Queen Mary ocean liner (Dinky Toys 52)

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Exhibit

Queen Mary ocean liner (Dinky Toys 52)

Dinky Toys 52 hull No. 534 (Queen Mary).jpg Dinky Toys 52 (Queen Mary) (i)
BTMM map 035.gif
location:
Arch Four , Area 35
Toy and Model Boats (display)
Shelf 3
1935


DinkyShip

Dinky Toys No. 52 b: Google
Meccano Ltd.
–


A very early diecast Dinky Toys "Queen Mary ocean liner model, from around 1935, complete with a correspondingly early box.

The liner was named and launched in 1934, and went into service in 1936.

Dating

The Queen Mary model was one of the very earliest Dinky Toys, and we can see that this is one of the very earliest production runs of the model for a number of reasons:

  1. The box cover art doesn't actually name the ship, and instead refers to it as The Cunard-White Star Liner "No 534". When work started on the Queen Mary back in 1931, she was given the designated hull number 534, and probably didn't officially become RMS Queen Mary until her launch (and naming ceremony) in 1934. So the cover art for the box lid was probably finalised not later than 1934. The box artwork was later revised.
  2. The box cover art lists the number as being just "52". In the 1935 catalogue, 52a was the Queen Mary with the underside fitted with rollers, 52b was the Queen Mary without, and 52c was the Normandie liner (the QM's main competitor) so this version of the box art was presumably finished before the Normandie model was added to the series, or at least, before the Normandie's numbering was finalised.
  3. The interior box art does name the ship, but says "MECCANO DINKY TOYS. 150 VARIETIES". "150" is a very low number that would seem to correspond to the earliest publicity material for when the Dinky range was first launched, circa 1934.

However, although this item appears to use the very first batch of packaging, it's still possible that the packaging might have been made in advance of the actual models.

Catalogue images

1934 advertising - Note that the ship's final name still doesn't appear in the advert (it's still being referred to by its hull number, "534")
1935 catalogue image, now with the ship's final name
1936 advertising, as the ship's publicity came into full steam


See also:

External links


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