Old timers
Mike Pigott continues his series on vintage and classic cars as we look at this rare Japanese range from the 1950s.
Mike Pigott takes a look at a set of vintage cars by AHI.
Over the years, there have been a number of excellent models of vintage and veteran cars from many diecast manufacturers. Probably the best range would be from the Italian company Rio. Other popular brands include Dugu, Matchbox Models ofYesteryear and Days Gone by Lledo. Lacking some accuracy and quality are some of the lesser-known makes such as Charbens Old Crocks and Benbros Qualitoys.
Below these efforts sits a range of veteran diecasts from Japanese company AHI, in its Shadow Box series.This crude, but colourful, range of 12 diecast Edwardian vehicles was released in the late 1950s. These toys were so lacking in detail that it was difficult to work out what cars they were actually based on. However, they are quite charismatic, nicely presented and many are vehicles rarely modelled.
AHI
Naito Shoten was a long-established toy manufacturer based in Tokyo. It specialised in tinplate toys and, in particular, toy robots, many of which are highly sought-after today. Naito Shoten also sold toys under the AHI brand - usually cheaper diecasts. Some of the metal toys made by AHI were Matchbox-sized, a range of miniature metal machine tools that could be run with small electric motors, model railway accessories, and diecast figures such as soldiers and cowboys.
Despite what you may read elsewhere, the Japanese AHI had no connection to the American company
Azrak-Hamway International, a NewYork-based importer of cheap, mostly licensed toys made in Hong Kong.AHI had been around since 1948, and had been manufacturing model cars since the late 1950s - Azrak-Hamway was not founded until 1964. Although the logo was always styled in capitals as AHI Brand Toys, it's possible that the name may not have been the initials, and was possibly pronounced as ‘ah-hee'.
AHI made a number of different sets of diecast vehicles that were sold in lots of 12.The vehicles were mostly American and were probably intended to appeal to that market. Some of the sets were branded as Cragstan, an American distributor that specialised in far-Eastern and Israeli toys. One set of toys was a range of 12 commercial vehicles that were blatant (and vastly inferior) copies of early Matchbox models.Another set included 12 different commercial vehicles that were not Lesney rip-offs.There was also a selection of military trucks that used the same cab with different fittings on the back. Other car ranges were branded as the Plastic Case series, because they came in a clear plastic box with a black base. One set contained the 1959 cars from 12 different American manufacturers, while the Foreign Cars assortment contained a mix of European vehicles.
SHADOW BOX SERIES
The strangely-named Shadow Box series was a range of 12 different veteran cars, billed here as old timers. The set included ten American cars, plus one each from Britain and France. Models of vintage cars were extremely popular in the late 1950s, in particular the Models ofYesteryear line from Lesney that first appeared in 1956. Many early construction kits were based on veteran cars, particularly in the USA.
During the 1950s and ‘60s, the phrase “Made in Japan” was synonymous with poor quality, shoddy products.The Shadow Box cars were incredibly crude toys that in some cases were barely recognisable as the cars they were based on. However, the range had some good points too.There was definitely some effort put into them - some had additional parts made from tinplate and wire that were clearly shaped and fitted by hand.All were brightly painted with handapplied trim.And despite being a budget product, the set illustrated – which is around 60 years old – has no instances of paint flaking or metal fatigue, including the tiny diecast wheels.
Unlike the Plastic Case cars, the Old Timers were sold in card boxes with acetate covers.The boxes are made from green card, with a folded base under the model which shows the name.The interior of each box is hand-painted dark blue, so this could be where the name Shadow Box comes from.The boxes are quite small, measuring 5cm across and 3cm high. All 12 car boxes fit into a large presentation box measuring 16 x 14cm.The outer box has a die-cut lid, which can fold in half to make a shop display, so presumably the cars could be bought individually as well as in a set.The models, painted in six different colours, all have diecast, spoked wheels painted either red or yellow.
OLD TIMERS
Some of the cars in the range are based on very rare cars.They do not appear to be copied from other brands, as I am unaware of any other models of a 1902 Franklin or a 1910 International Harvester. Given AHI's track record of copying, I find it hard to believe that the Old Timers were original castings.Where would you find these rare, mostly-American classic in post-war Japan? Two of the range may have been based on Charbens Old Crocks miniatures - the two European vehicles, the Darracq and theVauxhall.The metal wheels on the AHI cars were very similar to those used by Charbens, although the ten American vehicles were not modelled by Charbens at all, which also used two-piece castings, so may have been copied from kits.
