' but this deliberately excludes the vehicles. I am very reluctant to fork out £50+ for his newer book (Hollow Cast Civilian Toy Figures) if that too has no vehicles.

I'm afraid I can't help Ewan, although I like slush and hollow cast vehicles. I've seen one or two US books in the past and I think the price scared me off at the time, but it sounds like Robert Newson territory particularly for British makes, maybe his website might help (I can't remember but isn't Ghosty in touch with Robert? perhaps he could make a recommendation). Hopefully other members may know of a title or have something on their bookshelves that they could suggest. Good luck, I'd be interested to know if you do locate something in the future.

Good idea Johnboy, I will ask Robert about that, but won't see him until after Christmas.

GHOSTHUNTER.

Many thanks gents Robert Newson's website is certainly very good as is Michel Sordet's. I'll keep you posted if I find anything, or take the plunge and buy the newer Norman Joplin book.

I did say I'd keep you updated so here's what I've found so far. Hopefully it's of use to anyone with even a passing interest in slush/hollowcast vehicles.

The first book I mentioned earlier is called 'The Great Book of Hollow-Cast Figures' by Norman Joplin and was published in 1993 by New Cavendish. You should be able to get a copy for around £40 and it is regarded as the 'bible' for collectors of hollowcast figures. It is an excellent book, but unfortunately it deliberately leaves out motor vehicles on the grounds that they are well written about elsewhere. One useful aspect of this book is that it contains detailed manufacturers listings, gleaned from catalogues and this does contain the odd item which is not mentioned in my Ramsay's guide.

The newer book is called 'Hollow Cast Civilian Toy Figures' by Norman Joplin and Philip Dean, published in 2005 by Schiffer and would probably set you back around £60. The first book splits itself up by manufacturer whereas this one splits itself up by category of model which sounds better but to me personally makes it worse to read. There is no section on motor vehicles although examples to appear in sections on garage equipment, firemen, farming, etc. There are very nice pictures of some very nice models but very little you wouldn't see by searching through the 'previous auctions' section on the Vectis site. Not only that, but a book labelling itself as a 'Book for Collectors' contains no listings and very little text. Worse still, in the few sections of interest to me I found errors - a Charbens tractor was captioned as by Crescent and a petrol pump apparently produced by 'unknown' is clearly visible in a Crescent garage set a few pages later. I believe 'Book for Coffee Tables' would be a more honest description..... My second (and last) Schiffer book...........

That sort of leaves you with Ramsays and the internet with one exception. There is a Patrick Trench book called 'Model Cars and Road Vehicles' which you can get on an ebay 'Buy It Now' for around £2.50 to £3. It's not a conclusive guide, and nor does it claim to be, but it has excellent pictures and enough information to make it a good read. It's my favourite of the three.

Thanks for the info Ewan, I just picked up Patrick Trench's book for under £3 freepost, so I'll enjoy that when it arrives.

Ewen - I'm into hollow-cast toys too.. Do you have a particular brand you collect? are you into US toys , UK or world-wide?

I haven't really found any good reference books but Richard Obrien and his wife (?) Karen have compiled a number of guides but the one I have is a bit short on photos for identification. I recommend http://betterworldbooks.com as a source of books (often like new copies from library and surplus stock sources) where they list around 30 books by Obrien alone often at less than US$30 with all profits going to literacy programmes around the world. There are books on Tootsietoys of course and Barclay but haven't found anything on Kansas Toy and Novelty Co, Lincoln White Metal co, or Erie, etc.

BTW I get nothing for the referral but if they ask it was from their customer Toysnz @ toysnz.com

Ian

Hi Ian,
Collection is still at a very early stage and I'm trying to concentrate on Crescent, after that I'll probably move on to John Hill Co. There don't seem to have been too many UK manufacturers, Charbens and Taylor & Barrett being the other 2 main ones although a couple of the others made 1 or 2 items and I expect to find some unidentified stuff too.
Thanks for the link, I shall have a proper look at that when the house is quiet enough for me to concentrate!

Ewan wrote:Hi Ian,
Collection is still at a very early stage and I'm trying to concentrate on Crescent, after that I'll probably move on to John Hill Co. There don't seem to have been too many UK manufacturers, Charbens and Taylor & Barrett being the other 2 main ones although a couple of the others made 1 or 2 items and I expect to find some unidentified stuff too.
Thanks for the link, I shall have a proper look at that when the house is quiet enough for me to concentrate!

Ewan - I have several Charbens, T&B, Crescent and some Johillco items but most are what I consider to be diecast rather than hollow-cast or slush cast items - but since I'm slowly working through a 50 year collection of "toys" I've no idea what I'll find next.... I have a personal site called (oddly enough) toysnz.com [all pages are accessible to the public without registering as a user] where I am showing my collection and adding all the information I can on each item in the collection - there are around 600 pages so far, some cover manufacturer histories, some cover a single variation of a toy, some cover all the variations of a toy... I've changed my process since I started the site 6 years ago and I have no intention of going back and re-writing the old stuff So far I've got 3000 plus items in my database with only another 47000 to add - then I have to write the associated pages and photograph the toys! My wife says I need to clear out some of the collection (and I have been) but unfortunately I always seem to fins a little something to add to it wherever I go!

Ian

I can recommend Ian's website with no reservations, go visit and you will learn something.

GHOSTHUNTER.