Marvellous Matchbox!
Prices continue to be on the rise for Matchbox it seems with strong interest particularly in the rarer items and desirable Pre-Production Models in the Vectis sale on Tuesday 13th June.
Named compilations included the long standing collector Derek Langthorn Collection of boxed Regular Wheels, the Ipswich Goods Junction Collection of extremely high quality Speed Kings and Super Kings and a further exciting installment of the Ex-Matchbox Employee Collection.
The sale offered boxed, unboxed and group lots across all the ranges produced by Matchbox - Regular Wheels, Models of Yesteryear, Kingsize, Super Kings, Speed Kings, Major, Superfast through to accessory packs.
Lot 29
Matchbox Regular Wheels No.15a Diamond T Prime Mover - Stannard Code 1 - rare yellow body with silver trim, metal wheels with flat crimped axles - Near Mint (minor mark to front wing and minor rub marks to silver trim on front bumper) in Mint type B1 box. Superb example of this rare model.
Lot 77
Matchbox Regular Wheels No.45a Vauxhall Victor - Stannard Code 1 - rare red body with silver trim, without dashboard cross brace, matt black base, metal wheels - Excellent to Excellent Plus with some paint loss to raised door outlines on one side in Excellent Plus type B2 box with large model numbers to end flaps.
Lot 408
Matchbox Regular Wheels No.35c Merryweather Marquis Fire Engine factory Pre-production colour trial model - metallic silver body without labels, clear windows & roof beacons, white plastic ladder, red plastic grille & base, chrome plastic hubs with black tyres, axles and base rivets have been factory spun. Model differs from the standard Superfast production issue in the following ways: body casting is without roof chequer plate detail to rear, both ladder retaining lugs and roof beacon cast circles are smaller, lower edge of body between the wheelarches is flat whereas production version have a raised sill area, rear of body has 4 x cast open rectangular hole above the plastic insert which on production versions are cast shut, base is smooth without any copyright date and without "Pat App" to rear, the body side lockers are cast as 2 separate lockers, production version have these cast together as one with an upper raised panel to assist with the application "London Fire Service" labels - Near Mint to Mint unboxed with just a couple of minor factory assembly marks. Model was never released as a Regular Wheel model only as a Superfast model.
Lot 80
Matchbox Regular Wheels No.46a Morris Minor - Stannard Code 1 - tan body with silver trim and red tail lamps, roof interior without ejector ring, matt black base, metal wheels with domed crimped axles - Near Mint (slightly thin factory paint finish to one side) in Excellent Plus to Near Mint type B2 box with large model numbers to end flaps. Superb example of this rare model.
Lot 87
Matchbox Regular Wheels No.50a Commer Pick-up Truck - Stannard Code 8 - red body with mask sprayed silver grille & headlamps only, white cab roof & loadbed, type A dashboard without brace, with roof ejector ring, gloss black base, 20-tread silver plastic wheels with rounded axles - Excellent Plus with just a few tiny pin size chips only in generally Excellent but a little creased at one end type C Lesney box printed by Pembroke Abbey. Nice example of this rare issue.
Lot 300
Matchbox Super Kings 2 x K2 Car Recovery Vehicle - both are white cab, metallic champagne gold body & base, white interior, red rear ramps, 5-spoke wheels (1) "AVA Race Haulage" labels, scarce clear windows, complete with Super Kings K60 Ford Mustang Cobra Dragster which is dark red with racing number 207 decals, green windows, white interior, black plastic base, 5-arch front wheels, Maltese Cross rear wheels - overall Near Mint (small scratch to transporter cab roof) in Excellent un-punched light blue window box complete with inner card packing insert; (2) "Cobra Rally Team" decals (not labels), amber windows, complete with K60 Ford Mustang Cobra Dragster which is as previous model but light red body - Near Mint in generally un-punched lighter blue window box complete with inner card packing insert. (2)
Lot 409
Matchbox Superfast No.20a Lamborghini Marzal Pre-production colour trial - lemon yellow body, clear windows, ivory interior, bare metal smooth base without cast ridges above & below the central base text and without "Superfast" lettering across front axle, front tow slot is a raised cast slot rather than a rectangular hole on production issues, trial chrome solid disc Superfast narrow wheels - Good Plus with thin factory paint finish to hood and some paint loss to roof.
Lot 444
Matchbox Superfast No.29b Racing Mini Pre-production trial body casting with door outlines cast, complete with pale yellow interior but missing all other components. Production versions of this model do not have the door outlines cast to aid label application - Excellent Plus unboxed.
Lot 410
Matchbox Superfast No.20a Lamborghini Marzal Pre-production colour trial - metallic emerald green body, amber windows, ivory interior, bare metal base without "Superfast" lettering across front axle but otherwise as per production issues. Trial solid chrome disc Superfast narrow wheels - Excellent Plus (some paint loss to raised roof outline and a couple of chips to leading edge of roof).
Lot 411
Matchbox Superfast No.56a BMC Pininfarina Pre-production colour trial model - metallic blue body, clear windows, ivory interior, bare metal smooth base without cast ridges above & below the central text area, base casting also without rear exhausts cast, without "Superfast" lettering and without "Pat App" lettering below the patent number over the rear axle, without front registration number cast, trial Superfast solid chrome disc narrow wheels - overall Excellent to Excellent Plus with a couple of tiny chips and factory paint flaws to hood & roof. Still a nice example.
To view the full results please visit www.vectis.co.uk
If you are interested in buying or selling Matchbox items please contact Julian Royse on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call +44 (0) 1642 750616.
* All prices realised include commission
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