I saw this bundle recently on a well known auction house website, who specialise in toys, so I was very surprised to see this lot listed as a Project SWORD Re-Entry Task Force No.3, with vehicle, badge and manual.
The box is indeed for the red Task Force 3 but the yellow vehicle itself is a SWORD Scout 2.
No doubt an honest mistake but one that could have been avoided with some gold ol' scouting..
Have you got a Scout 2 readers? Has it got its missile and landing gear?
I recently caught an episode of Scouting for Toys, the TV documentary about the life and times of Vectis toy auctions in the UK. Vectis are possibly the biggest vintage toy auction house in the country.
The episode I saw was about Matchbox cars. A lifetime's collector of these cars was selling up and his entire collection was up for grabs. It included every model mint and boxed, together with unique one-offs and prototypes. A big deal even for Vectis and that really came through in the programme.
The seller, one Graham Hamilton, was treated like Matchbox royalty by the punters who turned up at the sale, shaking his hand and I even think I saw him signing something. In the world of Matchbox collecting Graham Hamilton is king!
The auction itself, or the highlights shown in the show, was exciting, largely because the buyers were clearly excited by this stunning collection, the amazing quality of everything and the scarcity of some prize items like a reversed colour recovery pick-up, which had everyone jumping.
When the hammer fell for the last time and the bids were totted up Mr. Hamilton had made a staggering half a million pounds! Clearly a huge sale for him and for Vectis too. He explained that he wanted a large American car to drive around in real life now and would use some of the dosh for that.
I enjoyed the show and will look for the others on repeat somewhere. Inevitably the toys themselves take second place towards the finale and it ends up being about the money but it is an auction house after all.
What do you think of Scouting for Toys?
I received this as an update today, Dinky TV Toys Space and Specials blog owner is on the new Vectis Scouting for Toys TV show in the Gerry Anderson bit. Way to go!
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| Vectis Auctions Ltd. Fleck Way, Teesside Ind. Est. Thornaby, Stockton on Tees, TS17 9JZ Tel: +44 (0) 1642 750616 Fax: +44 (0) 1642 769478 Unit 3, North Leigh Business Park, North Leigh, Witney, Oxon, OX29 6SN Email: admin@vectis.co.uk | |
Another fine old bundle on past Vectis sales, I was interested in the Star Force toy, which was wholly new to me. I assume the white space car with the two helmeted drivers on the left has come out of the Star Force box. Is it a toy line you know readers? What else would you like here?
| | Thursday 22nd - Tinplate & General Toy Sale Friday 23rd - Model Train Sale Thursday 29th - Matchbox Sale Friday 30th - Doll and Teddy Bear Sale |
| Thornaby Head Office +44 (0) 1642 750 616 Oxford Office +44 (0) 1993 709 424 |   |
| NEW TELEVISION SERIES ABOUT TOYS TO BE FILMED AT VECTIS Exciting news! We're letting the cameras in to make a brand new ten-part documentary series for UKTV called Scouting for Toys. For the next few months, a team from BBC Studios will be based here at our HQ in the northeast to explore the weird and wonderful world of toy collecting and toy auctions - and they'd love to hear from you. So, if you're a buyer, a seller, a collector, a dealer or an expert and you have an interesting "toy story" - or you know somebody who does - please get in touch. They are after anybody with a passion for toys, basically. We know it won't be everybody's cup of tea but you can have a friendly chat with them before committing to anything - they don't bite! Naturally, the real stars of the show will be the toys so if you are sitting on a treasure trove of rare items, or you've just found something in the attic and you want to get an expert opinion on it, why not get in touch? No story (or toy) is too big or small! If you're interested in taking part or want to find out more please feel free to get in touch with the Kirk at BBC team, or talk to one of us. Email: kirk.barber@bbc.co.uk | |
I used to love the Smash TV ad with the laughing robots. Well nestling in the gorgeous pile of figures and toys on Vectis are two Smash bots. One is a plastic toy and one is a bendy! What else would you like readers?
