This was a Matchbox Mercedes 350SL in a former life.


Not only was it reinvented to be Made In Bulgaria... its now also a DINKY.

Very interesting ! Nice find.

That stamp said it all across the border.

and guess what guys...


I got another one in silvery-goldish color. The interior is so cheap it doesn't fit properly.

SInce the late 1980s, the Dinky name was owned by Matchbox, this seems to have been a use of the name in a territory where maybe it was better known than Matchbox? I have one of these in my collection too. It would be good to see one with its packaging intact to see how they were sold.

Matchbox-Tyco was from 1990-1996.


I don't trust the packaging these came in.

I have seen a few Matchbox that were packed and sold as Dinky. They come in the mini Dinky blister packs.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/9X-MATCHBOX-DINKY-TOYS-CORVETTE-PONTIAC-TOYOTA-CORVETTE-FIAT-VW-GOLF-MOC-/370607770539?pt=UK_ToysGames_DiecastVehicles_DiecastVehicles_JN&hash=item5649f1cbab#ht_2798wt_1270

These Matchbox models made in Bulgaria and sold as Dinky without Toys because Matchbox never owned the trade mark DINKY TOYS® are not documented. I would like to add something about them in the Encyclopaedia but I have so little information.

What I know is that they are a different line from the Mini Dinky and Small Dinky which were made in Hong-Kong, in Italy and the Netherlands.

Any large hi-res pictures and information about who made them, where, which models, packaging etc... will be most welcomed by email to save the quality of the pictures.

The only one I am aware of is this Mercedes. I have one in place metallic blue but it is packed away. I believe it was made during the Tyco period to try and ensure the retention of the Dinky (Toys) name. I know you disagree that Matchbox owns the rights to the Dinky Toys name but I do not believe that was the reason that 'toys' was left off these issues.
On the subject of trademark law, I cannot speak for the rest of Europe but in the UK a Trade Mark can only be protected as long as it used, and under that basis there is no challenge to Tyco (and latterly Mattel's) use of both the 'Dinky' and the 'Dinky Toys' name.
As a note of interest, Meccano themselves used the legend 'Dinky' rather than 'Dinky Toys' on some of the plastic box models in the 60s, and Corgi dropped the 'Toys' from the mid 70s. The issue seems to be more to do with changing fashions, and given that the more detailed model cars were aimed at older children and adults 'Toys' was deemed inappropriate.

Trademark laws also extend to the world and it was in the World Courts that won the day on who could use the name Dinky, Dinky Toys and whatever others may say I agree with you entirely Andyman77 on this subject as it has been written into law by court documents.

In 1971, Airfix Industries takes over Maofords Ltd for £ 2 000 000. Maofords is renamed Meccano (1971) Ltd.
General Mills buys Meccano France and the production is transfered from Bobigny to the Airfix factory in Calais.
The Bobigny factory is closed.
The trademark DINKY TOYS becomes DINKY® and has not been used until Mattel applied for it against common knowledge.
Did Airfix buy the then valuable Dinky Toys trademark or just the factory and registered the marque Dinky® to save money.

This is history. What happened since is trade and making easy money.

I have studied trade marks for a while and even registered one about twenty five years ago. It is a very complicated business and Mattel has probably found a gap in the regulations which can be interpreted in many ways. Who is going to chalenge them anyway.

RVREVO


The country of origin of both your Mercedes has been modified. Have these models been made with the marque Dinky in an other country before ?

Here is one more

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BULGARIA-LOT-3-DIE-CAST-MODELS-71-73-MERCEDES-350SL-MAZDA-RX500-DINKY-MATCHBOX-/270910745360?pt=Action_Figures_Diecast_US&hash=item3f1389eb10

There are several of them on eBay right now.

In 1985 General Mills then owner of Dinky, Dinky Toys, Meccano and Airfix who had purchased all those trade names had decided to withdraw from the Toy Market and sold off some of  the brand names assets like Meccano and Airfix. The Dinky, Dinky Toys names remained within the umbrella of General Mills Ltd ownership for a short while.  Then in 1986 Universal Toys Ltd's, the then owner of Matchbox acquired the Dinky and Dinky Toys names by lease from General Mills Ltd and later on became the owners of the Brand Names.   From Universal Toys Ltd ownership past onto Tyco Ltd and then to Mattel Inc.

Andyman7.  Has researched this part of the Dinky and Dinky Toys brand name history and has written on TC and PD many times about this certain subject. It fails me just to why you seemed to not grasp onto this part of the Dinky history that is also well documented on the Webb which is availible for anyone who wishes to find out more about this information in their search.

Hi Gunner,

I have also researched the history of the Dinky, Dinky Toys, Dinky Supertoys and Super Dinky marques for the Encyclopaedia. There is plenty of evidence that he marque Dinky Toys has not been used after the take over by Airfix in 1971 until Atlas launched their copies of Dinky in France in 2008.

It is not known yet why the marque Supertoys was not used between 1951 and 1955.

In 1957, there is a change in the design of the marque which is now written in slant characters.

In 1964 the French and English catalogues show the marque with the word TOYS half the size of Dinky and the USA catalogues show DINKY only without TOYS.

1965 is the last year when the marque DINKY SUPERTOYS is used. After Lines bought Meccano Ltd. the marque Supertoys disappeared.

In 1969 the marque became DINKY® Toys, the word "Toys" been half the size than Dinky indicating that it was not part of the registered marque. The series of GMC trucks made in France are marked "SUPER DINKY Production MECCANO France" with the word SUPER in small letters until the take over by Triang when they become "DINKY TOYS Une Production MECCANO Triang" and the dies are altered to reflect this change of owner.

1972 sees a new DINKY logo which will be used until the end of the Dinky story.

The 1976 to the last U.K. catalogue published in 1978 show DINKY® DIE CAST TOYS with DINKY three times the size of the other words. This shows clearly that the marque is DINKY only.

The front cover of the1980 trade catalogue shows DINKY without any thing else and the MINI DINKY made by Zylmex are not MINI DINKY TOYS..

In 1989, the DINKY COLLECTION is launched but he word TOYS is not there.

In 2006 Mattel issues four Matchbox models made in China. Note that the card boxes are printed DINKY™ and the base plates and plastic cases DINKY® !

In their advertising, Atlas uses the marque DINKY™ TOYS with the two words of the same size

All this means that without any confusion that there have been many changes and that the marques "DINKY TOYS" and DINKY SUPERTOYS have not been been bought by either Universal or Matchbox or who ever because they were not use and probably not registered any more since 1964 and 1965 respectively.

Please also read    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registered_trademark_symbol     about the use of the ® and ™ symboles.

I then suggest that you remove from your post the names "DINKY TOYS" and "DINKY SUPERTOYS" as there is absolutely no evidence that General Mills owned the marques DINKY TOYS and DINKY SUPERTOYS ( this is even most unlikely ). These marques could then not be sold to whoever, Universal or Matchbox. Where is the contract ?

This should not be considered as an argument against Jim, it is just a friendly discussion to try and set things right. Any body who has researched this story may have missed a fact and I always welcome informations suported by evidence.

All the best Jim.

Jacques.