Polistil S.p.A. (initially called Politoys) is an Italian
toy
A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pet ...
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
and former manufacturing company headquartered in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, with production center in
Chiari Chiari may refer to:
* Chiari (surname)
*Chiari, Lombardy, a commune in Italy
* The Chiari Institute, a medical institution in Great Neck, New York
*Battle of Chiari (1701), part of the War of the Spanish Succession
See also
* Arnold–Chiari malf ...
, near
Brescia
Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and ''comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Iseo. ...
. Polistil specialized in
die-cast
Die casting is a metal casting process that is characterized by forcing molten metal under high pressure into a mold cavity. The mold cavity is created using two hardened tool steel dies which have been machined into shape and work similarly t ...
and
plastic
Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptab ...
scale model
A scale model is a physical model which is geometrically similar to an object (known as the prototype). Scale models are generally smaller than large prototypes such as vehicles, buildings, or people; but may be larger than small prototypes ...
vehicles of all sizes.
The company also made toy and model tanks, dolls, robots and TV tie-ins. After a 33-year span, and a collaboration with
Tonka
Tonka is an American producer of toy trucks. The company is known for making steel toy models of construction type trucks and machinery. Maisto International, which makes diecast vehicles, acquired the rights to use the Tonka name in a line of ...
, Polistil went out of business in 1993, but now is a brand under the May Cheong Group (owner of the brand
Maisto
Maisto is a brand of scale model vehicles introduced and owned by May Cheong Group, a Chinese company founded in 1967 in Hong Kong by brothers P.Y. Ngan and Y.C Ngan. The company has also subsidiaries in the United States (based in Fontana, Calif ...
), along with the name of former competitor
Bburago
Bburago is an Italian brand and former manufacturing company of toys and die-cast scale model cars. The company was based in Burago di Molgora, where all products were made from 1974 to 2005. At its most popular, Bburago's main competitors were ...
. Traditionally, the principal Italian competitors to Polistil were
Mercury
Mercury commonly refers to:
* Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun
* Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg
* Mercury (mythology), a Roman god
Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to:
Companies
* Merc ...
,
Mebetoys
Meccanica Bessana Toys (mostly known for its acronym and tradename Mebetoys), was an Italian toy manufacturer that produced die-cast scale model cars during the 1960s and 1970s.
The company was purchased by Mattel in 1969, which continued comm ...
, and the shorter run Ediltoys.
History
The origins of Politoys as a company are somewhat unclear. The company began as "Politoys APS" about 1960, and started production of 100 plastic cars in 1:41 scale (Sinclair 1979, pp. 387–388). Some of these were contemporary cars and some were veteran vehicles – like an Alfa racing car from the late 'teens and an 1899 French Gobron Brillie (Smeed 1980, p. 35). As the 1960s progressed, some models were produced in fiberglass – tougher than the plastic and less prone to warping. Following trends set by fellow Italian trailblazer
Mercury
Mercury commonly refers to:
* Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun
* Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg
* Mercury (mythology), a Roman god
Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to:
Companies
* Merc ...
, and
Corgi Toys
Corgi Toys (trademark) is the brand name of a range of die-cast toy vehicles created by Mettoy and currently owned by Hornby Railways, Hornby.[Dinky Toys
Dinky Toys was the brand name for a range of die-cast toy, die-cast zamak zinc alloy scale model model car, vehicles produced by British toy company Meccano Ltd. They were made in England from 1934 to 1979, at a factory in Binns Road in Liverpo ...]
,
Norev
Norev is a French manufacturer of die-cast scale model cars. traditionally based in Villeurbanne, a suburb of Lyon. It has normally produced modern and vintage European vehicles, especially those of French origin – though Italian, German, Briti ...
, and
Solido
Solido is a French manufacturing company based in Oulins, west of Paris, which produces die-cast scale model cars, military vehicles, and commercial vehicles. Vehicles are usually made of zamac alloy in varying scales. Typically, Solido's main c ...
, the company changed over to diecast metal vehicles in 1964 or 1965 (Rixon 2005, p. 36, Sinclair 1979, p. 387). About 1970, the company name was changed to Polistil, possibly because of the similarity with the name of the British
Palitoy
Palitoy was a British toy company. It manufactured some of the most popular toys in Britain, some original items and others under licence. Its products included Action Man, Action Girl, Action Force, Tiny Tears, Pippa, Tressy, Mainline Model Rail ...
