The NAMC’s “Catalog of all Series Matchbox Models” (first edition) has two variations not included in Nick's listing: 69-1-c is catalogued as red, knobby GPW (probably 9 or 9.5 x 20), crimped axles, front trim only (i.e. slotting in between codes 6 and 7), whilst 69-1-e is catalogued as metallic red, knobby GPW (probably 9 or 9.5 x 20), rivetted axles, front trim only (add to the end of the variation table).
The AIM “1-75 Series Regular Wheels” catalogue (second printing, 1983) distinguishes two distinct shades of red (dark red and red), but it is unclear which of Nick's three red codes are involved.
Houghton notes variation 69a-3 as a matt black baseplate on what is otherwise Nick's code 3. He also makes a distinction between dark grey, grey and light grey wheels.
Stannard has no variations not listed by Nick, whilst U.K. Matchbox did not examine the model.
It should be remembered that a major tooling revision, similar to that on the 46b pantechnicon, has been highlighted on the Forum. This is most noticeable on the roof which can have either a central or a circumferential casting ridge. The relationship of this casting change to Nick's listing still needs to be determined.
69a Commer Nestle's Van
Re: 69a
It is very interesting to me Idris that Bob Brennen in his 1973 printing still had the metallic red version listed. It was the only variation in his Guide that he did not have in his own collection at that time. It seems that our 'Ancient Bible' included both style roof castings in 1973. He did distinguish both crimped and riveted axles as having large knobby GPW, and also having the early roof seam casting. The only other model of his to have the roof seam casting had no rear silver bumper, and had large light GPW on it with riveted axles. His other 3 smaller knobby wheel variations, as well as his last with large Fine GPW, were without the seam on their roofs. With this ancient knowledge we perhaps have the beginning of our accurately cataloging the roof casting change missed by Stannard in his 1985 Guide, and also not listed by Nick 40+ years later. 
kwakers
kwakersRe: 69a
Thanks, Dick! (I really must get a second edition NAMC catalogue - if I can find one that is.)
I think the easiest way forward is for everyone to look in their collection and then report their findings simply as Nick's variation code and whether the model has a central casting ridge on the roof.
I think the easiest way forward is for everyone to look in their collection and then report their findings simply as Nick's variation code and whether the model has a central casting ridge on the roof.
Re: 69a
This will be of no help, other than the code 6 without trim to the rear bumper. All of the maroon casting have the ridge line.
It's a great thread for a tyro like myself. It helps a great deal.
Jeff
It's a great thread for a tyro like myself. It helps a great deal.
Jeff
- Attachments
-
- DSCN3362.JPG (201.86 KiB) Viewed 1711 times
Re: 69a
Very nice summary Hugh, I have not seen the metallic red variation up till now. I am enclosing photos of my variations, some interesing models are:
- prepro Commer in Rentaset colour
- with GPW and crimped axles
- dark red with no roof separation line
- with no silver trim
- red model with SPW
- strange decals
Antonin
- prepro Commer in Rentaset colour
- with GPW and crimped axles
- dark red with no roof separation line
- with no silver trim
- red model with SPW
- strange decals
Antonin
- Attachments
-
- DSCN5056.JPG (28.59 KiB) Viewed 1699 times
Last edited by Diecast on Sun Apr 20, 2014 7:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: 69a
IIRC, Dick's comment was based on a pocket catalogue illustration. My impression at the time was that the letting in question was almost certainly done by hand rather than being a non-standard/pre-production decal.Diecast wrote:model with strange decal (please information, if it is a reproduction decal or an early model, which Dick has mentioned here some time ago)
Having had a look on Ebay, there are reproduction decals available which also have the top of the apostrophe level with the top of the lettering, but these seem to have much heavier shadowing. Furthermore, if these are reproduction decals, it would be reasonable to expect them to be (relatively) faithful copies of actual Lesney decals, although we all know that not all after-market decals are 100% true to the originals.
