Corgi dog holding sign, retailer promotional display model (Corgi Toys)

Exhibit
Corgi dog holding sign, retailer promotional display model (Corgi Toys) (i)
location:
Arch Two , Area 23 Corgi Toys (Glenn Butler Collection)

A painted plastic model of a corgi dog sitting up in a begging position, around eight inches high, produced by Corgi Toys in the 1960s as a shop promotional model. The dog was added to the display in mid-2015

1960s: Corgi Toys retailer promotional corgi dog model, with (reproduction) sign. Corgi Toys vehicles displayed alongside the model have been included in the photograph to give a sense of scale.

Identification

The piece appears to be very rare, as it wouldn't be obvious to many collectors that this large plastic model (without the sign) is anything to do with Corgi diecast cars, and isn't just a generic plastic model of a dog. However, the "giveaway" is the small shallow (and somewhat subtle) horizontal groove in the top of the dog's left rear foot, and a matching shallow groove under its left paw - the model was designed to hold a promotional card for Corgi Toys around 70mm high, as illustrated on page 111 of the Cleemput Corgi book.

Although the book doesn't obviously put a date to the promotional model, it shows the photograph under the chapter for 1961.

The owner of the dog, Glen Butler, has arranged the creation of a reproduction card for the dog in 2015, which is now on display under the dog's paw.

References

• Marcel R. Van Cleemput, The Great Book of Corgi 1956-1983 (New Cavendish, 1989) ISBN 0904568539 – plate 209 on page 211 shows a picture of the dog holding a card reading "A Merry Christmas from Corgi Toys"