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40th Anniversary Collection
Catalogue information
LastDodo number
3316841
Area
Model cars
Title
40th Anniversary Collection
Brand
Manufacturer
Collection
Number
Car brand
Model
Variant
Type
Scale
Colour
Production year of the model car
1988
Number produced
First year of production original car
Country of origin of the model
China
Barcode / EAN / UPC
Dimensions
Details
In January 1947, two Ex-Servicemen and old friends Leslie Smith and Rodney Smith formed a Company to be called ‘Lesney Products.’ The name Lesney was derived from their Christain Names. The partners astutely anticipated the demand for domestic electrical components, and manufactured these for other companies.
The design and production of toys began mainly as a sideline when the Company was not busy, sub-contracting for toy companies. This gave the partners the confidence to produce their own toys which were then sold through toy factors. One such factor was John Kohnstam whose trade mark was ‘MOKO.’ By late 1948, the first toy – a road roller was produced followed by others. These early Lesney Toys were similar to Dinky Models.
The Company continued to produce toys and by 1953, stimulated by the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, models of the Coronation Coach were released. The success of these, particularly the Miniature, was so overwhelming that Lesney decided to scale down their larger toys to a miniature range. Packaged in a small box about the size, colour and a shape of a matchbox – the ‘Matchbox Series’ was born.