(Breithaupt No Date; Force 1992, 208–209). Still, some early toy boxes had the names 'APS', 'Polistil'. 'Politoys', and 'Policar' all on the box simultaneously (as seen on the blue Penny series boxes and in that order).
The company's main research and design center was in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
. Larger toys for children were produced here, including large trucks and dolls. Most vehicles were made at the
Chiari Chiari may refer to:
* Chiari (surname)
*Chiari, Lombardy, a commune in Italy
* The Chiari Institute, a medical institution in Great Neck, New York
*Battle of Chiari (1701), part of the War of the Spanish Succession
See also
* Arnold–Chiari malf ...
,
Brescia
Brescia (, locally ; lmo, link=no, label= Lombard, Brèsa ; lat, Brixia; vec, Bressa) is a city and ''comune'' in the region of Lombardy, Northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Garda and Iseo. ...
manufacturing center which focused on the production of diecast vehicles (Polistil 1975).
Whereas more collector driven lines such as
Rio Models
RIO Models was an Italian manufacturer of diecast and plastic 1:43 scale model cars, based in Cernobbio, Italy.
History
All started in 1952 when three brothers, Reno, Nilo and Diego, founded the ''Fratelli Tattarletti'' (Tattarletti brothers) ...
or
Brumm
Brumm is a collectible model company that makes diecast metal automobiles and horse-drawn carriages. It is based in Oltrona di San Mamette, southwest of Lake Como, Italy - about 25 miles northwest of Milan. Models are almost exclusively produ ...
made the same models sometimes for decades, David Sinclair says that Polistil was more likely to confront market trends more directly – changing model lines every two or three years (Sinclair 1979, p. 387). As seen below, Polistil kept track of its vehicle lines using sets of capital letters followed by numbers, and not the use of series of numbers only.
M-Series
Most, but not all, of Polistil's lines were prefaced with letters: CE, RJ, S, MS, etc., but the company did not start with the beginning of the alphabet. With Politoys’ diecast 1:43 scale M-Series starting 1965, the company arguably became one of the most respected names of the decade in accurately diecast vehicles along with French
Solido
Solido is a French manufacturing company based in Oulins, west of Paris, which produces die-cast scale model cars, military vehicles, and commercial vehicles. Vehicles are usually made of zamac alloy in varying scales. Typically, Solido's main c ...
, fellow Italian
Mebetoys
Meccanica Bessana Toys (mostly known for its acronym and tradename Mebetoys), was an Italian toy manufacturer that produced die-cast scale model cars during the 1960s and 1970s.
The company was purchased by Mattel in 1969, which continued comm ...
and German
Schuco
Schuco is a German manufacturing company founded in 1912 by Heinrich Müller and the businessman Heinrich Schreyer in Nuremberg Germany's toy capital since early days. The company's specialty was making toy reproductions of cars and trucks in tin ...
(Rixon 2005, p. 80).
Dinky
Dinky may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Dinky Toys, a brand of die-cast toy vehicles
* Dinky (film), a 1935 film starring Jackie Cooper
* Dinky Bossetti, protagonist of the 1990 film ''Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael'', played by Winona Ryder
...
and
Corgi
The Welsh Corgi ( or Corgi, plural Corgis, or occasionally the etymologically consistent Corgwn; ) is a small type of herding dog that originated in Wales. The name ''corgi'' is derived from the Welsh words and (which is mutated to ), meani ...
were also strong competitors and Politoys never matched their success in the United States nor did they produce as wide a range of models as those two leaders in the field.
Politoys’ 1:43 scale diecast M-Series line was introduced in 1965. The company had previously focused on plastic. The M series were precisely detailed with a wide range of offerings. Sixteen vehicles were introduced in the first year, with numbers starting at 500. The cars had many moving parts (normally 2 doors, hood and trunk opened) and the engines and even undercarriage had good detail. Plastic seats almost always tilted forward, and on some models they were covered with a fuzzy material that imitated velour.
