BAYKO Fliers

Although undated, the fact that this Flier only refers to sets #1 to #5 places it as being from 1934 or early 1935...

...as the "De-Luxe" #6 set, with its 'Oak' and White colour scheme, was introduced in 1935.

Taking this argument a little further - put yourself in the mind of BAYKO's marketeers...

...would you have printed this Flier without details of the Ornamental Addition sets, knowing they were about to be launched within a few weeks?

Well, they were available by February, 1935.

I think, that when you take all these facts together, they create an overwhelmingly, convincing argument.

I believe this Flier was printed for BAYKO's launch, just in time for Christmas 1934.

The model illustrating this "interesting and fascinating" toy was clearly an aspirational one...

...and also surprisingly long lived when you think that 1950s literature and set boxes all still displayed an updated version of the same basic model.

As can be clearly seen here, the habit of quoting prices in shillings, not pounds, started early.

It's also intriguing to note that set prices were clearly chosen with an awareness of the significance of key price points such as half a guinea, a guinea and what would now be £1.50.

Arguably this document is, at least in part, a Parts Price List, but I've also included it here as it fits so neatly with the contemporary Flier below.

There are set prices are at the top of the reverse side...

...with standard spare parts prices lower down.

To view a correctly orientated version of the front of this document, just click the image [above, left].

The above document was produced in late 1938 when both the 20's series sets [left] and the red brick version of sets #5A and #6 [right] had been introduced...

This is possibly my favourite BAYKO Flier. We are now officially into wartime - otherwise the reference to the 'Black Out' is somewhat misplaced - but this 'New Series' flier probably still only actually dates from late 1939, or early 1940 at the latest, as there are still a couple of BAYKO set price increases to come, and production ceased in 1941.

One small detail that caught my eye - almost one for Nerd's Corner - if you look at the use of Curved Bricks in the lower two models [above, left] you will see that they have used only white ones, rather than the more normal red, below the Curved Windows.

This size of document is more typical of the standard parts price lists of the 1940s and 50's, but here it is used for a more conventional flier showing set prices, some BAYKO models and general advertising blurb.

Of particular interest is the fact that this exact template was used, a little later, for the Belgian export market, which also covered France and Holland. It is also quite possible that this design was used for other markets.

It was also used again, with minor changes, for the U.K. market, as you can see immediately below.

As can be clearly seen, this document is almost identical to the one above, except for three features : -

Firstly, and predictably, the set prices had gone up since the previous year.

Secondly, address details for Plimpton have migrated from below the set price data to the bottom of the BAYKO description side, creating a space for the retailers to add their address details with a rubber stamp.

As stated above, this template was also used for the Belgian export market, which also covered France and Holland. It is also quite possible that this design was used for other markets.

As can be clearly seen, this document, although not identical to the one immediately above, is very similar, except for five features of varying significance : -

Firstly, and most predictably, the set prices had gone up since the previous year.

Secondly, there is an additional line of text, in capitals, at the top of the set price page [above, left] which bears the legend : - "INTRODUCTORY LEAFLET".

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, conversion set #3X is mentioned for the first time, though set #4 is not.

Fourthly, and somewhat more trivially, the outline box, on both sides of the Flier, has become noticeably more intricate.

Lastly, this was the first post-war Flier to be printed on coloured paper - pale grey to be precise.

As stated above, this template was also used for the Belgian export market, which also covered France and Holland. It is also quite possible that this design was used for other markets, though I have no examples as yet.

The directly equivalent BAYKO Flier, printed for the Belgian market, which was actually date coded a month before this document, already included set #4. To me this is strongly indicative that, in response to government pressure, the export drive really was being given priority over the domestic market at that time...

This document carries the administrative ID Ref 1. There is a related Parts Price list, ID Ref 2, which carries exactly the same date code and has several style points in common, so this is a good reference point for comparing the two types of document...

This undated flier is typical of the 1950s even though it is an updated version of a 1940s format [above].

This example clearly shows no format changes as it is still folded at the top...

...but the only survival, in terms of content, is the station platform [right, upper model]...

...the others were upgraded reflecting the contents of set #4.

A point of interest is that this flier has the same BAYKO logo as the earlier, 1940s version [above], but the slightly later version [below] has a slightly different version.

If you move your mouse over the image [right] you will see just how the flier is folded.

Of particular interest is the fact that the list of BAYKO sets [left] shows no prices and this presumably meant that the BAYKO had retailers to write the prices in by hand.

A strange detail is that the grey strip at the top of the exterior of the 1940s version has been dropped here.

The first point of interest here is that the BAYKO logo used is slightly different to the earlier version [above].

Based on the set prices quoted, this example dates from between 1955 and 1959 - a relatively long period of price stability.

However, the flier [below], an updated version of the same flier, is clearly dated as May 1956, hence my dating of this flier as being 1955.

