CONTENTS
The Hornby-Dublo Reference Collection is arranged in lot order by box type as follows:
Pre-war
Post-war plain blue boxes ranging from pale blue, powder blue, royal blue to mid-blue
Blue striped boxes including blue striped picture boxes
Red striped boxes and plain red boxes
Late yellow and red and yellow and blue boxes
Thursday 24 October 1996 at 2.00 p.m.
Hornby-Dublo Catalogues and Literature Lot 601 - 627
Triang, Triang-Hornby and Hornby Railways Catalogues and Literature
Lot 628 - 639
Hornby-AcHO Catalogues Lot 641 - 643
Wrenn and Trix Catalogues and Literature Lot 644 - 647
Hornby Lot 648 - 652
Meccano Literature Lot 653 - 676
Various Makers Literature Lot 677 - 694
Figures Lot 695 - 731
Dinky Dublo Lot 732 - 754
Diecasts Lot 755 - 759
Wardie Master Models and Merit Lot 760 - 774
Triang Minic Ships Lot 775 - 785
Meccano Lot 786
Hornby 0 Gauge Lot 787 - 799
Bassett-Lowke, Exley and Bing 0 Gauge Lot 800 - 802
Bing Table Top Railway Lot 803 - 807
Trix Twin, Trix Express and British Trix Lot 808 - 818
Triang, Triang-Hornby Lot 819 - 859
Wrenn Lot 860 - 868
Various Makers 00 and H0 Gauge Lot 869 - 874
Märklin Lot 875 - 877
Hornby AcHO Lot 878 - 921
Friday 25th October 1996 at 10.30 a.m.
Pre-war Locomotives, Stock and Accessories Lot 1 - 49
Pre-war Wooden Buildings Lot 50 - 70
Post-war Locomotives, Stock and Accessories in plain blue boxes
Lot 71 - 155A
Tank Wagons in plain blue boxes Lot 156 - 171
British Railways, plain blue boxes Lot 172 - 201
Accessories, in plain blue boxes Lot 189 - 199
British Railways, mid-blue boxed sets Lot 202 - 209
British Railways, blue striped boxes, 1955-1964
Lot 210 - 329
British Railways, EDP and EDG Sets Lot 227 - 235
British Railways, P and G Series Sets Lot 265 - 269A
Friday 25th October 1996 at 2.00 p.m.
Accessories in blue striped boxes Lot 293 - 329
Two-rail red striped boxes and sets Lot 330 - 543
Late yellow and red and yellow and blue boxes Lot 544 - 570
GLOSSARY
Please print here.....
Special Glossary Notes
Some abbreviations from 'The Hornby-Dublo Story, 1938 - 1964' are used:
EPW - Early post-war wheel with squared back to wheel
EMC - Early metal coupling, here used to refer to all couplings with small heads, including LMC as defined in the book.
FMC - Final metal coupling with large head.
EPC - Large plastic coupling
NPC - Final thin Delrin coupling
To ensure fine condition, the collection has been catalogued and packed under the supervision of Anthony Bianco, then stored in atmospherically-controlled conditions. In excess of sixty Hornby-Dublo sets will be on display in the centre of the saleroom, but will not be available for handling; the rest of the Hornby-Dublo will be on display in special glazed, locked cabinets. Anthony Bianco will be available during the viewing period to assist with enquiries.
The footnote See Illustration refers to a black and white illustration of all or part of the lot
FOREWORD
When Anthony Bianco's Hornby-Dublo Collection is on display prior to the auction, collectors will witness remarkable material of a scope and quality never before seen in public. Only by re-visiting Binns Road in its heyday from 1938 to 1964 would it be possible to imagine seeing such a collection again.
Starting in 1970, Antony Bianco set himself the target of producing a definitive collection as part of the research for Mike Foster's master work, 'The Hornby-Dublo Story, 1938-1964'. To acheive this, literally many thousands of items passed through his hands, until his own rigorous standards of quality and condition were satisfied. Substantially complete by the early 1980s, his prodigious knowledge continued to grow, and further rarities were added to the collection, not to mention the superb Hornby AcHO collection, of a quality rarely seen in this country. Since the original formation of the collection, no items have been sold. With the exception of a pre-war scene, some duplicates and a layout retained for running, this then is the Bianco Hornby-Dublo Reference Collection offered in this catalogue. To bring pleasure to an even wider circle of collectors, a substantial selection of model railways, toys and literature by Meccano and other makers opens the sale.
