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Learn about and understand the items, manufacturers, designers and periods as well as the specialist terms used in describing antiques and collectables. Either click one of the letters below to list the items beginning with that letter, or click on a category on the left side of the screen to list the items under that category.
Corgi toys
Corgi Toys were produced by Mettoy Playcraft from 1956. Made in Swansea, South Wales, they were named after the Welsh dog, the favourite breed of the Royal family. The name was short and snappy like that of their intended rival, Dinky, and both Mettoy and Playcraft were based in Swansea, Wales giving it added relevancy.
Die cast vehicles were of a very high standard and came with many attractive features – plastic windows (Dinky cars had open windows) and from 1959, spring suspension and detailed plastic interiors.
The early ’60s saw the introduction of ‘jewelled’ headlights and opening doors and boots.
One of the first ranges produced was the Chipperfield Circus range in 1960, and in 1964 the Corgi Classics range of veteran and vintage cars.
This focus on moving parts and features made Corgi the natural choice to produce James Bond’s gadget-packed Aston Martin DB5 in 1965, one of the most popular toys ever made with sales of nearly three million.
A host of other film-and television-related toys followed such as the Batmobile and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. car (1966) ; The Avengers’ Bentley and Lotus Elan and the Green Hornet’s Black Beauty (1967); Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and many others, including further Bond cars.
In 1970, Corgi introduced their Whizzwheels line to compete with Mattel’s hugely successful Hotwheels series.
As a result of competition, particularly from US company Mattel, and a fire at the Swansea factory the company got into financial difficulties in 1983, resulting in a management buyout the following year. Five years later, Corgi was acquired by Mattel, followed by another management buyout in 1995 and then the sale of the company to American collectables manufacturer Zindhart, which changed its name to Corgi International.
In 2008 Corgi International came back into British hands when it was acquired by Hornby Hobbies Ltd.