Slot-together models

Trumptonalia.

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2 slot-together cardboard models - Camberwick [Pippin Fort] and Trumpton [Fire Station]

Both made by Emmann Products Limited in 1970.And the slogan on both is "No scissors,no glue,no mess"

Both boxes are about 20"x 12" x 1.5".

Both completed models are around 30 cm tall.

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Classy looking bits of kit they are too.

But ultimately a rather frustrating compromise I fear.Because they'd be fun to assemble and good to look at.

But far too tempting not to play with,and far too fragile to be up to the task.

So it's probably not that surprising that they're hard-to-find...unless poor sales also had something to do with it.

Either way,the Trumpton version is the rarer of the 2.And maybe that's simply because most small boys would have chosen soldiers over firemen.But who knows ?

Pity the poor mum who had to dust those turrets though !

And finally ....

You know I suggested they were "classy looking bits of kit",well ............

This is the only bit of Trumptonalia that's ever been on display in the Victoria & Albert museum in London.

And,yes,you did read that correctly.

Because a fully-made version of the Camberwick Pippin Fort appeared in a Museum of Childhood exhibition called 

"Cut it,Fold it: Build it With Paper" that ran from Oct. 9th,2010 to Jan.9th,2011. Pic here

So,hats off to the V&A.

And hats off to Emmann as well.Because at least it's some reward for trying to produce a mass-market toy with an air of quality,when I doubt it did a huge amount for their balance sheet.