DC TOYS: October 2013

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Diecast Info

http://finance.detik.com/read/2013/11/01/094643/2401311/4/diecast-mainan-yang-makin-menggila?9911012

ENCYCLOPEDIECAST

Die-cast toy

The term die-cast toy here refers to any toy or collectible model produced by
using the die casting method. The toys are made of metal and plastic, the metal
used commonly is ZAMAK (or Mazak), an alloy of zinc and aluminium. Zamak is also
referred to as white metal or pot metal. The most common die-cast toys are scale
models of automobiles, aircraft, construction equipment and trains, although
almost anything can be produced by this method.

A Die Cast Boeing 747 model in 1:400 scale.

Diecast (or die cast, or die-cast) toys were first produced early in the 20th
century by manufacturers such as Meccano (Dinky Toys) in the United Kingdom and
Dowst Brothers (Tootsietoys) in the United States. The first models on the
market were basic, consisting of a small car or van body with no interior. In
the early days it was common for impurities in the Zamak alloy to result in
metal fatigue; the casting would crack or decompose for no apparent reason. As a
result, diecast toys made before World War II are difficult to find in good
condition.

Lesney began making diecast toys in 1947. Their popular Matchbox 1-75 series was
so named because there were always 75 different vehicles in the line, each
packaged in a small box designed to look like those used for matches. These toys
became so popular that "Matchbox" was widely used as a generic term for any
diecast toy car, regardless of who the actual manufacturer was.

The popularity of diecast toys as collectibles developed in the 1950s, as their
detail and quality increased. Consequently, more companies entered the field,
including the Corgi brand, produced by Mettoy, which appeared in 1956 and
pioneered the use of interiors and clear plastic windows in their models.

In 1968, Hot Wheels were introduced in the United States by Mattel, to address
the complaint that they had no line of toys for boys to balance their line of
Barbie dolls for girls. Because they looked fast and were fast (they were
equipped with a low-friction wheel/axle assembly), Hot Wheels quickly gained an
important niche in the diecast toy market, becoming one of the world's top
sellers and challenging the Matchbox 1-75 series in popularity.

During the 1960s various companies began to use diecast vehicles as promotional
items for advertising. The idea that children can play a large part in a family's
decision as to what products to buy came into wide circulation. In addition, by
the 1980s it was apparent that many diecast vehicles were being purchased by
adults as collectibles, not as toys for children. Companies such as McDonald's,
Sears Roebuck, Kodak, and Texaco commissioned toymakers to produce promotional
models featuring their names and logos, or licensed their use. One early example
was an American Airlines London bus produced by Matchbox, an idea other some
airlines quickly copied.

Beginning in the mid '70s trucks and other commercial vehicles took a lion's
share of the diecast market. Matchbox started the trend when they re-launched
their Models of Yesteryear range. They made a score of different versions of
their Y-12 Ford Model T van, along with other trucks in colorful liveries such
as Coca-Cola, Colman's Mustard, and Cerebos Salt. They also made promotional
versions for Smith's Crisps (potato chips) and Harrod's department store. Some
models were made exclusively for certain markets and immediately became quite
expensive elsewhere: Arnott's Biscuits (Australia) and Sunlight Seife (soap,
Germany) are examples.

Corgi copied this idea when they expanded the Corgi Classics line in the mid-'80s,
producing more than 50 versions of a 1920s era Thornycroft van. Some collectors
disparaged this development as "collecting paint," as the castings were
identical; only the decorations were different. Other collectors created what
they called the "10-Foot Rule" when the collecting of minor variations of the
same vehicle got out of hand. The idea was that, if you couldn't differentiate
between two versions of a model from 10 feet away, it wasn't worthwhile to
collect both of them.

Despite their popularity, many diecast manufacturers went belly-up in the 1980s.
Meccano (Dinky), Matchbox, and Corgi all went bankrupt within a three-year span,
which essentially reflected the economic climate in the UK at that time. It had
become virtually impossible to manufacture in England and compete on the world
market. (Mattel had also long since shifted most of their production from the
USA to the far east.) Matchbox was purchased by a Hong Kong conglomerate named
Universal Holdings, which moved production from England to Macau. Later (1997),
Mattel bought Matchbox, essentially making Hot Wheels and the Matchbox 1-75 line
sister brands. The two brands continue to sell under their own separate names.

