Avro Vulcan Delta Wing Bomber 749

[RUSH2112]

I have a Avro Vulcan Delta Wing Bomber #749. It's really nice with no cracks or pieces missing. The red-blue-white round decals on the wings are missing but there are still traces of decals on the rudder portion. All the wheels are still in place although the axels are bent I assume from the toy being pushed down upon. Wings tips are squared off as they should be when they were made, from the research I have done. I understand some people alter the wing tips to clean up rough edges.

I don't collect Dinkey toys and I am looking for the best way to sell this toy. A consignment auction would be preferred.

BTW, I have been around antiques and toys long enough to know this is not a reproduction.

Any information will be helpfull and thanks in advance. Not interested in selling on ebay.

Tim / Canada

I may be able to provide digital pics next week should I buy a new camera.

[grwebster]

First of all I would not touch it in any way, if the new owner wants to put on new transfer decals, straighten the axles, etc, so be it, but leave it alone. Once you touch it, it will lose value.

Being from Canada is important provenance as that was the only retail outlet for the very limited run of Vulcans before Dinky gave up on aluminum castings for large aircraft. Most agree that only 500-550 examples were made.

there was a time that a Viulcan in this condition would sell at auction for $1000 on up, in fact some early discoveries were in the $1400-1500 range but today IMO it would get around $700 -750 in the USA, not much less and perhaps more depending......

As for US auction firms, the best auction house for this this item would be Morphy's IMO. They only handle rare and expensive toys and this would qualify. They have a huge staff of experts, and a moneyed audience, willing to pay top prices for top and rare items. Superb hard cover catalogs, and live internet bidding. Expect a 20% seller commission, perhaps if you can get it down, it may approach 15%.

You could also consider Vectis in the UK, who are the WW leaders in die cast toys and have a large buyers audience. Heavy internet sales. Time was that you could get moreover seas as the Pound Sterling is stronger than the $US. But recently Vulcans in a similar condition are selling for 520-570 pounds so you won't get much of a premium.

Let me know where you decide to consign it.

[RUSH2112]

Thanks for the usefull information, exactly what I was looking for. I have yet to decide which auction house but I am leaning towards the one in Britain.

I am not a Dinky collector and was only aware of this toy from an article I read a couple years ago. Its a great story.

I would assume there are many more out there yet to be discovered. I found mine at an estate auction in a showcase full of dinky toys, mostly military.

question:

were all #749 models aluminum or both?

is the #992 model rarer than the #749?

why were the model numbers changed?

[grwebster]

were all #749 models aluminum or both?
all were aluminum

is the #992 model rarer than the #749?
there wasn't a #992 produced even though the originally issued box had been printed only with this number and was never changed even when the final casting was finished. The currently available fake boxes that are excellent have # 749! Just so you know!

why were the model numbers changed?
The original model was to have been made in zamac, first numbered 703, then 707 and then 749. The early proposal used normal die casting material, ZAMAC, but shortages during the Korean war world wide restricted its availability so it was decided to make 749 in aluminum, even though Dinky's factories and die makers had little experience with a toy of that size all in aluminum.
The 992 number was assigned when Mecanno Dinky Toy's wanted to name their new issues SuperToys which all had a 900 number. In fact shop drawing of the Vulcan show the toy with Supertoy cast under the wing and the #992. It didn't happen but probably would have if problems during manufacturing hadn't surfaced requiring hand grinding the wing tips due to incomplete filling of the mold.
Because the acceptable models made up to that point were so limited it was decided to sell only in one small, contained market, Canada!

[grwebster]

there is another detail that has not been adequately explained. The found examples, all in aluminum, all weight differently.

[RUSH2112]

there is another detail that has not been adequately explained. The found examples, all in aluminum, all weight differently.

Thanks for that, the weight difference could have something to do with the hollowed out area on the wing, perhaps the depth of the hole changed during the manufacturing process.

[RUSH2112]

Well I finally got a camera and took some pics.

[grwebster]

tim, judging from your photos, it certainly looks like an original Vulcan. It is all there, and despite the flaking paint and played-with condition, I would not repaint it. One of the problems with repainting is that it could hide a broken reaped portion of the casting. Most collectors would want it in original condition.
I would expect to pay about 300-450$us for one in this condition if I were looking.