I dream of Dinky

There was most definitely a sense of anticipation ahead of the July Toys, Miliaria, Arms and Armour sale at Wallis & Wallis. This was due to a superb single owner collection of Dinky Toys spread across more than 150 lots. The quality of the items on offer was absolutely top notch and, although the piece with the highest estimate (a 28m Type 1 Delivery Van ‘Wakefield Castrol’ pegged at £2,000 to £3,000) didn’t quite make it over the line, there were plenty of other lots that sold well above their estimates.

Take, for example, a Dinky Supertoys Gift Set 990 Pullmore Car Transporter with four cars, including a ‘Dinky Toys Delivery Service’ Bedford Pullmore Car Transporter together with four cars: Austin Somerset, Ford Zephyr, Hillman Minx and Rover 75. All in very good to mint condition, the set was estimated at an eye-watering £1,500 to £2,000 but the bids kept coming and it sold for £2,900.

Not far behind (and this time going to a telephone bidder) was a Dinky Supertoys No. 503 Foden DG Flat Truck with Tailboard. This was an early example with red cab and black flash, plus a red rear body, black wheel arches and chassis and red wheels fitted with herringbone tyres. In an early style utility box it sold for £2,600; more than double its top estimate of £1,200.

The internet also proved to be lively with two lots in particular selling to bidders on the ‘net. First was a rare Dinky Toys export set No. 3 ‘Private Automobiles’, including five cars: Rover 36d, Bentley 36b, Frazer-Nash BMW Sports 38a and a  Lagonda Sports Coupe 38c. The box had some minor wear but the vehicles were all very good to mint and the set sold for £1,300.

Also winging its way to the web was a Dinky Toys export set No. 2 ‘Private Automobiles’ including five American 39 series cars; Packard Super 8 Tourer 39a, Oldsmobile 6 Sedan, Lincoln Zephyr Coupe 39c, Buick Viceroy Saloon 39d and Chrysler Royal Sedan 39e. Again there was minor damage to the box the but contents were very good to mint and it sold for £1,550.