Shite in Miniature II

[Datsuncog]

Cold one.

Thermometer still showing -1°C in central Belfast by 7.30.

Not that it deterred this bunch:

Nemesismobile was drawn up by the entrance doors, so I could be assured of company/ competition.

Although initial impressions were less than inspiring...

Hmmm.

Some other automobilia present on the stall, but not much.

Lots of crystal today, but that ain't why I'm here.

Fearing that it was going to be a let-down, I craned around the stall to see if there was anything worth sticking around for...

Not exactly the stuff of wonders, but you never know what's lurking...

[flat4alfa]

=

 

[Datsuncog]

Eventually, the Alphabites box was hauled up and ceremoniously placed upon a wheelie bin for our delectation.

As is the custom.

A bit of a mixed box, it's true...

Quite a bit of modern rubbish, but carefully sieving to the bottom revealed some items of interest...

Quite a few 50s/ 60s Lesneys, albeit most of them have been on the receiving end of a tickle with the Humbrols at some point.

Some more than others.

Vinyl roof on the E-Type was fairly well rendered, it has to be said.

Some Benbros veteran/ horse drawn vehicles were also in the mix.

I mean, it's not total rubbish - but it's not really stuff we haven't seen before.

Husky Buick Electra was complete, but came with a lovely coat of mud.

I did manage to reunite the chassis and tipper bed for this Morestone item, though.

Different wheels fore and aft - dunno if this was by design or error.

Desirability here is fair to middling, so really it all comes down to price...

It's not a 50p box.

It's not a £1 box.

Seemingly, we're talking £2 - £3 a go here...

[flat4alfa]

Commer Karrier Coca Cola please 

Better than the one back here

[flat4alfa]

W R Jacob and Co Leyland please

 

Never had one and is 60 yrs old

[Datsuncog]

There were a few curiosities, mind:

This Tonka Winnebago, for one.

With an opening hatch on the back, curiously.

Not in bad overall nick either, but a meaty tenner on this one.

EFSI Mercedes coach was ok too, and quite nice for just being solid colours.

Husky Thunderbird had a nick out of the screen, but was otherwise alright.

Summer BMW 3.0 CSL was a bit approximate, but still quite charming.

And then there was another box...

[Datsuncog]

Vee-Dubs a-go-go, it seems.

In variable quality and desirability also.

Fair few modern Matchbox Bugs in here:

Plus this travesty:

Copyright-avoidant changes to lights, to avoid cross letter from the Wolfsburg legal team?

Made by the enigmatic 'S' company, like that Caprice peelermobile last week.

Hongwell Cabrio in 1/43 wasn't bad, though.

Husky and Lesney efforts could have been better...

[flat4alfa]

Paging @FakeConcern

[Tenmil Socket]

WOB

[Hertz]

4 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Vee-Dubs a-go-go, it seems.

In variable quality and desirability also.

Fair few modern Matchbox Bugs in here:

Plus this travesty:

Copyright-avoidant changes to lights, to avoid cross letter from the Wolfsburg legal team?

Made by the enigmatic 'S' company, like that Caprice peelermobile last week.

Hongwell Cabrio in 1/43 wasn't bad, though.

Husky and Lesney efforts could have been better...

Still after one of these Polistil Snow covered Bug if one is lurking in that Beetle Box?

[Datsuncog]

And that was really the sum of the excitement for the day...

I got a bit excited to clock an early-box Universal era Matchbox, but I don't really need another one of these.

Corgi missile trailer was in reasonable shape, but I don't have a missile (or the matching Land Rover from the set):

Lesney crane was quite clean, though.

I pulled out a few of interest...

But most of them I ended up putting back.

For a quid, yes... for £3, hmmm... maybe not.

It's getting to late-on in January, and tat-funds are low.

A quick spin around the rest of the stalls didn't reveal very much - the Charity Stall had this Supervan in its Case of Dreams...

And yet another Corgi carry-case:

But that was really the height of it.

So! Will go back for a final wander, and see what's what...

[Datsuncog]

2 minutes ago, Hertz said:

Still after one of these Polistil Snow covered Bug if one is lurking in that Beetle Box?

I had a good look through just in case there was anything of interest down at the bottom, but sadly nothing like that Polistil! Mostly just Bburago/ Maisto/ no-name tat.

[Datsuncog]

19 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

Commer Karrier Coca Cola please 

 

17 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

W R Jacob and Co Leyland please

 

Will head back over shortly and see if they're still there!

[flat4alfa]

Corgi SuperVan is the first release in case anyone is interested

Before the changed graphic to 'Superman' and put the later wheels on

How much? 

[Datsuncog]

5 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

Corgi SuperVan is the first release in case anyone is interesred

Before the changed graphic to 'Superman' and put the later wheels on

How much? 

He's asking £15 for it.

[Datsuncog]

Okay, some items procured... and now I'll really have to head home and try to warm my feet up, as they appear to have turned into blocks of ice...

[flat4alfa]

Just looked at my shelf and this E Type is in better condition than the one here

So I would have to say yes for £3

After all it is pushing 60 years old 

[andrew e]

Can’t believe inflation has hit the 50p box! Will happily home the chipperfields crate if it’s unwanted though 👍 

[flat4alfa]

The Corgi Thunderbird Missile Carrier  could be bought separately from the towing Land Rover

So might just be the missile itself to find.  Unless it was already launched. 

[FakeConcern]

If it's there next week, then yes please

Funny I saw a cheap trailer at the last toy fair, but didn't bother as I thought I'd never see the cage!