Though companies like
Corgi
The Welsh Corgi ( or Corgi, plural Corgis, or occasionally the etymologically consistent Corgwn; ) is a small type of herding dog that originated in Wales. The name ''corgi'' is derived from the Welsh words and (which is mutated to ), meani ...
claimed to have the first model with all opening features in their 1963 Chrysler Ghia L6.4, Politoys M was the first diecast line where (for a time) all apertures opened on ''every model'' ! (Politoys 1968; Rixon 2005, p. 79; Gardiner and O'Neill 1996, pp. 72–73). This contrasted with Dinky and Corgi which tended towards the "toy" market with gimmicks and TV and movie vehicles. Politoys, however, went for consistent realism.
Another unique advertising angle of Politoys M was to emphasize how they could be taken apart. One ad in the American market by U.S. representative Lynn International showed the 518 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III (Mulliner Park Ward "slant eye" version) in pieces and asked "How can a boy own a Rolls Royce..be a collector and a mechanic all at the same time! With Politoys M, that's how" Below, the ad continued, "Assembled just like the big ones – real solid – with 52 parts, most of which you take apart piece-by-piece with the twist of a screwdriver, then put back together again..." The ad then concluded, "That's Politoys. Collect them. Tinker with them. Play with them." (Politoys by Polistil no date).
By the late 1960s, the M-Series range had expanded to 37 models:
* 500 – Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT
* 501 – Maserati 3500 GT Coupe
* 502 – Siata Coupe Fiat 1500
* 503 – Mercedes-Benz 230 SL
* 504 – Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta
* 505 – Autobianchi Bianchina Panoramica
* 506 – Alfa Romeo Giulia SS
* 507 – Ford Cortina
* 508 – Innocenti Morris IM 3
* 509 – Lancia Flavia Zagato 1800
* 510 – Opel Kadett Coupe
* 511 – Fiat 600
* 512 – Fiat 500 Giardinetta
* 513 – Fiat 850
* 514 – Alfa Romeo 2600 Coupe GT
* 515 – ISO Rivolta Coupe GT
* 516 – Alfa Romeo Giulia Zagato
* 517 – Fiat 850 Coupe
* 518 – Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III "Slant Eye"
* 519 – Ford Taunus 20 M.T.S.
* 520 – Lancia Fulvia Coupe
* 521 – Opel Diplomat 8V
* 522 – Primula Bianchi
* 523 – Alfa Romeo Giulia T.I. Super
* 524 – Simca 1500
* 525 – Ferrari "LeMans" Peninfarina
* 526 –
* 527 – Porsche 912
* 528 – Fiat 1500 GT Ghia
* 529 – Alfa Romeo Giulia Canguro 600
* 530 – Alfa Romeo 2600 Zagato
* 531 – Alfa Romeo Giulia "Gazella"
* 532 – Alfa Romeo GS Zagato
* 533 – OSI 1200 Coupe
* 534 – Ford Lola GT
* 535 –
* 536 – Dino "Ferrari"
* 537 – Alfa Romeo 2600 Pantera
* 538 –
* 539 – Lamborghini 350 GT+
Numbers 526 (Fiat 1100), 535 (Porsche 904), and 538 (Volkswagen 1600 TL) are not mentioned in this data from an original catalog sheet as they were introduced later (Politoys 1968). The M-Series obviously concentrated on Italian vehicles. For example, 76 percent of this catalog's models were Italian, 37 percent alone being Alfa Romeo. Unique models produced that were not found elsewhere were the Iso Rivolta seen above, a later Chevrolet Corvette Pininfarina Rondine Coupe, and the first Lamborghini – bugeye – 350 GT (Rixon 2005, p. 37).
From the start, the M-Series had tremendous competition. During the 1960s, each diecast model company had a unique approach and a unique market. Dinky and Corgi generally had different market areas, but were more popular in the U.S. French Dinky and Solido were more popular in France. Tekno was a Danish mainstay as were Gama, Schuco, and Marklin in Germany. More importantly, the Italian market was full. Mercury had been a leader of the Italian diecast industry for a long time, but no sooner had Politoys brought out the M-series, they were joined by
Mebetoys
Meccanica Bessana Toys (mostly known for its acronym and tradename Mebetoys), was an Italian toy manufacturer that produced die-cast scale model cars during the 1960s and 1970s.
The company was purchased by Mattel in 1969, which continued comm ...
and
Edil
''Dictionary of the Irish Language: Based Mainly on Old and Middle Irish Materials'' (also called "the DIL"), published by the Royal Irish Academy, is the definitive dictionary of the origins of the Irish language, specifically the Old Irish, Mid ...
