Tin toys had been made in Japan before the Second World War, but they reached new heights of realism in the 1950s. The postwar American occupation of Japan gave Japanese toymakers ready access to the lucrative American toy market, and as a result most of the tin toy cars made in this period were based on American vehicles like Cadillacs, Chevrolets, Buicks, Oldsmobiles and Packards.
Like the real things, these tin toys were big. A small one would be around eight inches long, with some of the largest stretching to eighteen inches. As such, tinplate was the ideal medium to capture the look of American styling of the 1950s, a period when size mattered, and car manufacturers tried to outdo each other with the extravagance of their designs, the size of their tailfins and the amount of chrome. During this era of consumerism, Japanese toy production was at its peak, with exotically-named manufacturers like Marusan, Bandai, Yonezawa and Alps turning out vast quantities of tin toys. It proved to be a short-lived phase in the history of toy production. By the early 1960s, tin toys were falling out of fashion for various reasons: their sharp edges gave rise to safety concerns; die-cast models were becoming increasingly realistic and sophisticated, with many action features that appealed to children; the development of plastics in the toy industry made tin toys look increasingly old-fashioned. Half a century later, there are very few surviving examples of these magnificent playthings. Bruce Sterling of New York has devoted years to seeking out the very best examples of Japanese tinplate cars and has built up what is probably the world's finest collection of these toys, every one of them in pristine condition, complete with their original boxes which are works of art in themselves.
Tinplate Toy Cars of the 1950s & 1960s from Japan showcases 150 examples of the very rarest Japanese tin toy cars, many of them never having been pictured in books or magazines until now. Almost every major American motor manufacturer is represented here, together with a selection of commercial vehicles and a significant number of European cars, too. All are illustrated in full colour and described in detail, and fascinating insights are provided into both the real vehicles and the companies that modelled them, together with a guide to rarity and current values. This is a book that will be treasured, not only by specialist collectors, but by all who are passionate about vintage toys and classic vehicles.
Industry Reviews
This book showcases postwar Japanese-built tinplate cars based on prototypes from all around the world. The book features some of the rarest models from a private collection. The book gives history and background for all these toys. This is a book for specialist collectors and all of those with an interest in vintage toys.- Model Auto Review. This book is a general collectors guide to classic Tinplate toy cars from the 50s and 60s made in Japan. It covers cars from a classic era of tinplate toy cars and covers all the major companies and countries there were sold in. The book shows the most known and collectables of the time period. The book has great pictures and lots of detailing information. This book brought back lots of memories to me as a kid getting a few of the cars shown in the book as birthday and or Christmas gifts from my family. The book may have a limited audience but I for one loved it! I recommend this book to everyone with an interest in tinplate cars from Japan and also all of those who, like me, was a kid during the 50s or 60s.- IMPS/USA Journal. It is time to reminisce with this book. It is not only full-size cars that have moved on since your childhood.- Practical Classics. Tinplate cars were a budget option in many countries - simple and crude, like Britains GTP toys. In Japan, however, the post-war production went for details, quality and export potential. Working from an extensive private collection, the beauty and scale of these glamorous toys is captured well - one can only imagine how many children really got to play with them during this era - with fascinating stories about the diverse firms manufacturing them As a collectors guide, it is soon apparent that this is no cheap hobby, and you will be left wanting to hold those friction-powered models. Delightful. - Classic Car Weekly.Ten years ago, this book appeared for the first time and it has now been reprinted. The format is slightly smaller, but the content is the same and gives a broad overview of models from the fifties and sixties. - Auto in Miniature. Sister title to the author's Diecast Toys book, and like that one, reprinted in 2017. This features some rare toys, and all belonging to New Yorker, Bruce Sterling, who is recognised as one of the world's top collectors in this field. A complete guide. - TKC. Veloce's guide features the cream of New Yorker, Bruce Stirling's unrivalled collection including some exceedingly rare examples. The pictures are excellent throughout and the accompanying text knowledgeable and interesting. The majority of models represent American cars and trucks, although British and European vehicles also feature. The proportions of most appear accurate and well detailed. An indication of prices is provided, though it's only a guide. The widespread use of plastic and increasingly stringent health & safety legislation virtually killed the tinplate toy market by the mid-Sixties, but as adult collectible models they are still wonderful. Their variety and quality will surprise you! - Classic American.