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

Not exactly the stuff of wonders, but you never know what's lurking...

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

Eventually, the Alphabites box was hauled up and ceremoniously placed upon a wheelie bin for our delectation.

As is the custom.

A bit of a mixed box, it's true...

Quite a bit of modern rubbish, but carefully sieving to the bottom revealed some items of interest...

Quite a few 50s/ 60s Lesneys, albeit most of them have been on the receiving end of a tickle with the Humbrols at some point.

Some more than others.

Vinyl roof on the E-Type was fairly well rendered, it has to be said.

Some Benbros veteran/ horse drawn vehicles were also in the mix.

I mean, it's not total rubbish - but it's not really stuff we haven't seen before.

Husky Buick Electra was complete, but came with a lovely coat of mud.

I did manage to reunite the chassis and tipper bed for this Morestone item, though.

Different wheels fore and aft - dunno if this was by design or error.

I think I should have grabbed that Budgie Morestone Foden Dumper.  There is another in the box in another photo, with dumper missing too.  Wheels are correct.

This colour scheme was exclusive to the Esso Petrol coupon campaign.  1957-61

Excellent site on these by Nicholas Martin: https://www.diecastvintagetoys.co.uk/esso-petrol-pump-series

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

pulled out a few of interest...

But most of them I ended up putting back.

I'd have the Lesney VW bus for £3

Market blokey seems to have a Beetle infestation - what's the black oval? Interested possibly 

[Datsuncog]

Well then... as was typical, Alan had only just set out his wares at the point I was scuttling out the doors around 9.30, which is why he never appears in the main write-up:

By the time I'd glugged my coffee and made a stab at editing my terrible blurry photos, Market Blokey had made an effort to offload his Beetle overload...

I was once again vaguely distracted by a local (Code 2?) Lledo Morris LD150, which surely doesn't bode well for the future...

And the Tat Box appeared to have been raided in the interim too.

But - all was not lost, and despite numb fingers (even under two pairs of gloves), I didn't leave empty-handed...

[Datsuncog]

So what was snaffled from the deep-freeze of St George's today?

My initial sift brought these...

On 19/01/2024 at 10:19, bunglebus said:

I'd have the Lesney VW bus for £3

Market blokey seems to have a Beetle infestation - what's the black oval? Interested possibly 

I thought there might be a few dub-lickers in the general vicinity...

Lesney T1 has lost some of its transfers, but the paint isn't bad overall.

Some touching-up of wheels etc is apparent, though.

I believe the repainted oval-window is by Morestone, and although scruffy is complete and undamaged.

Might tidy alright - yours for £3 each if you want them!

Lesney Ford Prefect is one that usually provokes some interest, even if they're often a bit the worse for wear:

This may be a repaint - the wheels have definitely been dabbed with black paint, but I'm not sure about the body. It seems oddly matt, but it might just be dirt causing it.

As often seems to be the way, the back end of the base has needed repair at some point - this appears to have been done with solder (or possibly lead?):

Typical Ford.

So, far from mint - but could be a reasonable enough project, if anyone's keen, for £2?

This Husky Sunbeam Alpine is one that I seldom see with the windscreen still intact, so that was why I nabbed it.

It's actually not in bad shape - the other side has much less paint loss.

If anyone fancies it for £3, let me know!

The regular wheels iteration of the Lesney Jeep is one that never seems to crop up without the windscreen surround broken off - but at least this has a full complement of tyres:

I think I'll be keeping this one, for a while anyway, just in case more snow photoshoots present themselves...

And lastly, a bit newer but this Corgi BMW E30 is in quite nice shape:

Seemingly an early version, going by the wheels.

I seem to recall these were notorious for shedding their doors, so intact and clean is maybe a bit of a rarity.

Also available, at the £2 mark!

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, andrew e said:

Can’t believe inflation has hit the 50p box!

To be fair, back in 2019-2020 I always considered the '50p box' being somewhat an enigma, when 'Charity' shops around here in England (20m north of the capital) have always priced tat condition examples alongside eBay 'antique' seller pricing

I went to Welwyn Garden City last year and saw well-used found-in-attic 1970s toys in the window of BHF at £50+

Plus also a pint of euro-fizzed Stella Artois in my flat-roof local is now £5.40

Less pints = More Lesney.

[bunglebus]

I'll take the blue split bus then please, if you bought the No.8 bug on my behalf I'll have it but I do have a good one here already 

Might as well add the BMW too

Sim Simma, who got the keys to my Bimmer?

[flat4alfa]

6 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

And the Tat Box appeared to have been raided since I stepped away to neck some coffee and edit pics

So that proves it then...    when there has been a clear-down in such a short time (under 2 hours) then even at £3 he could still sell them twice-over.

Any Lesneys/Morestones of that age should be a fiver really

[MiniMinorMk3]

3 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

 

Some other automobilia present on the stall, but not much.

 

If that Ford book is a fiver then I'd be interested. Thanks

[Tenmil Socket]

15 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

To be fair, back in 2019-2020 I always considered the '50p box' being somewhat an enigma, when 'Charity' shops around here in England (20m north of the capital) have always priced tat condition examples alongside eBay 'antique' seller pricing

I went to Welwyn Garden City last year and saw well-used found-in-attic 1970s toys in the window of BHF at £50+

Plus also a pint of euro-fizzed Stella Artois in my flat-roof local is now £5.40

Less pints = More Lesney.

£5.40! Christ... I'm glad I rarely go to the pub now (only really when on holiday and if in the UK I will find a Wetherspoons 😄