First up, at Vectis Auctions of Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees in north-eastern England on September 6, is the mouth-watering Steve Bonney collection. Then, down in the south-eastern corner, on September 19 C&T Auctions tempt bidders with the Parodi family ensemble of nearly 2500 pieces.
Bonney has been buying Dinky for more than 30 years but has now decided to part with his extensive collection and it is being offered in “more than 700 lots of British Dinky cars, commercials, buses and military vehicles, offered mainly in their original boxes, where applicable” (early Dinky cars were not retailed in individual boxes but sold in trade cartons of six to the retailer).
Vectis dubs this “one of the finest Dinky Toy Collections to be sold in recent years” and it includes scarce and sought-after items.
Trucks in particular are at the highest estimates. One highlight is a 'Sweeteners for Industry' Leyland Octopus Tanker, which was produced in 1963-64 only as a promotional piece and given away in a plain box with a lemon bottom and white lid. Only 550 of these pieces were made. It is estimated at £4000-5000.
A Dinky No.505 Foden (1st type) 8-wheel Flat Truck with Chains - maroon cab, chassis, back and ridged hubs with black treaded tyres, silver flashes, tow hook – is estimated at £5000-6000. This was previously sold by Vectis on April 9, 2003, for a world record price (for post-war Dinky) of £12,000 including buyer’s premium. The buyer back then? Bonney himself, who bought many of his Dinky vehicles at Vectis.
He says on the Vectis website: “I loved the adrenaline rush that came from paddling at a live auction and in April 2003, reached what was probably the high point in my collecting career when I was the winning bidder on the 505 Foden First Cab Chain Lorry in maroon.
“When the hammer went down, I remember there being a brief round of applause. I was slightly shocked to have won and the whole episode felt like an out of body experience. Later in the week, the Daily Mail took great delight in pointing out that the auction price was higher than the showroom price of a Mini Cooper, which at least could be driven away. How little they understood…”
Italian Dinky collection
The Parodi family collection sale at C&T moves the collecting action to Italy. Auctioneer Glen Chapman says: “The Parodi name is synonymous with Dinky toys and Italy, the family being the sole importers of Meccano and Dinky produces into Italy from 1916 to the closure of the Binns Road factory in 1978.
“Alfredo Parodi ran an importing business in Genoa when in 1915 a client showed him a Meccano set which he was most impressed with, Alfredo contacted Frank Hornby who, together with his wife, visited Signor Alfredo Parodi and a lifelong partnership began.”
The business was handed down through the family line continuing after the Second World War with Alfredo’s son Edilio at the helm, and he was joined by his two sons Giambi and Arturo in the 1970s.
Chapman adds: “Arturo, having a great passion for Dinky toys, started to form the collection that C&T is now proud to be offering in two dedicated sales.”
The first is scheduled for September 19 at the Spa Hotel, Royal Tunbridge Wells. The second slice will be on February 14, 2018.
The collection, consigned by family, consists of nearly 2500 pieces mostly from the mid-1950s through to the late 1970s including both French and English Dinky toys covering all aspects of vehicles produced: commercials, cars, military, emergency, film and television and public transport.
