BAYKO in NEW ZEALAND

This item is self explanatory, but, unfortunately, conversion sets don't contain manuals and are therefore undated, however, it fits the peak BAYKO production period from 1949 to 1959.

The Auckland address suggests that Oswald Sealy (New Zealand) Ltd. imported it directly not via the Australian parent company.

The unusual landscape format may indicate that this was printed locally, but I still believe that the inspection process was carried out before despatch from the U.K.

Unless every imported set was opened on arrival, and an Inspection Slip put in, I would assume that these were inserted in Liverpool.

I bought this item via an online link to a conventional U.K. auction.  When I buy like this, or via eBay, I usually know pretty well what I am getting, and will often get the supporting script under way well before Postman Pat completes his task.

Whether or not that's down to childlike or childish over excitement, I'll leave you to judge - but this time, all I had to go on was the auctioneer's script. “A fold-out catalogue for New Zealand containing details of Hornby Dublo, Dinky Toys, Bayko Building Kits, Hornby Speedboats, Hornby Clockwork Trains, Meccano Sets, Circuit 24 and Elektrikit.” Your guess is as good as mine in predicting what was meant be that - there being no precedent that I'm aware of!

When it arrived, it didn't disappoint!  It's a single sheet with one fold across the page, folding it in half, and then two vertical folds, the second, an afterthought as it were, leaving a small overlap of the front cover.  Slide your mouse over the 'Folding Demonstration Image' [below, right], and keep it there, and you'll see what I mean. You will notice that the fold lines are largely ignored in the layout of the fully and partially opened leaflet.

Although the colour scheme varies a little, the artwork on the main part of the 'top cover' was used elsewhere, on a display item meant for use in the toyshop window…

Is this the last printed appearance of a baseball cap, before we forgot which way round to wear it‽

Almost at the bottom of the page, below the lad's feet, is the dealer's overprint : -

Which was probably not much more than a mile or so from the New Zealand [Import] Agents : -

The BAYKO section [above] sits on the reverse of the leaflet, and, therefore, can't be seen in the 'Folding Demonstration Image', but ends up as the top half of the back panel, above a blacked out CIRCUIT24 section.

This seems to suggest that the artwork for the document, printed in England in May, 1964, may well have been used, by MECCANO, in more than one market.

Prices quoted for BAYKO in the leaflet must be in £NZ as they're numerically significantly higher that the U.K. prices of the day.

The product description reads as follows : -

The above document is virtually identical to the standard U.K. catalogue of the same date, though my version has no price list…

…but I'm not certain as to whether this means there wasn't one…

…or if it's more likely that mine is missing.

There is no mention of a local importer, but 2 pages bear the rubber-stamped details of : -