2012-01-20 13:19:01 - Cataloguing every Matchbox ever made

With Dinky finished off (thanks to some 25 volunteers) and Corgi well underway, ToyPedia – Toy Collector’s wiki-based online database of collectable toys and models – is turning its attention to an even bigger target - Matchbox.

ToyPedia, which has been described as “Wikipedia for toy collectors and modellers,” ultimately aims to contain listings, descriptions and images for every toy ever made, and one of the first brands on its list was the ever-popular Dinky Toys. Now, with the listings of Dinkies (including the British, French, Spanish, South African and Chilean Dinkies!) complete, and cataloguing of Corgi underway with the help of Corgi themselves and experts like Marcel van Cleemput, as well as many of the most knowledgeable community members,

it’s Matchbox’s turn.

The brand’s early Regular Wheels models were actually one of the first sections to be catalogued when ToyPedia was rolled out two years ago, thanks to site member Tractorboy, whose dedication saw listings painstakingly built up for all the models. However, with many exciting new technological developments in place on the site, like an easier-to-use browser with integral search and enhanced item specific tables on individual pages, the ToyPedia team are looking forward to building on the base he put in place, and adding the brand’s iconic Superfast models, as well as other products like kits, figures and dolls, and other diecast ranges like the famous Convoy big rig trucks and Sky Buster planes. Naturally, listings will also be included for the modern 1-100 range now produced under the Mattel banner.

The ToyPedia team are currently working with a number of experts to get started cataloguing Matchbox’s products, including Matchbox luminaries Christian Falkensteiner and Charlie Mack, both long-time collectors who are members of the ToyPedia Advisory Board – a collective of leading experts and collectors in all areas of the toy and model world who offer their expertise to the database. Christian comments "cataloguing every MB ever made is simply impossible for one person, as I myself keep on learning about additional variations I have not known before on an almost daily basis and at a much faster pace than I can process them, so a collaborative effort makes a lot of sense!"

With a vast and fairly complex history encompassing ownership by founders Lesney, Tyco and Mattel, a complete listing of the Matchbox brand is the sort of thing ideally suited to ToyPedia, since a similar book would be thousands of pages long. With ToyPedia’s wiki-based interface, users can constantly update information and images and listings can go live as soon as they are compiled, with no need to wait for publication – and as all the information is online, any mistakes or additions can quickly be rectified or slotted in place without needing to reprint!

Find the current status of the Matchbox archive here on ToyPedia. If you are interested in helping with this project please get in touch on matchboxproject@toycollector.com.




About Toy Collector

Launched in 2008, Toy Collector is a web portal for collectable toy and model enthusiasts designed to allow collectors to share their passions via blogging, discussion forums, picture and video galleries. The site currently hosts over 25,000 toy-related articles and over 180,000 images. It offers resources like want ads and a yellow pages supplier directory and boasts the largest toy-and model-related event calendar on the internet. It also hosts ToyPedia® and the new TC Market.

For selling on the market or more information on the site please go to ToyCollector.com or contact Skip on skip@toycollector.com or +44 (1494) 727 947.