BAYKO in FRANCE

These two images were discovered recently, in photocopy form, [so any colour information is lost] as part of a 'set' of the same document as translated into four languages - Flemish, French, German and Spanish.

Dating it is difficult as there is no printed information, or at least none that has been preserved, but the basic, unornamented layout suggests austerity, and is, therefore, likely to predate other similar documents.

If you can help date these documents more accurately, then I'd love to hear from you…

As I said at the begriming of this entry, there are three other versions of this document format…

It is perfectly possible that this document was targeted primarily at the French market, but it was, almost certainly, used in Belgium as well.

I don't know the date of this leaflet, but I can guess…

…or at least narrow it down to being 1952, when set #3 was introduced, or later, but, obviously, before the 1959 MECCANO takeover.

There may be a further clue as to the date, because I also own a very similar Italian language sheet, which I can confidently date to 1954…

There is an almost identical document displayed, as it was used, in the Belgian market…

I don't know the date of this leaflet either, but I can guess…

…or at least narrow it down to being between 1949 and 1951, based on the range of sets and parts.

This document is shown courtesy of Alan Taylor who tells me this document was included with a French BAYKO set he now owns.

This is, I admit, a slightly eccentric inclusion, though not, I believe, entirely illogical!

The image [left] shows the front cover of the 1962 MECCANO Trade Catalogue which was intended for the French market. My apologies for the fact that the image is slightly tatty, but I've tried, and not really found it possible to do a good job of tidying it up I'm afraid, so I've reluctantly left it as is.

The reason for its inclusion is simple…

…there's no BAYKO in it!

The lack of any market information for BAYKO in this trade catalogue doesn't prove that it was not sold in France at the time - I believe it was - but it is certainly indicative of a lack of marketing drive, in 1962 at least. It is also possible that, as far as BAYKO is concerned, the French market was covered from Belgium.

If you would like more information on the 1963 MECCANO French language catalogue…

Or to view a contemporary French language MECCANO general products price list…