Paper Trail

by Douglas R. Kelly

 

Given the time and energy we spend pursuing antiquities and artifacts, it’s kind of surprising to me that we have a tendency to give short shrift to the supporting documentation of our hobby/passion/obsession. Some call these things ephemera, a term that I suppose does the job, but it doesn’t begin to describe the rush you can get from finding one of these rarities in an old box or on a dealer’s table.

The Edsel postcard (oversized at 7-7/8 inches long) has been in my collection for years, although I don’t own an example of the model. Ford Motor Company distributed AMT’s plastic promo model of the Pacer two-door hardtop when the full-size car debuted in 1958, giving a model for free to individuals who came in and took the Edsel for a test drive. Apparently, the turquoise and white version was the one they chose for the promotion, and they gave away a lot of them. So much so that, today, the turquoise and white version is by far the most common AMT Edsel Pacer that turns up. It nonetheless is a superb model of Ford’s ill-fated car, and I just love the postcard … over the years, I’ve had it framed and hanging on the wall and I think it’s the ultimate “go-with” item. Except that, you know, I don’t actually own an example of the AMT. Yet.

The page from the Kilgore catalog showing the cast iron four-inch toy cars is actually from a reprint of a 1933 Kilgore catalog that was distributed by the Antique Toy Collectors of America. It’s fair to say that the number of original 1933 Kilgore catalogs in existence can be counted on one hand (maybe two), so being able to hold and page through even a reprint version is a treat. What’s really fascinating about this piece is that 1933 was the beginning of the “golden age” of small metal toy cars, with Tootsietoy debuting its Graham series and Meccano hitting its stride with its early Dinky Toys (although the name Dinky wouldn’t be introduced until 1934 or so).

The Kilgore catalog shows us the products that the Ohio-based toy maker intended to use to do retail battle with Tootsietoy and Meccano, and they were beautiful little cars that featured nickel-plated radiators and real rubber tires. Kilgore also made larger (around 6-3/4 inches) iron toy cars and trucks, which also are shown in the 1933 catalog. Finding early Kilgores in any kind of decent condition is a huge challenge as the vast majority that turn up today are missing paint and have a lot of dents and dings, so seeing them here, in perfect condition, is a little surreal.

Several issues back (August), we grooved on space toys, including Mattel’s 1960s line, Major Matt Mason. A few years ago I stumbled across a catalog for Matt and company that I’d never seen before and quickly coughed up the asking price. The copyright date on the cover is 1967, the year after the major made his debut, and the catalog shows the various toys you could drool over and beg your parents for – a space crawler vehicle, a moon suit, even a three-level space station. If I’d seen this paper treasure in 1967, I’d have been (even more) impossible to live with, so probably just as well.

 

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Douglas R. Kelly is the editor of Marine Technology magazine. His byline has appeared in Antiques Roadshow Insider; Back Issue; Diecast Collector; RetroFan; and Buildings magazines.