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Volume X, Last Updated March 21, 2007 |  |
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Blue Box Toys |
Everyone has heard of Matchbox. Many are familiar with Cigar Box models
by Aurora. Best Box of Holland is known by collectors of interesting European
toy cars. Blue Box Toys is perhaps one of the least known of the 'box' named
models in small-scale.
Blue Box Toys FTY LTD of Macau was one of the players in the small-scale
toy car market in the mid-1980's. Their castings date from 1986, according
to the bases of some of the models. Models may carry the number 3536 but
it turns out that this same number was used for a variety if not all of
the toy car line. The most interesting feature of all Blue Box models is
that the rear wheels have a gear that clicks when the car is rolled, sounding
a bit like a duck call. Perhaps this sound was intended to be motor-like.
If you ever pinned a playing card to the spokes of your bike as a kid, you
know the sound. All the models have racing numbers and the rear windows
are all solid metal. They have no interiors and windows are tinted blue.
All carry the distinctive star wheels shown here.
The number of models produced is not known but 20 have been identified below.
I first found them in Woolworths in about 1987. Since then I have picked
them up when found at toy shows. The ten castings shown below are all I
have at present although I could swear that I also had a Jaguar XJ-S at
one time. Ten additional models have been identified by readers and images
are shown below my models. If you have more models from Blue Box to share
with readers, let me know.
Of these 20 models, all represent contemporary cars of the 1980's except
for two of the American models. For some reason, Blue Box reached back to
the 1950's for these cars. None of these models appear to be licensed and
the names are not identified on the base. Values are low and loose examples
in mint condition go for about a dollar with rough examples found in the
25 cent box. It is unlikely they will ever be seriously collected but the
quality is good and they do represent realistic cars. I have not seen any
of these castings appear under the name of another manufacturer and as far
as I know, this was the only small-scale toy car line from Blue Box Toys.
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