1902 AIR-COOLED FRANKLIN
This crude, but colourful, range of 12 diecast Edwardian vehicles was released in the late 1950s. These toys were so lacking in detail that it was difficult to work out what cars they were actually based on. However, they are quite charismatic, nicely presented and many are vehicles rarely modelled.
The Franklin Automobile Company was founded in 1902 in NewYork State.The company specialised in lightweight aluminium cars with simple air-cooled engines. Franklin cars were initially very reasonably priced, and were among the cheapest cars in the USA. However, when other manufacturers began introducing cheaper cars, Franklin concentrated on high quality cars, but went out of business in 1934. The Franklin air-cooled engine was adapted for aviation, and remained in production for decades.
The AHI Franklin is based on a very early 1902 version. It is a one-piece casting that includes the body, wheel arches, seats, grille, steering wheel and suspension. Like all the AHI Old Timers, the model has an open underside with no baseplate.The wheels are 12-spoke, single piece castings and were used on every model in the range.The Franklin has a tinplate roof covering the front seats, which was probably folded and fitted by hand, held in place by two tiny wire ‘straps'.The body is red with the grille and steering wheel touched up in silver paint, with yellow wheels and black hood.
1903 CADILLAC
The Cadillac Automobile Company was founded in 1902, and was named after Antoine Cadillac, the founder of Detroit. Cadillac cars were precision manufactured and the company soon developed a reputation for high quality, something it still enjoys today.
The AHI toy appears to be based on a 1903 Cadillac Model A 6 ½ HP. Generally the profile is fairly accurate, although the model omits an exposed radiator below the dash.There are no side doors for the rear passengers, as access was gained through a rear door, although this was not cast on the model. The casting includes the body with front and rear seats, dash, fenders, steering wheels and headlights. It is painted orange with yellow wheels, with the steering wheel and lights in silver.
1903 RAMBLER
Originally a bicycle manufacturer, Rambler began producing motor cars in Wisconsin in 1902. Rambler soon became one of the biggest and most innovative auto manufacturers in the USA.
The AHI model appears to be a 1902 Rambler 6HP Runabout, a budget model with a one-cylinder engine.Again a simple one-piece casting, the model consists of body, seats, bonnet, fenders, headlights and steering wheel.The casting is slightly more detailed that the previous examples, and includes bonnet louvres and engine grille under the seats. It is finished in blue with gold painted headlights and steering wheel, plus red wheels.
1904 DARRACQ
Darracq was one of the earliest French automobile manufacturers, having been established in 1896. It was one of the dominant companies in the early years of the 20th Century, and one of the first to expand globally, setting up production in several different countries including the UK and the USA.
The AHI model looks to be based on a 1904 Darracq 12HP (spelt as ‘Darrac' on the packaging). The model has fairly boxy dimensions that are much more angular than the real car.The casting comprises the body, suspension, seats, steering wheel and lights. This model has an additional H-shaped piece of black tinplate riveted to the base, and then bent to form the running boards and wheel arches.The car is painted yellow with the lights, steering wheel and grille in silver, plus red wheels.
1904 OLDSMOBILE
Oldsmobile was one of the earliest motor manufacturers in the USA, having been founded in 1897.The company was originally best known for its ‘curved dash' models, which looked attractive and were affordably priced.The Curved Dash Oldsmobile was a very basic car, little more than a powered buggy, and was controlled by a tiller rather than a steering wheel.
The model has the right general shape, but was very flat-sided and the wheels were undersized. Headlights are fitted to the sides of the curved dash, and the mudguards are part of the body casting.A brown-painted tinplate roof was installed, held in place with fine wires. Body colour is beige with silver lights and red wheels.
1904 OLDSMOBILE DELIVERY WAGON
Another Oldsmobile, this is the only commercial vehicle in the series.The Oldsmobile van was based on the ‘curved dash' model with attractive commercial bodywork fitted.The van has a rounded canopy over the driver's compartment that was fitted with an oval window on each side.This type of van was very popular with bakeries, and was often called a ‘pie wagon'.