, the latter only briefly, but the competition with Mercury and Mebetoys – who often offered similar models – was a challenge. Furthermore, Mattel's Hot Wheels diminished the American market after 1967.
Similar to Corgi, Dinky, and Mebetoys, Politoys M used jewels for headlights, while French Solido chose more realistic clear plastic lenses. Still Politoys often had delicately rendered headlight bezel surrounds and other carefully done details (Gardiner and O'Neill 1996, p 72). While competitor Solido's niche in the diecast market was offering unique wheel styles for each model, the M-Series’ generic wire wheels were not authentic to real vehicles, but were quite attractive, classy and typical to the look of the time. By 1968, the company had also experimented with plastic wheels on low-friction axles – similar to changes made by Dinky, Corgi, Lonestar and others in reaction to the success of Hot Wheels. These added to the play value but detracted from the realism. As the 1960s progressed, Politoys produced more sports and exotic cars and fewer mundane everyday cars. This was the same tactic used by
Solido
Solido is a French manufacturing company based in Oulins, west of Paris, which produces die-cast scale model cars, military vehicles, and commercial vehicles. Vehicles are usually made of zamac alloy in varying scales. Typically, Solido's main c ...
at the time, but Corgi, Dinky, and French
Dinky
Dinky may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Dinky Toys, a brand of die-cast toy vehicles
* Dinky (film), a 1935 film starring Jackie Cooper
* Dinky Bossetti, protagonist of the 1990 film ''Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael'', played by Winona Ryder
...
continued to offer many common sedans.
Variations in 1:43 scale
In 1968, the 500-series started including models labelled as "Export." These were slightly cruder than the M-series, with fewer opening features. By 1970, Politoys has "used up" the numbers from 500 to 599, including some metal versions of models previously produced in plastic.
Later 1:43 scale series were the E, EL and HE. Some of the early models in these series were still up to the Politoys M in detail like the well done Lamborghini Espada and Islero (which had folding headlights)(Gardiner and O'Neill 1996, p. 73). Body details were often very good with clever features, such as the Alfa Romeo Alfasud with complete ski equipment on the roof. On later 1970s issues like this one, however, the models sported toy-like generic chrome plastic wheel designs that were pretty ugly. The EL-Series was much better than the E in this regard. David Sinclair, an Erie, Pennsylvania, importer who was responsible for starting much of the diecast car collecting hobby in the states noted that one interesting model in the EL line was an
AMC Gremlin
The AMC Gremlin (also American Motors Gremlin) is a subcompact automobile introduced in 1970, manufactured and marketed in a single, two-door body style (1970–1978) by American Motors Corporation (AMC), as well as in Mexico (1974–1983) by A ...
(Sinclair's 1977; Levine 2009). It was unique enough to see any American cars in European diecast, much less an AMC model!
Starting in 1967, Politoys also offered its 1:66 scale Penny series to compete with smaller
Matchbox
Phillumeny (also known as phillumenism) is the hobby of collecting different match-related items: matchboxes, matchbox labels, matchbooks, matchcovers, matchsafes, etc.
Matchbox
A matchbox is a box made of cardboard or thin wood and designed ...
and
Majorette
A majorette is a baton twirler whose twirling performance is often accompanied by dance, movement, or gymnastics; they are primarily associated with marching bands during parades. Majorettes can also spin knives, fire knives, flags, light-up ba ...
, probably aimed at the American market, but the new series never gained their popularity so most were sold within Italy (Breithaupt No Date). Mint boxed examples are thus difficult to find (Rixon 2005, 54).
In the late 1970s a variety of previous Polistil castings were shipped to Mexico and sold as the McGregor brand (Force 1992, 208). McGregor sold both plastic and diecast versions of Polistil toys and models were usually marked with both the Politoys and McGregor names. Some models also seem to have made their way to the U.S.S.R. to be molded there in plastic, like the Maserati Mistral.
A pioneer in larger scale
![Polystil Lancai Pulvia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Polystil_Lancai_Pulvia.jpg)
By the early 1970s, Polistil diversified somewhat, offering slot cars and larger scales in metal. In 1973, the 1:24 scale ''S'' series (1:22 scale was used as well) competed directly with the new
Martoys
Bburago is an Italian brand and former manufacturing company of toys and die-cast toy, die-cast scale model model car, cars. The company was based in Burago di Molgora, where all products were made from 1974 to 2005. At its most popular, Bburago ...
