The authors Chartered accountant Robert Newson started collecting Matchbox toys as a teenager. His interest developed into research and writing about the less well-known British manufacturers of diecast and lead vehicles. He has written extensively for toy collectors' magazines. Dr Peter Wade-Martins has spent his working life as an archaeologist in Norfolk, with a special interest in countryside conservation. His other interests include rare sheep breeds. He has made a 20-year study of farm models. In 2003, having dabbled in antiques and toys as an amateur for twenty years, Adrian Little founded Mercator Trading Ltd - dealers in interesting toys. The company specialises in the minor makers, vintage figures and pre-Second World War items. The three authors' work has been collated by Brian Bastiman who, with his son David, is a collector of model tractors and other Britains farm toys. Brian is retired from the national agricultural advisory service ADAS where he spent much of his time writing and editing scientific reports and papers.

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• Volume 1 covers the following: Airfix - Authentic Model Books - Benbros - Britains - Budgie - Bullock - Chad Valley - Charbens - Cheerio - Cherilea - Childs and Smith - Coral - Corgi - Crescent - D.C.M.T. and Lone Star - Deltoys - Denzil Skinner. The manufacturers / brands are arranged alphabetically. Each manufacturer has its own chapter introduced by an account of its history. These introductions cross-refer to the captioned photographs that follow and which make up the bulk of the chapters. In their general introduction the authors say that they have 'attempted to illustrate all significant variations of colour and packaging, particularly of rare or unusual models, so as to make the book as comprehensive as possible.' The three authors, all leading authorities, have drawn on their extensive past experience coupled with another five years to research, write and prepare photographs. Volume 2 Farming in Miniature 2: Dinky to Wen-al describes 52 manufacturers with supplementary chapters on promotional model tractors, unknown manufacturers and unidentifies heavy tractors. This guide also includes a Guide to Harnessed Horses along with a Model Index and a General Index which cover the content in both books of this 2-volume encylclopeaedia. Manufacturers and brands included in Volume 2: covers the following: Dinky, Dragon Toys, Edith Reynolds, Escor, Fairchild, Fairylite, Forest Toys, Glyntoys, Grace Toys, Hercules, Hitchin Components, Hobbies Husky and Corgi Juniors, Johillco, Kayron Playthings, A.V.H.. Farm Toys and Olson Farminit Toys, Kleeware, Kondor, Kraftoyz, Leeway, Early Lesney Toys, Lipkin, Luntoy, Marx, Master Models (Kemlows), Matchbox, Maylow, Mears, Merit, Mettoy, Micromodels, Mills, Moko, Nicoltoys, Paramount, Passall, Peter Ward, Poplar Plastics, Primus Engineering, Shackleton, Sontaw, Speedwelll, Spot-On, S.T., Taylor and Barrett, F.G. Taylor & Sons, Taylor Toys, T.N. Thomas, Timpo, Tri-ang, Tudor Rose and Rosedale, Wells-Brimtoy, Wend-al. A huge number of photographs are included to thoroughly cover the details of model farm toys.