Auctioneers normally advise against restoration of items, but there are exceptions to every rule, and this collection is one of them: Anthony Bianco and friends have expended thousands of man hours and a very considerable sum of money to ensure that in parting with twenty-five years of work that the contents of this sale are not only in superb cosmetic condition, but all the locomotives of all makes are serviced to run smoothly and re-magnetised where necessary (with the exception of a few Trix locomotives). Hornby-Dublo locomotives also come with instructions, guarantees and tested tags, and all Hornby-Dublo items are in original boxes unless otherwise stated.
He has used only the highest standards of archival, reversible restoration; in many cases the areas concerned are minute in size, so it has been mentioned in the catalogue where plainly noticeable. As a matter of principle, any replacement or reconstruction necessary has been carried out using original Meccano materials of the same period and quality; an exception is the fitting of early post-war wheels to some pre-war locomotives and stock. Even prior to restoration, the condition of the collection was remarkable; but certain pieces, such as pre-war or two-rail sets, were almost impossible to find with absolutely perfect boxes. Nevertheless, it is hard to imagine seeing a more impressive display and sale ever again.
INTRODUCTION
by Michael Foster
It was twenty-six years ago now that the author of 'The Hornby-Dublo Story', Michael Foster, responded to an advertisment by Anthony Capo-Bianco for Dublo trains. A friendship developed. One of our aims was to jointly catalogue the variations and entire production of the Hornby-Dublo range of model railways, then to publish the results.
The Meccano empire as such had grounded a few years earlier in 1964. Models were really quite inexpensive then - 'Barnstaples' and 'Dorchesters' at 30/- each (only (1.50) for example. As models came into focus, the smaller production runs became harder to find; prices escalated due to demand - the fever of collecting had begun.
Fellow enthusiasts joined the team: John Callow, John Marr and Alan Ellis. The task took eight years to complete - and a further two years to publish the resulting book. April 1980 saw the launch by New Cavendish Books of the Hornby-Dublo Story as No. 3 in that ever-successful Hornby Companion Series. Today, sixteen years after publication, sees the book still selling - 50,000 copies to date. The Railway Book Club states it has been their most successful book ever, with reviews saying that it set new standards in presentation and content.
From this start back in 1970, Anthony Capo-Bianco has been constantly adding to his collection, improving the quality and range. It is regarded as the most comprehensive known, and accepted as perhaps the finest in quality and condition. Virtually all of this then is the collection now to be sold - the boxed sets, the individual boxed locomotives, coaches, rolling stock, accessories, buildings, signals,
catalogues and spares. To complete your collection and find that
elusive item, or start from scratch - here is your opportunity.
For accuracy, for play value, for reliablity - the Hornby-Dublo range
of models railways, covering the final years of steam, will come to be regarded as perhaps the greatest range produced in the 20th Century -
a fitting souvenir of a day and age of quality now gone.
Many of the models in this sale were used to create the photographs
used in the Hornby-Dublo book. The 0-6-2 Tank Locomotive variations shown on Pages 84 to 85 are a show-stopper.
Come then, visit the preview. Identify the items of your choice and enjoy the fun of bidding at the auction. Sample the breathtaking quality of the Bianco Hornby-Dublo Reference Collection, now being sold after twenty-six years - like a good meal, you cannot eat it twice. The sense of achievement in its creation is complete. On to pastures and themes new....
HORNBY-DUBLO CATALOGUES AND LITERATURE
The condition of most items in this section is good; some 1963-1964 period material is Excellent, some 1950s material fair. Damage is listed wherever noted. Leaflets listed at the end of most lots are Meccano and Hornby Railway Company items.
Catalogues:
Details
Catalogues:
1938-1939, 'The Perfect Table Railway', dated 9.38, 1954, both colour, Meccano 'Toys of Quality' - March 1951 and September 1952, monochrome, 2nd issue blue Hornby Dublo catalogue, code 2/1238/50 (repaired)
See Colour Plate (5)
1938-1939, 'The Perfect Table Railway', dated 9.38, 1954, both colour, Meccano 'Toys of Quality' - March 1951 and September 1952, monochrome, 2nd issue blue Hornby Dublo catalogue, code 2/1238/50 (repaired)
See Colour Plate (5)