(later to become
Bburago
Bburago is an Italian brand and former manufacturing company of toys and die-cast scale model cars. The company was based in Burago di Molgora, where all products were made from 1974 to 2005. At its most popular, Bburago's main competitors were ...
) (Rixon 2005, p. 14). Politoys was one of the first companies to move into this larger and more lucrative size, thus was a trend setter for larger diecasts that is still popular today. Though proportions on the larger scale Polistil vehicles was sometimes slightly off (so were some of the Martoys, and both Bburago and Maisto later improved), creative presentation made up for it. For example, rally vehicles such as the Lancia Fulvia polar expedition were stunning. This car featured white and brown paint speckled across the entire car – simulating snow and dirt.
The TG series of even larger 1:16 scale cars such as the Alfa Romeo 1750C, BMW 328 roadster, Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari GTO, Ferrari 250 California roadster and the Morgan Plus 8 were introduced about 1980. Some of these models, however, did not have the details of competitors Bburago or
Maisto
Maisto is a brand of scale model vehicles introduced and owned by May Cheong Group, a Chinese company founded in 1967 in Hong Kong by brothers P.Y. Ngan and Y.C Ngan. The company has also subsidiaries in the United States (based in Fontana, Calif ...
. The Morgan, for example is beautiful with opening doors, but the tires are hard plastic, not rubber; the steering wheel and front wheels are fixed; and the hood does not open, saving the cost of additional parts. The Alfa Romeo 1750, however, did come in two versions; top up and top down. By the late 1980s, though, the larger models were the backbone of Polistil sales, while it would last, and the 1:43 size was now being left to higher end collector brands like
Eligor
The demons' names (given below) are taken from the ''Ars Goetia'', which differs in terms of number and ranking from the ''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'' of Johann Weyer. As a result of multiple translations, there are multiple spellings for some of t ...
,
Vitesse, and venerable
Solido
Solido is a French manufacturing company based in Oulins, west of Paris, which produces die-cast scale model cars, military vehicles, and commercial vehicles. Vehicles are usually made of zamac alloy in varying scales. Typically, Solido's main c ...
.
The MS and MT series of 1:15 scale Motorcycles also appeared about 1980. Racing series (see next heading) of all scales became a forte. A variety of trucks and tanks (the 'CA' series) and other military vehicles were offered. One very nice military offering was an Afrika Corps BMW motorcycle with sidecar in desert beige. TV and movie figures and vehicles also appeared but were not as popular as those offered by
Corgi Toys
Corgi Toys (trademark) is the brand name of a range of die-cast toy vehicles created by Mettoy and currently owned by Hornby Railways, Hornby.[Dinky Toys
Dinky Toys was the brand name for a range of die-cast toy, die-cast zamak zinc alloy scale model model car, vehicles produced by British toy company Meccano Ltd. They were made in England from 1934 to 1979, at a factory in Binns Road in Liverpo ...]
, and are somewhat more rare today. Batman, Superman, and Disney vehicles were examples. In addition,
Mego and
Lion Rock
Lion Rock, or less formally Lion Rock Hill, is a mountain in Hong Kong. It is located in Sha Tin District, between Kowloon Tong of Kowloon and Tai Wai of the New Territories, and is high. The peak consists of granite covered sparsely by shru ...
military action figures were marketed under the Polistil name.
The J series were larger colorful toy-like trucks which used more plastic for bodies and larger plastic wheels. One example was the J85 Mercedes-Benz Unimog dump truck.
A racing emphasis
One area where Polistil probably did better than any of the competition was in racing vehicles of various scales, mainly covering
Formula 1
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
, and at reasonable retail prices. The F and FK series were in 1:32 scale and first introduced in 1970 and ran until about 1980, changing wheel designs as the years passed. The 1:41 scale CE series appeared in 1978 and featured Renault, Ligier, Lotus, Brabham, Alfa Romeo and Williams, among others. Oddly, a few tractors also appeared in the CE series (Force 1992, 81–88).
