FIGURING IT OUT

I found the feature on Britains Home Farm (September issue) very interesting. My wife collects these models and I collect the zoo animals. In fact, our collection contains models from many different manufacturers that rivalled Britains, but eventually disappeared into history. My reason for contacting you is to put forward a collector's point of view. Many of the metal figures in the photos seem to be in very good condition, almost as if they had been repainted at some stage. I can tell you that this is a real problem for serious collectors. In fact, it is sometimes a subject of debate with dealers and sellers at toy collector's fairs. Most stall holders are very helpful, and knowledgeable, but we have had discussions with individuals who have claimed that a figure or animal is in original condition and not restored. This is even more disappointing when the colours are incorrect. Of course, some figures were painted in different colours when they were first issued. The village idiot shown in your feature is green. He also came in pink and a few other colours. This sometimes happens with vintage model vehicles and research is required to ensure that the colour variations are genuine. I guess whatever we collect, it is about personal preference, but my wife and I always go for original condition including some scratches and colour loss.

Don Townsend, email

ED A very good point indeed, Don. It is so tricky these days and, with modern replication techniques, you have to be a real expert to spot anything that isn't original. An area I'm particularly interested in is Matchbox Superfast, and there have been some really unscrupulous individuals attempting to pass off rare pieces over the last few years. But then, as you say, there are really genuine and trustworthy individuals to be found too. I'm glad you liked David's Britains feature last month, and I hope you enjoy his concluding part in this issue just as much.