The AHI wagon is a one-piece hollow casting, which incorporates the wheel arches and even a little driver figure at the tiller.The roof is accurately shaped, with oval side windows (although behind the cab) and engraved side panels.The dash was curved the wrong way, following the contours of the front wheel arches.The van is again painted beige with red wheels, and the driver's overalls were picked out in green.
1907 VAUXHALL
Vauxhall Iron Works was founded in 1857 in London, building marine engines. In 1903, the company began producing motor cars, moving to Luton a few years later. EarlyVauxhalls had an unusually-shaped bonnet, with a downwardssloping pointed arch.The AHI version appears to be based on a 1907 79HP two-seat tourer. It is cast in one piece including the rear seats, mudguards and windscreen.The steering wheel is a separate part.The car is painted mid-green with red wheels.
The steering wheel and lamps are painted gold, while the ridge around the bonnet is touched in with silver paint.
1909 MODEL T FORD
The Model T Ford is one of the most modelled cars of all time. Over 16 million were made over its 20 year production history, and it was the first genuinely affordable car.
The AHI model is based on a very early example from 1909. It appears to have a ‘touring' style body, but without a folded roof.The grille is a very poor representation of the distinctive Model T shape, particularly as the radiator shell is left in body colour and only the centre is painted.The bodywork is painted light blue with red wheels, black tin fenders and some gold trim.
1909 STANLEY STEAMER
The Stanley Steamer was a car made by the Stanley Motor Carriage Company, and was very popular in the first quarter of the 20th Century.As the name implied, the Stanley car was powered by a steam engine that used kerosene. Initially, Stanleys were very popular, but later fell from favour when other car manufacturers introduced electric starters in their cars.The time needed to fire up a steamer became a disadvantage, and the company closed down in 1924.
The AHI Stanley Steamer is another very crude model. It does have the correct U-shaped bonnet, but the rest of the casting is very basic. It is a fourseater model with a yellow body, red wheels and black tin fenders.The carriage lights and steering wheel are touched up in silver.
1910 INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER
The International Harvester Company was formed in 1902 from the merger of five agricultural firms, including McCormick and Deering.While the main business was producing tractors and harvesters, IHC also manufactured high-wheeled ‘auto buggies' for use on farms. In 1910 the company branched out into making conventional cars.There were three different models - roadster, touring and runabout - powered by four-cylinder air-cooled engines. The company stopped making cars after 1911 to concentrate on trucks and agricultural machinery.
The AHI model is of interest for being possibly the only diecast model of an International Harvester car. It was based on the 1910 Model F Roadster. The general shape is accurate and even includes a representation of the bonnet strap. However, other components, such as the spare tyre, are missing and like many of the AHI series the carriage lights are included but the headlights are not.The body is red with silver trim, yellow wheels and black tin wheel arches.
1911 BUICK BUG
The original Buick Bug was a streamlined Land Speed Record car from 1910 that had a profile like a ladybird. The following year, Buick introduced a sporty two-seat roadster that was given the same name.
The AHI model has an orange diecast body that includes the bonnet, dash, twin bucket seats, and suspension.The wheels are painted yellow and the base is fitted with black tinplate fenders.The radiator shell should be painted, but only the central grille is. The sidelights and steering wheel are also touched in.
1914 STUTZ BEARCAT
The Stutz Bearcat was a famous American sports roadster produced between 1913 and 1923. A high quality, expensive car, it had minimal bodywork and often featured a small, circular windshield mounted on the steering column.
The AHI miniature generally has the right shape, although the top of the bonnet is very pointed rather than being rounded.The headlights and monocle windscreen are missing.The seats were properly shaped, with a petrol tank and luggage trunk mounted on the rear deck. On this model the steering wheel is not part of the body casting, and is a separate piece plugged into the floor and soldered in place.Tinplate mudguards are fitted, but do not match the sweeping fenders and mudguards seen on a real Bearcat.The body is green with silver trim and red wheels.
As mentioned, the range was packaged in small boxes with acetate covers, and all 12 were packaged in a card outer box that could convert to a countertop display. Outline drawings of all models the series were shown on the box, but several were wrongly titled.The Stutz, Buick, Oldsmobile, Ford,Vauxhall and Stanley were misidentified on the box top and the individual boxes.These are not the best models in the world – not by a long shot – but they are very early diecast toys and do have a certain amount of charm and character. DC