Volkwagen Beetle with trailer by Midgetoy, Made in USA

I just got back in Manila last September 28, 2009 from a week of cultural discovery and I am excited to post some cool stuff I got in Salt Lake City, Utah. Most of my friends are out shopping for GAP, Banana Republic, Walmart and touring the huge open air GATEWAY MALL. I did the opposite. I went out shopping for some antiques, hunted some cool vintage toys and went in a very hip bookshops and retro vintage die cast store.

I have discovered the mecca of antique vintage die cast cars and it was in Salt lake City, Utah. The very cool Jitterbug Antiques of Dee and Tami Jackman.

I just have to post some of the rare finds I got and here they are. I'll titrate the postings and I'll start with this rare VW beetle with trailer by MIDGE TOYS of ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

Here are the pictures!

Ransom

Yonezawa Cherica Toyota Crown

Tomica Dandy VW with FIAT grill and a Mini Cooper Dandy

Mint in box MATCHBOX LESNEYS



Rare mint in box Toyota Dandys



Tomica Dandy Toyota Crown 1971


Tomica Dandy Toyota Crown 1974


Tomica Dandy Toyota Celica 1600 GT

I arrived back here in Japan yesterday and was kinda sad because I cannot attend the Die Cast Collectors of Philippines Swap meet this coming Sept 20th. I always miss it but I always make sure to make up for the loss.

Do you think these buys made up for the loss for not being able to go to the swapmeet?

I think these buys made up for lost time. Damn! I love Japan!!!!

These cars cost me a small fortune but worth it.

Enjoy! better pics soon.

Beauty and Madness

I always have a camera in my bag. It has been my faithful companion for the past year. I brought my Tomica Dandy Beetle( Made in Japan of course) for this trip and the results were amazing. I was with the right die cast at the right time. I've been wanting to stage a unique photo shoot for some of my die cast and this was a great opportunity when I saw hordes of huge insects in the forest of Narita, Japan. These bugs are huge and I just stuck the Dandy there, shoot some quick photos and ran afterwards.

I hope you guys like the pics! The things i do for die cast..... :) Enjoy!

Brian Vespa

Rare 1:43 WHITE METALS and my latest August 09 hauls

August has been a good month for me, I was with my family in Tokyo for 4 days and after a week, I was able to acquire a few more cool MADE IN JAPAN diecast toys.

I am now bitten by the WHITE METAL/ANTIMONY bug. I can't help but hunt for these rare 1:43s. These die cast models are very simple in terms of detail but touching them, caressing them, gazing at them is a totally different experience. The weight is totally different than the usual 1:43 because everything is made out of heavy and thick gauge metal. The chassis, interior and everything else is made out of metal except for the wheels and the simple windshield. The boxes are very crude and simple, the models wrapped in oldschool foam and rubber band. Nothing fancy but they are brimming with character.

I believe no two models are exactly alike because these models are made by hand. Not the usual mass produced perfect models available everywhere.

Like I always say, these models are beautifully imperfect and I love it!


PS: The boxed items are some of my ANTIMONY MODELS and the other pics are my current MADE IN JAPAN hauls.