Does the outline of the clear carrier film match that of the 'standard' decal?
Re: 69a
Your Dark red van without the roof seam was NAMC's variation 'C' Antonin. This indicates the roof change came before the color change to the lighter red. An interesting not is that the metallic red version Bob listed has no roof seam, so could have been a 'special color trial' of the new body dies (?) I did see another Nestle Van that was selling only two weeks ago which had a strange Nestle decal also Antonin.
Being that I have NO experience at aftermarket decals that are now available, or might have been available and used after-market in the past, I would have to count on Tinman's expertise in giving his opinions on any we now find that are not 'stock'. We may have to study your 'special decal' a bit Antonin in order to find others like it. I noted the 'special decal' you mentioned because it was in a display photograph in Bronner's Dealer book. You talk about documentation and provenance, that model found today would be labeled as a fake until someone studied that early picture.
I would suspect that the metallic Red Van that NAMC Bob had listed is much like your very rare SPW version Antonin. Like many other days at the Lesney factory, a load of 65B Jaguar bodies may have been painted in their early metallic red paint to fill an order that day. When those bodies were completed, not to waste any of this metallic red paint still left in the guns, a group of these 69A Van bodies were sent on the paint line. There may have only been a handful done as the nonmetallic red was then added to the supplies, or there may have been a larger quantity done that day. As with calling it a special paint trial of the 'new body die', we will never have all the facts on any 'Specials' that are found to be almost non-existent today.
I suspect Antonin's rare SPW variation was also oddly made on a day when these SPW wheels were already there in large bins to either be 'used up' from another Toy that had been done earlier in the day, or perhaps just brought in to finish an order of Vans when they had completely run out of the normal Gray plastic wheels then being used on them.
The existence of 'Special' Lesneys like these two above has always raised a bit of controversy in the hobby from pessimistic collectors or 'non-believers'. Some forget these 'Matchboxes' were just small Toys made under time and order constraints for sometimes meager profits. If deadlines were to be met, or new 'trial toys' were needed for sending samples around the world to their distributors, short runs may have existed of rare models we are now only sharing and learning about from secretive collectors, or fresh out of their long-time 'Toy' storage. kwakers
Being that I have NO experience at aftermarket decals that are now available, or might have been available and used after-market in the past, I would have to count on Tinman's expertise in giving his opinions on any we now find that are not 'stock'. We may have to study your 'special decal' a bit Antonin in order to find others like it. I noted the 'special decal' you mentioned because it was in a display photograph in Bronner's Dealer book. You talk about documentation and provenance, that model found today would be labeled as a fake until someone studied that early picture.
I would suspect that the metallic Red Van that NAMC Bob had listed is much like your very rare SPW version Antonin. Like many other days at the Lesney factory, a load of 65B Jaguar bodies may have been painted in their early metallic red paint to fill an order that day. When those bodies were completed, not to waste any of this metallic red paint still left in the guns, a group of these 69A Van bodies were sent on the paint line. There may have only been a handful done as the nonmetallic red was then added to the supplies, or there may have been a larger quantity done that day. As with calling it a special paint trial of the 'new body die', we will never have all the facts on any 'Specials' that are found to be almost non-existent today.
I suspect Antonin's rare SPW variation was also oddly made on a day when these SPW wheels were already there in large bins to either be 'used up' from another Toy that had been done earlier in the day, or perhaps just brought in to finish an order of Vans when they had completely run out of the normal Gray plastic wheels then being used on them.
The existence of 'Special' Lesneys like these two above has always raised a bit of controversy in the hobby from pessimistic collectors or 'non-believers'. Some forget these 'Matchboxes' were just small Toys made under time and order constraints for sometimes meager profits. If deadlines were to be met, or new 'trial toys' were needed for sending samples around the world to their distributors, short runs may have existed of rare models we are now only sharing and learning about from secretive collectors, or fresh out of their long-time 'Toy' storage. kwakers