THE CALIFORNIA EARLY MOKO LESNEY COLLECTION

I came from a home where my parents were collectors, who back in the 70?s travelled every weekend within 100 miles to auctions and antique shops in hopes in findings some treasures. And yes, I went on many of those trips with them. It did not take long to see that I was a born collector as, at the ripe old age of 8, I did not play with my toys or trade my baseball cards away.

At that time, I was putting the best of what I had, away in shoeboxes to keep them in the best condition possible and away from my friends? grubby hands. Over the years I have collected Baseball cards, stamps, coins, Cracker Jack prizes, Tiffany Studios and Vintage Louis Vuitton trunks. But my favourite and my first love goes back to 1966 at 8 years old when I got my first taste of Lesney/ Moko/ Matchbox cars and trucks. For the next 4 years the joy of obtaining all the new models as they came out was just pure joy to me growing up. As all my friends were re-enacting the world?s biggest auto wrecks with their pieces, I was placing mine in my pristine Matchbox cases. My friends were baffled and just wanted to know why I did not play with them. Fast forward 50 years later, and I still have all my original Matchbox toys sitting in the original cases for me to enjoy and remember my wonderful magical childhood and all the smiles they still give me. Then came the 90?s, I still have the bug in me, now in my 30?s a bit older and wiser and some money in the bank, I set out to get the brass ring. I was after the grand prize, the infamous Early Lesney and Early Moko models. I not only wanted to see how many I could find but I desired to have all the different variations and the finest models I could find. So now here we are, I am now 64 and have put together one of the finest Early Lesney/ Moko collections you can find. I absolutely loved with a passion, putting this collection together. Now it is time to pass it along to all the others around our globe, to those who also share the passion and want to own some very rare pieces and finest known examples.