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Greetings one and all on the 2nd day of Christmas!
Up until 2-3 months ago I had lived life for several years a happy man with just one single example of the 61a Ferret Scout Car on my collection shelves. And then about 2-3 months ago, our very own VBD "nearlymint"/Jason offered an example of the 61a for sale or trade. It was an example with black paint on both the top and bottom of the diecast base. Heck, it was a variation I never knew even existed so I accepted Jason's offer and my 61a collection doubled!
And then came Christmas Day 2016! As is the case every single year I came away from Christmas Day with much more love and fuss than I deserve. It was at the very end of the day when my wife, Lynn and I took a seat at the kitchen table with the last gift of Christmas from beneath the tree. We have friends we met a couple of decades ago through my Matchbox Toys pursuits. We exchange a Christmas parcel each year with these friends and, it was that box that found a place on our table at day's end.
Inside we found six small wrapped packages; two for Lynn and four for me (sometimes life isn't fair Lynnie). One of the packages was clearly marked "Open Last". I set that one aside. Inside the 2nd to the last package I opened was a handsome, nearly mint trio of 61a Ferret Scout Car models. Each was a different variation! I opened the "Open Last" pouch and there inside was a trio of collapsed boxes to house the three models. Immediately, then and there on Christmas night, I went for my trusty daily use Stannard Guide, the one I write in. I went upstairs and grabbed the two examples I already had and quickly determined that none of the three new models were duplicates! I had gone from one measly 61a Ferret Scout Car to FIVE of them in the matter of 2-3 months. Truth be told, I've become a veritable Ferret Scout Car tycoon!



It was in studying these five models that I've made some observations I want to share and I'll close with one vexing question at the end. Bottom line is that I need your help and learned guidance.
1. One of the examples that arrived on Christmas night is a very early example with crimped axle ends. I noticed that this model, relative to all of the other four, had a rather matt/flat body paint.


2. Two of the three boxes that were collapsed within the "Open Last" package have braille adhesive stickers attached inside an end flap. Somewhere out there we have/had a visually impaired member of our collecting community. I've never seen anything like this before! Anyone else? I often wonder with some of these toys, just how many custodians have cared for them since they rolled off the Lesney line. Never was that wondering stronger than it is with these models.


3. The variation guides list all of the wheels for the 61a model as having 12.5mm diameter. Three of my five examples have the earlier coarse 30 count treaded BPWs. Of those three models TWO of them have wheels with 12.0mm diameter. I mentioned this back when Jason's model arrived at my house but now that I've found a second example within my personal tycoon sample size I've gotta believe there are a bunch of models out there rolling on 12.0mm coarse 30 treaded BPWs.

4. And now for my question! My very first example of the 61a was a relatively early example with coarse 30 treaded BPWs, a Stannard Code 3. It came to me housed in a lovely crisp "D" type box.
One of the three models that I opened on Christmas night is a later casting (Stannard Code 8) rolling on the fine 40 treaded BPWs. That model is equipped with a "B" box. So in summary I have an early model paired with a later "D" box, and a latter casting paired with an early "B" style box. Part of me thinks I should conduct a simple box swap. Part of me thinks I should leave the two models with the boxes they were connected with when they arrived in my collection. So what do you think? These five models are sitting on top of the refrigerator and my wife is giving me dirty looks. I can't put them away until I can assign boxes to the models. HELP!!

Hi Greg,

Thanks for this brilliant post first and foremost - you've got a lovely selection of nice 61a models there, and great friends for thinking of you so kindly with these gifts.

The version with the black paint to the top of the baseplate is intriguing. I've never seen it myself on the 61a, but note that there are also examples of the 25b VW Beetle painted the same way, so that the engine is painted black - I have one like this in my collection. Do we think this was a deliberate experiment by Lesney to add aesthetic appeal or play value? or did these baseplates simply fall into the vat of black paint?

With your dilemma: I appreciate this, as it is one I have faced myself in the past. For me there never was a simple answer - I have models paired with completely the wrong box that I have had that way for many years, yet never felt tempted to try to match to the correct box. Then on the other hand, I have acquired empty boxes or boxes containing playworn models purely to match with a nice or special unboxed model already in my collection. In the end, I find myself able to live with either situation, as although like yourself, I am something of a purist with my collecting, at the end of the day, my collection is for me and no-one else - so whatever feels right sits well with me. So Greg, just go with whatever feels right!

Cheers,
Gavin

Box substitution has become so common with collectors and dealers alike that I have no problem placing the model into a different box based on the timelines for the boxes and models. The boxes would even get mixed up when sold brand new, especially if you requested a model straight out of the display. So my suggestion is to put the model in the box that makes most sense for the timeline. Odds are, the box and model have been pared together at random prior to you receiving them.

Very nice Christmas story Greg! If I were you I would fold up those new boxes after recording their style and condition, then put the Scout Cars on a prominent shelf so you can enjoy them while clutching your Stannards. I do that all the time and I finish the day with a Redds Apple Ale. LOL

What a great way to end Christmas Day Greg. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post and looking at the images.

Hi Greg,

I think only a collector knows why you look this happy on those models in your first picture.
My question is what letters the baseplates show.
There was a thread about this a while ago:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=948&p=4815&hilit=scout#p4815

Stephan

As Al says it was a thoroughly enjoyable read Greg and many thanks for posting it along with the illustrations, Happy New Year to you and may 2017 present many more Ferret variations for you to get your teeth into .

and a very nice ferret scout story at that
they have multiplied like ferrets!

below a decoding of the braille
zBret

Hello Greg,

What a great read and a nice little army of Ferrets you have. I love the boxes with the Braille on the end flaps, now that is very neat.

You are right in there being a 12.0 x 30 bpw on this model. It is the same profile as the one discussed on the 52a back in 2013 and again in 2015.
Of the bpw made I rate the detail of this type wheel along side that of the bpw’s on the first M9 as the best looking wheels.

The centre raised/wide section on the circumference to me makes it easy to distinguish between the 12.0mm x 30 and the thin section on the 12.5mm x 30.
I have this variation and also have one special model that has 12.5 x 30 on the front and 12.0 x 30 on the rear. That particular model came in the B4 box.

Having compared my models in a line up there is also a matt appearance and a gloss with respect to the paint.

Here are some images of the 12.0mm x 30 on the 52a and Antonin also noted this type wheel in this.thread here.

Attached is a base shot of my mixed profile wheels showing profile.

In the early days I generally left the model with the box it came to me in, it helps me remember who and where it came from. These days a simple photo when it arrives makes it easier. Like Gavin has mentioned mine aren’t going anywhere so it only matters to me what gets paired to what.

Bert

PS, just noticed Zbret has added the coding for the Braille.... brilliant and seasons greetings to you Zbret

You guys have been great with your advice and your insights. Sincere thanks all around.
I've decided to move the early casting to the early "B" box and the later casting will have the "D" box. They are cataloged, off of the top of the refrigerator and all stowed away on the collection shelf.

Stephan, you asked about what letters are cast on the base. Of the five models two are later examples with the raised ejector ring on the base and a letter cast. One of the has an "A" and the other has the "N" or "Z" depending on how you look at it.

zBret, I am so grateful that you took the time to decipher the braille code for me/us. I had assumed they were labels that identified the models but you have confirmed that and I really appreciate it.

And Bert, thank you for pointing me to the previous discussion of these variations and size differences on these black plastic wheels. I'll spend some time looking through the details of those past threads. With my recent good fortune I jokingly referred to myself as a Ferret Scout Car tycoon. I look back on these posts with input from Antonin. Now THAT man is a true Ferret Scout Car tycoon. I want to go play at his house one of these days!