The RJ series (''Penny'' Series) carried at least 45 Grand Prix and Formula 1 cars, while the TG and L series were 1:16 scale. Like many other teams, the fascinating
Tyrrell P34
The Tyrrell P34 (Project 34), commonly known as the "six-wheeler", was a Formula One (F1) race car designed by Derek Gardner (designer), Derek Gardner, Tyrrell Racing, Tyrrell's chief designer. The car used four specially manufactured 10-inch dia ...
6-wheel F1 car appeared in two different scales.
At the end of the 1970s, Polistil started mass-producing
electric racing car tracks. They were very popular in Europe.
The end of Polistil
By the late 1980s, Polistil had released over 500 different vehicles of all sizes (Force 1992, 62–89). In the late 1980s, the larger scales were marketed in the U.S. in a new relationship with Tonka. Apparently, Tonka had purchased Polistil. Vehicle boxes remained red at this time, but were now labeled Polistil/Tonka. This included larger 1:14 scale cars. Unfortunately, competition with newer and upcoming Bburago, Maisto and mail order firms like
Franklin Mint Precision Models
Franklin Mint Precision Models were made by the Franklin Mint, originally a private mint founded by Joseph Segel in 1964 in Wawa, Pennsylvania. The company is now owned by a private equity firm headquartered in Midtown Manhattan New York City and ...
provided a surge in competition in the larger scales and contributed to Polistil's demise. By 1993, just as the demand for 1:18 scale models was starting to peak, Tonka dropped the name, dropped Italian production, and venerable Polistil was gone.
Chinese Polistil reappears
In 2014, the Polistil name was relaunched by the May Cheong Group, manufacturer of the
Maisto
Maisto is a brand of scale model vehicles introduced and owned by May Cheong Group, a Chinese company founded in 1967 in Hong Kong by brothers P.Y. Ngan and Y.C Ngan. The company has also subsidiaries in the United States (based in Fontana, Calif ...
brand. Now Polistil sells different products: slot car systems, radio controlled cars, die cast models of construction machinery, tractors, caricature cars, Formula One cars and so on. So, this is an interesting case where the Asian toy giant is responsible for resurrecting two well-known Italian brand names – Bburago and Polistil, but the products are now made in China, and no longer in Italy.
On the boxes now is printed "Manufactured by: Polistil International LTD, Hong Kong", or "Manufactured by: Most Success Trading LTD, Hong Kong". The new company was apparently created in Hong Kong on August 27, 2013 (Hong Kong Business Directory n.d.).
References
* Breithaupt, Doug. No date. Penny, Politoys or Polistil, Delightful Diecast Under Any Name. Webpage dedicated to Politoys.
* Force, Edward. 1992. ''Classic Miniature Vehicles Made in Italy''. Schiffer Publications.
* Gardiner, Gordon, and O'Neill, Richard. 1996. ''The Collector's Guide to Toy Cars: An International Survey of Tinplate and Diecast Cars from 1900.'' London: Salamander Books, Ltd. .
* "POLISTIL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED". Hong Kong Business Directory. n.d
* Jeffrey Stein Sales. 5 June 2014. ''Polistil Shipment News''
* Levine, R. F. 2009. David Sinclair in the Driver's Seat. ''Lake Erie LifeStyle'', web published December 1.
* Polistil. 1975. Hardbound Polistil catalog
* Politoys by Polistil. No date. Newsprint ad with Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III Mulliner Park Ward. Ad by U.S. Representative Lynn International Ltd. 200 Fifth Ave, New York, NY.
* Politoys M. 1968. Single sheet brochure produced by Politoys APS.
* Rixon, Peter. 2005. ''Miller's Collecting Diecast Vehicles''. London: Miller's, A Division of Mitchell Beazley.
* Sinclair, David. 1979. Scale 1:43, a Survey for Collectors, in ''Automobile Quarterly'', Vol. 17, No. 4, pp. 384–399. Princeton, New Jersey: Automobile Quarterly, Inc. in Association with the Princeton Institute for Historic Research.
* Sinclair's Auto Miniatures. 1977. Typewritten sales flyer.
* Smeed, Vic, general editor. 1980. ''The World of Model Cars''. London: Bison Books, A Chartwell Book. .
External links
*
{{Scale model brands
Model manufacturers of Italy
Die-cast toys
1:43 scale models
1:25 scale models
1:18 scale models
Defunct toy manufacturers
Manufacturing companies based in Milan
Toy companies of Italy
Toy brands
Toy companies established in 1960
Italian companies established in 1960