Overview

Tin toys had been made in Japan before the second World War but they reached new heights of realism in the 1950s. The post-war American occupation of Japan gave Japanese toymakers ready access to the lucrative American toy market and as a result most of the tin toy cars made in this period were based on American vehicles like Cadillacs, Chevrolets, Buicks, Oldsmobiles and Packards. Like the real things, these tin toys were big. A small one would be around eight inches long, with some of the largest stretching to eighteen inches. As such, tinplate was the ideal medium to capture the look of American styling of the 1950s, a period when size mattered and car manufacturers tried to outdo each other with the extravagance of their designs, the size of their tailfins and the amount of chrome. During this era of consumerism, Japanese toy production was at its peak, with exotically-named manufacturers like Marusan, Bandai, Yonezawa and Alps turning out vast quantities of tin toys. It proved to be a short-lived phase in the history of toy production. By the early 1960s, tin toys were falling out of fashion for various reasons: their sharp edges gave rise to safety concerns; die-cast models were becoming increasingly realistic and sophisticated, with many action features that appealed to children; the development of plastics in the toy industry made tin toys look increasingly old-fashioned. Half a century later, there are very few surviving examples of these magnificent play things. Bruce Sterling of New York has devoted years to seeking out the very best examples of Japanese tinplate cars and has built up what is probably the world's finest collection of these toys, every one of them in pristine condition, complete with their original boxes which are works of art in themselves. This book showcases 150 examples of the very rarest tin toy cars, many of them never having been pictured in books or magazines until now. Almost every major American motor manufacturer is represented here, together with a selection of commercial vehicles and a significant number of European cars too. All are illustrated in full color and described in detail, and fascinating insights are provided into both the real vehicles and the companies who modelled them, together with a guide to rarity and current values. This is a book that will be treasured, not only by specialist collectors, but by all who are passionate about vintage toys and classic vehicles.

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9781845841263

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Reviews

Each car is treated to a clear photo and informative text. An interesting and informative publication. - Australian Classic Car<br>

Cars & Parts magazine, November 2008<br> US magazine <br> First and foremost; this book is an illustrated guide to the tinplate automobiles produced in Japan after World War II. As such, it is a priceless resource for collectors. Profiles of more than 100 of the rarest of these toys include background information on the manufacturers and degree of rarity. There is also a handy guide to identifying manufacturers and a price guide. This book is also a testimonial to one man's passion, as all of the toys featured are from the stunning collection of Bruce Sterling. Even more amazing is the fact that all of the cars featured are in mint condition with their original boxes! Another treat is to see that this collection is not limited to American-built automobiles such as Packard, Chevrolet, and Checker; mixed among these miniature legends of the highway are automobiles by foreign makes such as Fiat and Alfa Romeo. <br> I highly recommend this fascinating book. You might even consider it an investment that will pay for itself with one swap meet treasure find.

Author Information

Andrew Ralston received his first Dinky Toy car, a Riley, when he was about five years old, and ever since has been passionately interested in anything to do with cars. He has built up an extensive collection of models, with a preference for the more unusual items, and has written many articles on the subject for magazines in Britain and the USA. Educated at the Universities of Glasgow and Oxford, Andrew is a teacher by profession and has also published numerous textbooks on the English language. He lives in Glasgow with his wife, Hazel, and daughter, Miranda.

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