THE OTHER SIDE OF AIRFIX: SIXTY YEARS OF TOYS, GAMES & CRAFTS.

UK,slim Qrto HB+dw/dj,illustrated,1st edn. FINE+/FINE. No owner inscrptn and no price clip to dw/dj. Bright,crisp,clean,matt,montage'd colour photographic dw/dj with capitalised,matt b/w-lettered part-title and capitalised,black-lettered sub-title,and capitalised, brown-lettered author's name,similarly colored+lettered credit and Foreword contributor's name and credit to front of dw/dj.Spine/backstrip with thumbnail repeated colour photographs and capitalised white-lettered part-title and author's name, publisher's capitalised black-lettered name and b/w illustrated colophon to foot of same,rear panel montage'd colour photographs.Negligible shelf-wear to edges and corners – rear,top corner tip minisculely rubbed - but no other nicks, tears or splits present.Top +fore-edges bright crisp and clean without blemish or foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound – no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips – appears unread,apart from my own collation.Publisher's bright,crisp,clean,unblemished, sharp-cornered,original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt capitalised lettering to spine/backstrip,a black headband and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK,Qrto HB+dw/dj,illustrated,1st edn, viiipp+2-177pp [paginated] includes verso of Darrell Burge [Marketing Manager,Airfix and Humbrol] Foreword,an Introduction,4 chapters with profuse colour (the majority) and b/w photographs,b/w illustrations and facsimile ephemera reproductions.,an Appendix and an Index; plus [unpaginated] repeated colour photograph from front of dw/dj illustrated half-title with list/table of book's author's other published titles - some related,colour portrait photographic illustrated title page - author and Paull Atterbury at Antiques Roadshow,Greenwich in 2009 viewing and vintage Airfix kits,aContents list/table with a dedication and Acknowledgements to its verso,recto of Foreword, and to the rear,separate 6pp blanks. Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional and particularly internally,is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation for a book of its 10+ year-old age.It really is an exceptional, exemplary example for its cleanliness,brightness and lack of detracting faults. Airfix is synonymous with plastic model kits. The brand name has virtually become a noun,occupying a special place in that lexicon of trade names alongside Hoover, Sellotape,Perspex and Aqua-Lung.
Throughout the war years,Airfix survived on government contracts for a whole range of plastic items and by virtue of Kove's tenacious appetite for business and doing a deal. By the war's end,Airfix was the market leader in plastic injection moulded combs in Britain. By the time Airfix had released its first proper construction kit,a tiny model of Drake's flagship Golden Hind,in 1952,the firm was well established as a leading toy brand. Indeed throughout the 1950s,60s and 70s Airfix invested heavily in developing new toys or manufacturing them under license for large US toy companies such as Hasbro.Very soon,Airfix extended its activities beyond toys into games and arts and crafts and in short time famous names. Indeed so successful was Airfix at diversifying that by the 1970s the company had grown to such an extent that it had acquired other famous toy brands including Dinky Toys, Tri-ang, Meccano, and Romper Room. With its subsidiary Crayonne Airfix even harnessed the design talents of the then Terence Conran in attempt to elevate plastic products to the rarified atmosphere of designer chic. So there's a lot more to Airfix than many might think and this book is the first attempt to document the myriad successful lines,outside of plastic kits,which contributed to the company's dramatic growth before a combination of factors forced it into brief liquidation in 1981. Written by someone with a lifetime's fascination for Airfix and who has written other books about the better-known construction kit side of the business,'The Other Airfix' is a nostalgic trip down memory lane. He is a specialist about Airfix and is considered the leading authority about this famous brand.He also started collectingfriends.com,the enthusiasts website he established with BBC Radio Four's Peter Donaldson. Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **