Category:Budgie Toys

Toy Brands and Manufacturers

Budgie Toys

1959 -

1961: Catalogue cover [image info]

1961: Catalogue introduction [image info]

1963: Catalogue showing the new "Budgie Models" , and emphasising Guiterman as the new owners [image info]

1965: Budgie Models are really wonderful [image info]

1966: "Popular Budgie Models and Accessories" [image info]

1966: Gift Set No.5 [image info]

The Budgie Toys ("They Speak For Themselves") brand appeared in 1959, applied by the distributor/manufacturer Morris and Stone (Morestone) to a new range of diecast toys.

Most of the history of Budgie Toys is essentially the history of Morestone.

Morris and Stone learn how to brand

The new range was more properly thought-out than the previous Morestone- and Modern-series branded diecast vehicles. The sound of the name "Budgie Toys" resonated with the names of two existing ranges of diecast toys from other manufacturers, Dinky Toys and Corgi Toys, and while the name wasn't close enough to cause confusion, it was similar enough to resonate and be memorable. The "Budgie" brand marked a new level of professionalism in how the firm did business, and was a vast improvement on the earlier slightly amateurish approach of simply using a contraction of the founders' names ("Morestone" = "Morris and Stone"), and hoping that the result would appeal to children and toyshop buyers. Where the Morestone logo was a blue diamond, the Budgie logo was a budgerigar.

Also, where the "Morestone" and "Modern" diecast toy vehicles seemed to have simply been named, the Budgie range actually had model numbers, suggesting that this was an actual range that had been conceptualised as a meaningful product range, rather than just a random-ish set of toys that someone had at some point decided might be sellable individually. The Budgie range had identity, suggesting that Morestone had finally learned the lesson of what Meccano Ltd. had been doing right with Dinky Toys since the 1930s.

Developments

The larger toy business S. Guiterman and Co. Ltd. took over the range in 1961, but around five years later Guiterman went bust, with a more limited part of the range then being distributed by souvenir specialists H. Seener Ltd.

Starcourt then took over production in around 1983.

After this point the mixture of companies, products, facilities and agreements gets even more confusing, but one notable company to eventually emerge from the mix was Oxford DieCast.

1961 descriptions

Budgie Toys "Speak for Themselves"

Budgie Toys have already established themselves as firm favourites with children of all ages and with grownups too. Their popularity is based on three essential factors.
They are precision diecast models, sturdy in build and accurate in scale and detail. Strikingly finished in brilliant stove enamel colours they will stand up to constant usage and, besides giving endless pleasure to the very young, are ideal for use with road safety instruction and other panoramic models.
They provide an interesting authentic range of vehicles in every-day use and make an ideal collection for mechanically minded youngsters. New additions from time to time, produced in close collaboration with the vehicle manufacturers, keep the range in line with transport development.
They are modest in price which brings them within popular reach and makes them an ideal choice for presents. Each model is separately packed in a distinctive Budgie box carrying an illustration of the contents and with an attractive colour brochure which shows a selection of other Budgie models available.

Miniature Toys have an attraction of their very own, and the 250 Series of Budgie Miniatures are ideal baby brothers of the main range.
Diecast and attractively finished in bright colours, each model is delivered in a bubble pack on a distinctive Budgie card and is fully visible to the prospective purchaser. Very modest prices make these models a popular out-of-pocket purchase and add considerably to the fascination of collection building.

1966 description:

Budgie models are made in die-cast metal. They are true to life, well detailed and beautifully finished. The list of models gives some idea of the large range available and the numbers shown against each item will be found most useful when ordering. Budgie models are also obtainable in Gift Sets. These contain a selection of the most popular models in well-finished, attractive boxes with slide-off lids.