Pre-Owned Majorette Die-cast Plane Model, Swiss International Airlines

Pre-Owned Majorette Die-cast Plane Model, Swiss International Airlines (image 3/[null, null, null, null])

Pre-Owned Majorette Die-cast Plane Model, Swiss International Airlines (image 4/[null, null, null, null])

Pricing & History

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Majorette (toy manufacturer) Majorette is a French toy manufacturer which mostly produces small die-cast cars, particularly in 1:64 scale. Traditionally, Majorette production was centered in the urban area of Lyon. Majorette was founded in 1961 by Emile Véron - of the family that also created Norev (Véron spelled backwards). Initially, the firm produced model railways and was known as Rail-Route and by 1964 the first cars came to market. In 1967, the name was changed to Majorette. Majorette became the main French manufacturer of Matchbox-sized miniature vehicles (roughly pegged to 3 inches long, so of varying scales). Majorette soon became the largest producer of any French model car manufacturer. The company has generally focused on everyday French and European models, and the main toy competition was Matchbox of Hackney, London, but also the German Siku and, conceptually, the Japanese Tomica. Though French cars like Peugeot and Renault were emphasized, other licensed marques covered by Majorette include North American vehicles from General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Japanese Nissan and Toyota are also represented (Ragan 2000, p. 37). At the end of 1980, Majorette purchased revered diecast scale car and truck producer Solido (Militaires Solido website). About this same time the Portuguese company Novacar was also purchased and Majorette production commenced at that factory in Portugal. Besides their important domestic presence, through large commercial channels Majorette relies heavily on sales to foreign markets. In 1982, Majorette USA was established in Miami, Florida, though Majorette models have not been retailed in the U.S. since the late 1990s. Majorette was purchased by Smoby in 2003. In 2008, there was talk that Majorette, then called Smoby-Majorette, was to be divorced from Smoby and sold to MI29, a French investment fund which owns Bigben Interactive for €3,900,000. This venture was abandoned in 2009 when Majorette found itself insolvent again, and through a tribunal at the commercial court of Paris, a sale was granted to Simba-Dickie, who bought Smoby. Majorette and Solido today remain a part of the Simba-Dickie group. Today, as part of the Simba-Dickie Toy Group, the Majorette 200 line continues to be made in Thailand and newer models are made in China. The distribution of Majorette via major retailers has been limited mainly to Europe, South America and Asia. Circa 2010, the Majorette lines offered today are standard "Singles" packaged in various ways, "Extractor" series (construction), "S.O.S." (ambulance and police format), "Trailers" - semi trucks and vehicles with trailers (basically the old 300 series), the "Farm" series of CLAAS tractors, "Motorcycles", "Rockerz" 4x4 Monster trucks, "Planes and Helicopters", the "Pinder" Circus series, liveried "Racing" vehicles and racing trucks with trailers. For 2012, nine new model castings have been announced. The "Majo-Teams" offer vehicles of different sizes in different themes, and is reminiscent of offerings during the 1990s. Some of the castings, such as the 1980 Chevrolet 4-door Impala have been made continuously since the mid-1980s. Lastly, a new line of "Eco Tech" cars features electric, hybrid and other 'green' and environmentally friendly, but cool, vehicles. Some new models were released later than originally expected, for example, the Nissan Murano, Fiat Panda and Mercedes-Benz SLK were due to be released in 2005, but they did not reach the market until Autumn 2006. Only 3 models due to be released in 2005 actually made it onto the market that year, and were reported by collectors to be 'very hard to find'. About 2010, similar to Matchbox or Hot Wheels, Majorette was moving into plastic cars and trucks of larger sizes. One example from this new "Kids Mate" series was a Mini Cooper in about 1:20 scale. The car is very detailed and complete with all opening features, but all in plastic in a package with bright (but Majorette-like) red colors. Also in this series is a line of plastic, but appealing, trucks; a trash ... read more

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