Meanwhile, Corgi had been acquired by Mattel, which moved the office from
Swansea, Wales to Leicester, England, and moved manufacturing to China. Matchbox
also bought the Dinky Toys name, long after the Liverpool factory was closed.
Manufacturing resumed in China. In a series of subsequent shifts, a group of
Corgi executives bought back the Corgi Classics line from Mattel, and portions
of the Matchbox line were sold to an Australian company named Tyco (no relation
to the Tyco line of HO scale trains, originally made by Mantua Metalworking in
New Jersey, USA).

Effectively from the ashes of Matchbox's bankruptcy arose Lledo, a company
created by former Matchbox partner Jack Odell. Odell believed that British
collectibles for British collectors could still be profitably produced in
England. Lledo took over part of the Matchbox factory in Enfield, and introduced
their "Models of Days Gone" line of diecast vehicles in 1983. The first series
of Days Gone models included re-makes of some of the most popular and respected
first and second-generation Matchbox Models of Yesteryear. Lledo models were
very popular collectibles in the '80s, leading to a period of diversification (incl.
the Vanguards line of classic post-war British vehicles), but by the '90s they
were eclipsed by other brands, and by 2002 Lledo went broke. Parts of their line
were purchased by Corgi, which moved production to China.

In addition to trucks, Corgi produced hundreds of versions of their 1/64 scale
Routemaster bus in the '80s and '90s. Like other collecting and promotional
model trends, it started as a trickle and soon became a flood. Many versions
were made to be sold exclusively in the stores whose advertising appeared on the
buses. Harrods, Selfridges, Gamley's, Hamley's, Army & Navy, Underwood's, and
Beatties were among the British stores employing this idea. A South African
chain called Dion was one of the few overseas firms to follow suit.

Then 1/76 scale buses became very popular in Britain in the late '80s and early
'90s, with competing lines from Corgi (the Original Omnibus Company) and Gilbow
Holdings (Exclusive First Editions, or EFE) fighting for the market. The 1/76
scale fits in with British 'OO' scale model trains.

By the 1990s NASCAR enjoyed increasing popularity and a large number of racing-related
Nascar diecast cars and trucks, painted in the colors of the different racing
teams, appeared from various manufacturers. Racing Champions was a leading brand
of such models, but there were many others.

In addition to cars, trucks, buses, agricultual implements, and construction
equipment, diecast aircraft and military models were popular. While Dinky had
made such models decades earlier, new companies entered the field in the '80s
and '90s. One producer was Dyna Flites, which went bankrupt in the 1990s, but
their market share was quickly taken up by their competitors, including Schabak,
Gemini Jets, Herpa, and Dragon Wings.

Main article: List of scale model sizes

1:50 scale and 1:48 scale metal diecast models together

Die-cast toys and models come in various scales, the most popular ones being:

1:12 scale - Very large models usually about 14 or 15 inches long often targeted
at adults who are more into serious collecting and high detail. These models are
generally much more expensive than the 1:18 models.

1:18 scale - Large models usually about 7 or 8 inches long, often targeted at
adults

1:24 scale - Similar to G scale Nascar Cars],which are 1:22.5 scale, extremely
popular in America

1:32 scale - Intermediate size most common for vintage cars and model tractors

1:43 scale - made popular by Dinky and Corgi, the most popular scale with model
car collectors internationally - similar to O scale model trains

1:48 scale - aircraft sold in this scale to match plastic model kits - same as O
scale model trains

1:50 scale - trucks, buses, construction equipment, promotional models, military
vehicles - similar in size to O scale model trains

1:55 scale - used by Siku and Disney Pixar Cars Die-Cast Line by Mattel

1:60 scale - the scale of the immensely popular pre-war and post-war military
vehicles series by Dinky Toys (including military Dinky Supertoys)

1:64 scale - popular for farm models and American model trucks. Matchbox, Hot
Wheels and model Nascar cars are nominally this size.

1:72 scale - A growing scale for military die-cast AFV's

1:76 scale - highly detailed mainly British buses and lorries such as those by
EFE and Corgi OOC HO scale model trains

Accessories

Items such as toy restaurants and filling stations are sometimes sold separately
from the cars, to be used as playsets. Toy raceways are also sold for use with
die-cast cars, which have become more complicated in recent years, usually
involving loops and complicated curves. Also produced are carry cases made
specifically for children to be able to travel with their cars.

List of die cast toy brands

Abrex: Czech firm, Škoda models

Action

American Highway Legends (AHL) - see Hartoy and Tonkin

Altaya : publisher of European partworks which include models vehicles

AUTOart : High quality range of model cars in 1:18, 1:43 and 1:64

BBR

Bburago

Bandai

Bang : Italian-made range of 1:43 European sports cars

Brooklin Models - handbuilt 1/43 white metal models (with sub-brands Lansdowne,
RobEddie, U.S. Model Mint, International Police, Buick Collection '34-'39)

Brookfield Collectors Guild

Buby

BuddyL

Checkered Flag Sports

Cigar Box

Classic Carlectables

CMC

Code 3 : American range of emergency vehicles in 1:64 scale

Conquest - handbuilt 1/43 white metal models

Conrad: Germany maker of construction, truck and bus models in 1:50 scale

Corgi

Crescent Toys

Crown Premiums: Manufacturer of diecast promotional cars and trucks

DA Graphics

Danbury Mint- primarily 1/24 scale models

DG Productions

Diapet: Japanese cars, mostly in 1/40 scale.

Die Cast Promotions (F.F. Ertl III)

Dinky Toys : Classic toy cars made in England and France

Dragon Armor

Dragon Wings

Durham Classics - handbuilt 1/43 white metal models

Dyna Flites

Ebbro : Quality range of modern and classic Japanese cars

Efsi

Eligor

Ertl

Exclusive First Editions

Exoto

First Gear

Fairfield Mint

Franklin Mint - High-priced collector models, primarily in 1/24 scale

Forces of Valor

Gear Box

Gemini Jets

Golden Wheel

GreenLight Collectibles

Great American Dream Machines - handbuilt 1/43 white metal models of mid-20th
century Detroit showcars

Guisval

Hartoy : Range of 1:64 American trucks

Herpa : German-produced range of plastic vehicles in 1:87 scale

Hobby Master

Hot Wheels

Husky/Corgi Juniors/Corgi Rockets

Ixo : Varied range of quality models in 1:43 scale

Jada Toys

JLE Scale Models (Joseph L. Ertl)

Joal : Spanish range of mostly construction vehicles

Johnny Ligntning

Jouef

Kaden - Czech firm, Škoda models

K-Line

Kyosho

Liberty Classics

Lion Car

Lledo: Models of Days Gone, Vanguards

Lego

Madison - handbuilt 1/43 white metal models (from Conquest)

Maisto

Majorette

Matchbox

Mercury: Italian Manufacturer

Minichamps

Minimarque 43 - handbuilt 1/43 white metal models

Motor City USA - handbuilt 1/43 white metal models (with sub-brands Design
Studio, American Models, USA Models)

Motorworks

Motorsports Authentics

MTH RailKing

Norev

NZG: German maker of construction models, trucks, buses in 1:50 scale

Ozlegends Manufacturer Of Australian Die cast models.

Penjoy

Plasticos Argentinos

Playart

Precision Engineered Models (PEM) - see Hartoy and Tonkin

Precision Miniatures: Manufacturers of Quality 1:18 Scale Diecast Model Cars

Quartzo

Racing Champions

RCCA

Revell

Red Line

Rextoys

Road Champs

Schabak

Schuco

Siku

Solido

Spa Croft Models

Spark Model

SpecCast

Spot-On : 1960's British range in constant 1:42 scale

Team Caliber

Tekno

Tomica: Japanese diecast, about Matchbox size.

Tonkin : high grade models of American trucks in the unusual 1:53 scale

Tootsietoys

Trax : Australian model cars in 1:43 and 1:24

Trofeu: Made in Portugal, 1/43 scale range specialising in rally cars

TWH Collectibles: Museum class replicas. 1/50 Scale

UT Models

Western - handbuilt 1/43 white metal models (with sub-brand Small Wheels)

Winner's Circle

Winross

Vitesse: Wide range of 1/43 scale European and Japanese cars.

Yatming

Von Dutch

STC SENAYAN LT.1 NO 53-54, Jalan Asia Afrika Jakarta Pusat

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Diecast Info

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OUR STORE

STC SENAYAN Lt.1 NO.53-54

SCALE 1:12/1:18/1:24/1:43/1:64/1:72/1:87

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