Customer Reviews

Corgi Juniors and Husky Models: A Complete Identification and Price Guide (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

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If this book didn't lie in the title and say it is a complete identification guide, (only a fraction of Corgi Junior & Husky vehicles are mentioned), I would have rated this book higher, as it's not a bad read. However, the publishers (Schiffer), or Bill Manzke the author, decided to use a sub title that, well there's no other way to put it than, is an out and out lie designed to mislead the segment of the public who are after a complete identification guide, to press the buy now button and hand over their money.

The book even constantly contradicts this title itself mentioning no one knows exactly how many variations of this model or that model were made due to various factors such as the loss of records in the fire that burnt down the Swansea factory in Wales. The constant changes to the product in the rush to get cars into the stores to fill the gap on the shelves, after the current line being useless after the track they were designed to be played on was banned by the courts after legal actions from Mattel over patent infringements. Different numberings on the exact same vehicles. Multiple different owners including a period where the company went bankrupt and some lines were produced under Hot Wheels brand who just bought the rights to those vehicles. The production of certain models with both the Johnny Lightning and Corgi base plates due to ownership at one time by the same parent company. The custom orders with unique logos put onto vehicles for a large range of businesses, many of which themselves have gone bankrupt. The fact that in Brazil due to tariffs Corgi models was manufactured there under the name Kiko Models. So a complete identification and price guide this book is not, but like I said it's not a bad read.

There is a lot of information on the history of the brand and the various companies who owned it. That history starts at the time period when Corgi introduced the smaller 1:64 models (what this guide is about) through British retailer Woolworth, in response to that chain wanting an exclusive product to get customers through its door. If you want to know more about the history of the company before this time check out books such as Corgi Toys by David Cooke. This book covers the Mattel Hot Wheels cars introduction into the market and more importantly their speed and loops tracks' impact on the Corgi line as well as the failed defence of Mattel's legal action after Corgi breached patent usage by building their own track. The problems the company faced by investing so much in their copy of the Hot Wheels fad and their problems trying to recover. The success of the brand over the years, as well as its failures are all in here. The company's reaction to action figures and videogames taking over from toy cars as the desired boys' toy and ridiculous diversion of funds to try and develop their own home computers (Dragon Computers) and compete with established companies in this market.

There's also heaps of nice colour photographs of corgi vehicles both still in their packaging and loose, there's even some photos of the patent infringing corgi tracks. It's not a bad book and any collector of die-cast vehicles should check it out. Would certainly have rated it higher if not for the unethical title.