The collector: Anthony Griffin, Warwickshire, UK.

The collection: Tin plate motorcycles dating from about 1920 to 1970.

The story behind the collection...

I was an avid collector of Dinky toys and have spent many years visiting toy fairs up and down the country. It was while visiting these toy fairs that I started to become attracted to tin plate toys, they are so much more interesting than diecast versions. Initially I collected all modes of transport in tin plate, cars, planes, boats etc. Nearly all tin plate motorcycles have a rider and sometimes a pillion passenger so you can almost date the motorcycle not just from the type of motorcycle but also from the type of clothing worn by the rider and pillion passenger.

My fascination with tin plate motorcycles started about ten years ago and I currently have around 400, having said that I have not counted them for some time.

The motorcycles have really taken over the house and they can be found in most rooms in various display cabinets and shelves. I would like to house them all in one place eventually in date order with cards giving the name of the maker and date it was made.There are so many that I would genuinly find it difficult to pick out a favourite but if I was pushed it would probably be the English bikes made by Mettoy. There are still plenty of bikes I would like to add to my collection, mainly from the period between 1895-1910. This is probably the date the earliest bikes were made and they can be difficult to find and expensive to buy. Unfortunately I think some of the early ones will always be out of my reach but I keep looking and hope to get lucky.

Since I was a young boy I have always been drawn to toys of any kind so I suppose you could say I have never quite grown up. I still get the same thrill from obtaining a new bike as I did when I was a schoolboy opening that special toy on  Christmas day.

Tin plate motorcyles are not the only thing I collect, my other collections include, Rupert books, Black Bob, Dandy, Beano, Cigarette cards, Horror Comics, Bottles, Beer Mats, Lead Circus Figures, Ointment Pots, the list goes on.