I have a second example of a very similar flier, but this one shows prices for BAYKO sets which applied in 1953 and 1954.

The flier was deployed folded at the top [the fold line is clearly visible, on the image to the left] with the price list on the back and the large detached house on the front...

...and the other 2 models [right] inside with the grey-backed BAYKO logo, at the bottom, still visible when folded.

If you move your mouse over the image [right] you can see the way the flier folded.

Strangely, the grey stripe at the top of the exterior [left] has been reinstated!

There are several changes to the script on the flier...

...which is definitely set out in a more rakish manner.

At last - this is the first of these top-folded fliers to carry any form of printer's code...

...which tells us that 250,000 of these - yes, that's right, a quarter of a million - were printed, in May, 1956.

The choice of models, and the script are identical to the flier above, saving Plimpton money in terms of the printer's plates...

...however, there is a modest change in the artwork...

...the grey strip, remnant of the 1940s version, has been dropped again in this version [left, top of flier].

As an aside, the green colour of the Bases, etc., has been brightened - a much more attractive colour.

To see how the folding works, slide your mouse over the image [right] and leave it there for several seconds.

Thanks to Chris Boutal for this one.

I've no idea why the powers that be in Plimpton issued this flier without any BAYKO set prices...

...this may be an indication that it dates from early in the period, before the final price change [downwards!] had been agreed in June 1953.

This flier was folded down the centre.

This flier presumably replaced the one above.

The prices shown on the rear of this flier held good between June 1953 and 1958 after which things became slightly confused.

This flier was folded down the centre.

There is a flier missing in the sequence, like this one, but before it was overprinted...

...with the 1959 price increases added by a second print run - the overprint masking the original prices adding the new ones alongside.

This flier was folded down the centre.

This flier is identical, in terms of factual content, to the one above...

...however, the overprint has now been dispensed with, and the correct prices fully integrated.

This flier was folded down the centre.

The day after this BAYKO set price card took effect, I'd have been married for -25 years - what's the negative equivalent of silver?.

The suspicion that any newly issued, dated price card such as this heralds a price change are confirmed with reference to 'MECCANO Magazine' where the advertised BAYKO set prices changed on the same day.

The cynical among you will have suspected a price increase, but, in fact, the prices of sets #2, #3 and #4 and conversions sets #1X and #3X actually came down!!!

Just as an aside, notice that the prices are all still in shillings not pounds.

Unusually for a piece of 1950s printing, this card has no printer's details.

The date of this small price card makes it interesting as it falls right in the middle of a period of price chaos as far as BAYKO is concerned.

Unusually for a piece of 1950s printing, this card has no printer's details - perhaps another sign of the confusion prevailing in Plimpton at the time - but in line with its twin.

I can't be absolutely certain, but this is probably the last flier from the Plimpton era BAYKO as the MECCANO takeover was only 5 months away.

It is interesting to view this Flier in conjunction with a separate 'wholesale' card which was issued to retailers on the same date.

The 'wholesale' card gives you an insight into the retailers profit margin and also the application of purchase tax at the time...

Just as an aside, notice that the prices are all still in shillings not pounds.

The above document, print coded October, 1960, is actually MECCANO's second foray into the BAYKO market place - having made quite a few mistakes along the way!!!

This 'second edition' is unchanged on the front [above, left], but with the addition of "How to build a BAYKO Model", on the back [above, right].

This is also a bit odd, given that the would-be builder would, possibly, never have seen any of the components before, and that these instructions, with identical illustrations, are repeated in the BAYKO set manual should he/she be lucky enough to acquire the world's first and finest plastic construction toy.

The boy and girl pictures emphasise the unisex appeal of BAYKO, even though the word unisex hadn't been coined at that stage.

This Flier was more popular with MECCANO than most of us realise...

...so far I've found four different print runs - identical apart from the printer's code.

The above document, printer's coded July, 1961, is far and away the most fervent advocate of the play value of completed BAYKO models - echoing the 'MECCANO Magazine' 'Toy Man' articles...

BAYKO is clearly close enough to the right scale to fit very well with DINKY.

There are actually two artwork errors on this flier, involving the two bungalow models shown...

You may be interested to know that MECCANO produced an almost identical flier for the Australian market.

The above document, printer's coded April 1962, is interesting in that it refers to the "new" set #15 yet was obviously too early to actually include a picture of one...

...the launch date for set #15 being August, 1962.

Right at the very end, MECCANO changed BAYKO's pricing format, switching to £/s/d from the previously standard shillings and pence.

A nice little document this, and not just for BAYKO collectors...

...the booklet, produced in 1963, also includes all MECCANO's product range.

This booklet was widely copied for MECCANO's export markets with the simple expedient of changing the country identifier on the front cover [bottom right hand corner] and inserting an appropriate local currency price list.