|
That
of the collector is a nasty disease. Sometimes it even starts
when you are a child, sometimes it develops in old age. I do
not know whether it is genetically inherited, but it is sure
that when it begins troubles arise. So, there are people who
collect bottle caps, packs of cigarettes, miniature bottles
and there are those who collect, lucky ones, classic cars and
works of art.
To be honest, I am a collector of vintage cars, those dating
back from the fifties and sixties, but I do not even own one,
both because I cannot afford it and I would not know where to
keep them. I can still keep myself informed and express my passion
to fulfill my dream in small scale. This is why I became one
of those who in English are called "avid collectors"
of cars, in other words I have been relentlessly infected by
the disease.
In designing the pages of this site I am perhaps contributing
to spread the disease. You know, diseases are often contagious
and are transmitted from one individual to another very quickly.
Typically, when one person contracts a disease he can transmit
it to others, but he remains immune when he comes into contact
with another sick person. With model cars it is not the case:
a collector who is already sick can get worse if he meets another
collector who is sicker than him, a "hyper-avid collector."
This happened to me recently.
I wanted to or, better said, I had to include in this web-site
some pages about Mebetoys, I’m referring of course to the pre-Mattel
period and I went to look for the necessary information. I do
not know why, but when I was a child I did not like Mebe cars:
I much preferred Politoys ones. Perhaps it was just due to the
fact that they arrived a few years later, when I was a collector
of small Politoys. Having not collected any car models since
then, I was obviously not informed at all. In recent years I
have purchased many of them, one better than the other, but
to be able to classify car models on a web site you need to
have a lot of data and many pictures: you have to be acquainted
with the evolution of the different models over time, the variations
of color, the combinations with the small boxes and so on.
Fortunately here in Sardinia, we have the Mebetoys expert (I
think he is an independent lecturer in mebetoyslogy) and as
we know each other very well I asked him to take some pictures
of some models in its collection and to provide me with some
useful data for a first classification (by A1 to A40). That
is how these pages were created. I will improve them over time
with more photos and news.
What about the disease? You can imagine, it got worse, much
worse. I asked him to photograph a 2600 Alfa and he showed me
the car in all colors. I asked him for a Fiat 1100R and I did
see eleven of them, all different. Same thing for all other
models. The photos will prove it. I've taken all the pictures,
but unfortunately, only part of them portray models from my
own collection.
However, I must thank my friend for his patience and for his
willingness in taking out the valuable models from the boxes,
replacing them, a delicate operation that he did himself, car
by car.
|
A bit of history
Mebetoys was
funded by the Besana Brothers and it takes its name from the
initials of Meccanica Besana, with the typical
addiction of the English word TOYS.
The first models were officially presented at the Toys Fair
of Milan in 1996. They were car-models made of zamak die casting,
very solid and well finished, as for details and painting.
Unlike the Politoys models, that could fully opened, Mebetoys
had initially a more limited number of openings, but a richer
range of colors, which made them resemble more to the models
of Mercury and to other products of the most highly-rated
foreign producers, such as Corgi Toys, Dinky Toys and Solido.
The first versions
were sold in a white box that portrayed the photo of the real
car. The color of the model could be checked through the typical
hole on the two sides of the box. Inside the car was fastened
with a spongy string that wrapped it and protect it from rubbing.
Later the box had a side window, with a “oven door” shape,
very delicate as it was made in the same transparent film
thermosealed on the external surface of the box. Even if the
car was still fastened with the spongy string, the edges of
the cars and even a slight bump could damage the window. For
this reason today it is difficult to find a Mebotoys with
a perfect box. When you find a box with a small window glued
from the inside it is for sure a repaired box.
In order to classify Mebetoys first you need to observe the
wheels, the base and the use of rhinestones as headlights.
In the specifications of the individual models will find many
useful information about this.
Number plates are also very important, of valuable workmanship
and very realistic, and have been numbered according to the
evolution of the models. But the plates can be easily replaced
or reproduced.
Below you will find the specifications of all models up to
1969. In 1970, Mebetoys was sold to Mattel. On another occasion
I will try classifying even later models.
|
