Die-cast

Die-cast

Die-cast

Things are certainly different nowadays. Back in 1938, a typical average weekly wage for a manual worker was £5 - around the price of a new bicycle, wardrobe, double-bed with mattress, or the absolute pinnacle of Hornby's range of railway models, the 20- volt 'O' gauge 'Princess Elizabeth' Locomotive and Tender.

A small terraced house could be rented for 10/- a week (yes, that is 50p in present day parlance!) and the choice of goods of any kind on offer was extremely limited by today's standards. Children had to make do with very few new toys until a birthday or Christmas came along.

Die-cast

The usual practice in those far off days was to contribute to the local toy shop's 'Christmas Club'. Special presents could then be ordered in advance and paid for in small, weekly amounts. Shops would acquire the stock in plenty of time and store it away, wrapped in discreet plain paper, ready for the individual customer to collect a few days before the big event.

The excitement that this system generated in children at the time was incredibly intense.

Anticipating the nature of the gift that was certain to come was a thrill right the way through autumn for many kids. By the time the Christmas decorations started going up, it became nearly too much to bear! So what made the ideal Christmas gift for children, sixty years ago? Traditionally, the Christinas stocking was the means of making the gift more 'special'.

By putting individual items together, there was a greater feeling of 'completeness'.

Die-cast

Having many parts means additional play-value while the overall gift seems greater. This is perhaps one reason for the popularity of jigsaw puzzles, constructional toys and kits, and 'outfits' of various kinds.

They were certainly popular with parents; this kind of toy would keep the kids amused for most of the festive season! Perhaps the most desired of these for many boys (and, apparently, some girls) with better-off parents, was the Train Set. Bassett-Lowke's Trix Twin 'OO' gauge 'LMS' set would have cost six guineas then in its special presentation case but would fetch over two hundred pounds in auction today.

Die-cast

Hornby Dublo was launched in 1938 and a set from their range may have been a more popular choice for an eager youngster. Both clockwork and electric power Were available and sets ranged from £3 to £10. The locomotive type and livery are what govern the price today, sets in auction this year achieving anything from £300 to over £1,000.

Meccano is the most important name in the field of constructional toys and has been around for more than ninety years. What boy never dreamed of owning a 'No. 10 Set in Wooden Cabinet? But for parents with little money, a No.l or No.2 Set was just the thing for a Christmas gift.

The bonus for them was that a lower-priced Accessory Set then solved the subsequent birthday gift problem at a stroke! 'Dinky Builder' sets, introduced after the war, were quite simple in their design and were intended for a younger child who perhaps wasn't quite ready for nuts, bolts and gears. Brightly coloured steel panels had edges rolled into hinge-like lugs through which rods of various lengths were pushed to connect them.

Die-cast

And surely everyone remembers Bayko Building Sets littering the Christmas carpet? They also used rods as connectors, but much more detail and flexibility were designed in, providing huge play-value. A good range of accessory packs ensured a continued interest and use of the system, a fact evidenced by the present-day difficulty of finding even a half-decent example of a boxed set.

Even more sophisticated, Spot-on 'Arkitex' Sets produced in the 1960s were particularly inventive and provided quite a challenge for a young builder. Very realistic plastic mouldings and clever connectability were features of this system.

Maybe they were too complex or a bit too expensive, but the fact remains that, while nowhere as common as Bayko, this Tri-ang product sometimes turns up at swapmeets in quite nio condition. If you see it, buy it - ifs a classic.

Die-cast

Among the earliest Dinky Toys Sets were figures intended to enhance model railways. Passengers, Railway Staff, Railway Engineers and other Accessory Sets often featured as stocking fillers, if not as main presents.

A few shillings before the war; over £100 now. Dinky Toys Gift Sets containing selections of cars or aircraft have always been the most sought after. No. 24 (renumbered 249) Racing Cars Set from the early 1950s was a super present, a good example in 2014 reaching around £1,000. The famous No. 36 Motor Cars Set with Drivers, Passengers and Footmen (1936-40) could easily set you back £8,000 these days.