CASTING A LOOK OVER TOY CARS

-PRESS RELEASE-

Diecast Toy Cars of the 1950s & 1960s, a new book by Andrew Ralston provides a comprehensive overview of vintage diecast toy cars and the companies that made them during the 1950s and 1960s. A collectors guide on what has become an increasingly popular hobby over the last 25 years.

As well as examining the major names such as Dinky Toys, Corgi Toys and Matchbox (Great Britain), Solido (France), Tekno (Denmark) and Tootsietoy (USA), this book is unique in its coverage of many smaller and more obscure brands, not only from Europe or the USA but from countries as far afield as Japan, Israel and Argentina.

The book provides fascinating insights into the history of individual companies, accompanied by 300 photographs of rare examples, most of them with their original boxes. A further unique feature is the inclusion of a large selection of colourful and evocative illustrations from catalogues and period trade advertisements.

For the newcomer to the hobby, this volume will provide an ideal introduction to the history of the manufacturers active in this field, while experienced collectors will make many new discoveries.

The 128-page book is available now from bookshops or from www.veloce.co.uk.

THE AUTHOR
Andrew Ralston received his first Dinky Toy car, a Riley, when he was about five years old, and ever since has been passionately interested in anything to do with cars. He has built up an extensive collection of models, with a preference for the more unusual items, and has written many articles on the subject for magazines in Britain and the USA. Educated at the Universities of Glasgow and Oxford, Andrew is a teacher by profession and has also published numerous textbooks on the English language. He lives in Glasgow with his wife, Hazel, and daughter, Miranda.