Preproductions & Color Trials
Big thanks for the pictures to:
Vectis – The leading specialized auction house for toys
“A” Issues
No.1A Aveling Barford Road Roller
No.1A Aveling Barford Road Roller – green, gold trim, light tan figure driver – unusual item fitted with No.9A Merryweather Fire Engine rear wheels, crimped axles.
No.5A London Bus
No.5A London Bus – Possible Preproduction finished in brown body (partial gold radiator), metal wheels with crimped axles
20A ERF Dropside Lorry
20A ERF Dropside Lorry – Stannard Code 1 – pea green body with silver trim, body casting without rear cab brace, metal wheels with flat crimped axles – Mint but does have factory casting flaw to front nearside cab window pillar in Near Mint type B1 box. Very rare initial/trial run, the body mould was very quickly modified to include a brace between the cab & the dropside body for the subsequent full production runs of maroon coloured models.
No.21A Bedford Coach
No.21A Bedford Coach – red, gold trim, metal wheels – Exceptionally rare factory produced model and possibly unique?
No.24A Weatherill Hydraulic Excavator
No.24A Weatherill Hydraulic Excavator – yellow body, with rare grey plastic wheels with crimped axles (possibly preproduction as grey plastic wheels were only fitted on No.24B)
No. 53A Aston Martin DB4
53A Aston Martin DB2/4 – metallic silver-green body with hand applied silver trim to headlamps along with front & rear bumpers (grille remains body colour), hand applied red tail-lamps, matt black base, 10 x 24-tread black plastic wheels with rounded axles.
Vectis comments: This is a very unusual combination of an early body casting with 24-tread black plastic wheels, however the axle ends have not been tampered with and show the genuine factory spirals from the Lesney radial riveting machines used in the factory, these wheel were being manufactured in 1959 to fit the Rotinoff Super Atlantic Tractor and this model may well have been a trial run of the then new Radial riveting machines using up spare components within the factory?
“B” Issues
BRM Formula 1 Racing Car
52B BRM Formula 1 Racing Car – unlisted Stannard Code – cherry red body with racing number 5 decals, gloss white plastic driver, bare metal type A base without exhaust braces – Near Mint to Mint (tyres a little loose) in Excellent Plus “New Model” type E1 box. Rare unrecorded variation of body colour & base casting, possible factory colour trial?
60B Leyland Site Hut Truck
60b Leyland Site Hut Truck – unlisted Stannard Code – blue type A body, blue windows, pale gold plated (not chrome) grille & base without tow guide, 45-tread black plastic wheels, complete with pre-production colour trial site hut – mid grey hut without inner strengthening braces below windows & without-impression mould identification number to floor white plastic roof (top of roof has been overpainted white but the bottom/inside of roof remains the original white plastic)
No. 61B Alvis Stalwart
61B Alvis Stalwart twin pack issue preproduction colour trial model – military green body & base with “3LGS64” labels both facing front, dark green windows, smooth black plastic wheels. Production issues of this model have matt black base.
No. 64B MG 1100
64B MG 1100 factory colour trial model – unlisted Stannard Code – metallic blue body with type B long interior retaining post, clear windows held by spun roof rivet, ivory interior, bare metal base, 11 x 45-tread black plastic wheels – does have what appears to be a pencil rather than ink cross to one striker side, one picture face has been signed by the artist Ron Jobson. Provenance: previously the property of Lesney Artist Ron Jobson responsible for catalogue and & box artwork from the late 1960’s to the 1970’s period sold by Astons Auctioneers October 2011. Rare opportunity this being the only known genuine metallic blue Regular Wheel colour trial.
“C” Issues
No.4C Triumph T110 Motorcycle
4C Triumph T110 Motorcycle & Sidecar Pre-production Colour Trial – metallic copper body & base with thin ribs, type A sidecar mudguard brace, wire wheels with 36-tread black plastic tyres
No.27C Cadillac Sixty Special
No.27c Cadillac Sixty Special Pre-production colour trial – metallic silver-blue body (almost identical shade to No.25b Volkswagen Beetle), front and rear silver trim but this has discoloured somewhat towards gold, red tail-lamps, pale pink roof, clear windows, maroon base held in position by factory “BIF” rivets (see photo), 20-tread silver plastic wheels
No.27C Cadillac Sixty Special factory colour trial – metallic red body with rear silver trim (same colour as 53a Aston Martin DB2/4), type B hood interior with arrow cast, clear windows, maroon base, 20-tread silver plastic wheels – Good unboxed with some play wear and also included for comparison purposes is 53a Aston Martin DB2/4 – metallic red body with rear silver trim, gloss black base, 24-tread black plastic wheels with rounded axles – Fair play worn. Exceptionally rare early colour trial.
No. 73C Mercury Commuter
73c Mercury Commuter factory Pre-production trial model – brown PLASTIC body with “woodgrain” effect, clear windows, red plastic interior, bare metal “1968 Mercury” base, chrome hubs with black plastic tyres – Near Mint to Mint in Excellent Plus “New” type F1 box. Very rare experimental factory trial model and possibly unique? Provenance: formerly part of the Peter Smith Collection, Lesney designer & model maker sold at Stacey’s Auctioneers lot 2101 July 2015.
“D” Issues
No.6D Ford Pick-up Truck
6D Ford Pick-up Truck Pre-production Colour Trial – metallic jade green body, grey plastic grille, clear windows, ivory interior, bare metal base without the letter A cast to rear of central platform, 45-tread black plastic wheels
No.11D Mercedes Scaffold
No.11D Mercedes Scaffold Truck Pre-production colour trial model – yellow body without cast side panels for label application, clear windows, grey plastic grille & base without tow guide cast, 45-tread black plastic wheels
No.14D Iso Grifo
No.14D Iso Grifo – trial model – factory chrome plated body, clear windows, light blue interior, bare metal base, chrome hubs with black plastic tyres
No.14D Iso Grifo – trial model – factory vacuum blue chrome plated body, clear window, light blue interior, bare metal base, chrome hubs with black plastic tyres
No.15D VW Beetle Rally Car
No.15D VW Beetle Rally Car Pre-production trial model – dark yellow body, clear windows, ivory interior, bare metal base, chrome hubs with black plastic tyres. Base does not have copyright date and states Made in England by Lesney not “Lesney Prod & Co. Ltd”, front bumper does not have cast braces, the front wings are also not cut-out to allow room for those braces; and the rear body has 2 central slots that fit between the rear bumper, these were deleted from the production versions
No.15D Pre-production trial colour Volkswagen Beetle Rally Car – finished in orange, off white interior, chrome hubs with black tyres, racing number 137 labels to doors
“E” Issues
No.17E AEC Horsebox
No.17E AEC Horsebox – green, chrome grille without tow-slot, light grey plastic back, mid-grey plastic ramp without upper cut-out, base has small location cut-outs for the plastic back and is without copyright date