Dinky dominates two day SAS sale

Part one of the SAS June sale comprised diecasts and a few toys from a Swiss collection. SAS director, Hugo Marsh, relates that the low estimate of the first part of this auction was put at £37,750; in fact, the sale total totted up £75,807, which he considers a “white glove” sale, since every lot sold.

“We were very cautious with the estimates set, to take into account the import VAT at 20%, which we all hate, but luckily the market seemed to ignore that. It was a remarkable collection, with incredible models beyond the usual makers, although Dinky did get all of the top prices, of course.  In particular, the Fire Service Peugeot was an amazing result, since it achieved £3,000.”

As per Hugo’s words, it was the early Dinky toys which stole the limelight. In particular, there were some great advertising vans: an Ensign Cameras version in orange with silver blue-washed wheels crept up to £1,300 but that was eclipsed by a black and red Sharps Toffee of Maidstone version: on this the hammer closed at a creditable £1,700. (I can recall the site of the old factory, which retained a colourful sign long after the unit had closed). The Wakefield Castrol van in green (what else?) was very tidy and made £1,600 whilst a yellow Meccano Engineering version, a little the worse for wear, nonetheless stimulated those present to offer £1,400. Aside from the vans was the rare French Dinky red Peugeot 404 Fire Service Estate car: rarely spotted, and produced only in 1964 under a commission arrangement, it turned up the heat on the day