Corgi Toys - Packaging

Packaging

Unlike Dinky Toys, which until the mid 1950s were supplied to the toy retailer in trade packs of six models and then sold loose to the customer, Corgi Toys were always supplied in individual boxes featuring an illustration of the model incorporated into the box design. The original design has become known to collectors as the 'blue box' because of its blue and black colour scheme, and lasted from the July 1956 range launch until the iconic blue and yellow colour scheme was introduced in January 1959.

The biggest re-design in Corgi's packaging came in 1966 with the introduction of the 'window box', so called because the model was clearly visible through a plastic window incorporated into the box, initially only on a few Majors and Gift Sets while the main range still retained the cardboard box. The blue and yellow colour scheme was left unchanged. Because of its positive experience with the smaller Husky models sold in blisterpacks - the fully visible Husky models comparing favourably to boxed Matchbox toys at the point of sale, Mettoy also tried the blisterpack for some of its larger Corgi cars between 1966 and 1968. This exercise was limited to a few models; the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost and 'World of Wooster' Bentley from the Corgi Classics range, Jaguar E-Type 2+2, Lincoln Continental limousine and the 'New' James Bond Aston Martin DB5. However, during 1968 the expensive blisterpacks were abandoned and the window box introduced throughout the whole range. In 1970 boxes for the second-generation Whizzwheels cars fitted with plastic wheels changed to red and yellow. Some of the 'Red Spot' Whizzwheels, which had been rushed into production, were sold in blue and yellow boxes originally printed for cars to be released with the 'Golden Jacks' feature, but with large stickers promoting the new Whizzwheels feature strategically placed over the Take Off Wheels printing.

An update of the box design was introduced in May 1973 which featured an angled inner plinth so the model sat at an angle towards the front of the box, making the box taller than the previous (usually called the 'slimline box'). The colour scheme changed to dark blue with three stripes of varying colours; yellow, orange, red, purple or cyan surrounding the box window. While the 'slimline box' still used painted artwork on the rear these new boxes showed photos of other models in the range.

A more contemporary box design was introduced in January 1981, the colour scheme changed to black/yellow/red. This was a larger box altogether and allowed the model to be positioned at an angle as if on display, and was produced after a cheaper back-to-basics plain box design featuring a cardboard box with a photograph of the model was rejected by the company. As a cost-cutting measure the outer box no longer identified the model, the model number and description printed only on the yellow inner plinth. Therefore a few standardised box sizes could be produced instead of a different box for each article.

1983 saw the final version of this box, more solid with the window area smaller at the rear. This box design was also used by the new Corgi company in 1984. As mentioned elsewhere in this article, film and TV related models and gift sets featured more elaborate designs and unique artwork to distinguish their packaging.

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