BAYKO Display Shelves

In 1996, in Southend, I bought the cardboard shelving unit shown here.

The gentleman I bought it from assured me that the man he had bought it off assured him it was definitely for BAYKO - if you see what I mean!

He had also been told that the complete shelving unit should be topped by a matching 'headboard' bearing the BAYKO logo.

It certainly came with several, presumably contemporary, 1950s era mint sets.

The only other corroborative evidence is that the colour of the Display Shelves is certainly similar to that of BAYKO sets.

The all cardboard format is hardly robust, so I suspect that these shelving units were primarily for show, rather that for storage of lots of sets.

I'd like to know how it was used, so if you've any information - even better, a photo? - then I'd love to hear from you.

This unit has survived all this time so perhaps a matching 'headboard' has too - if you know of one then again I'd love to hear from you.

After the MECCANO takeover, I understand that some BAYKO display shelves, built entirely of MECCANO parts, was available, but I have nothing to show you I'm afraid.

However, I certainly know that MECCANO produced some BAYKO display units which they announced to their retailers in a trade bulletin in April, 1962 [right].

Either by accident - cock-up theory again - or design - because they would have had to have been made too large - these Display Units excluded set #15, even though it was launched only 5 months later.

The "new and excitingly attractive Bayko Dispenser and Display Unit" holds "approximately 50" sets, which, being a substantial quantity, may have restricted the take up to larger toy shops and department stores.

As can easily be seen in the various images, the display unit is made from coated wire, and was finished in "scratch-proof silver".

Thanks to its design, with small sets at the top and larger, heavier sets at the bottom, the whole thing should have been reasonably stable.

The were initially offered to retailers "at only £5, plus packing and carriage".

There is a slight discrepancy in the possible dimensions of these display Units, which may just indicate that later models were slightly smaller. The display unit stood : -

or

The simple - but effective - "head board", coupled with the bright BAYKO packaging, must have made quite an eye-catching display...

...unfortunately, these photographs, taken by MECCANO as part of their marketing support documentation, were produced in black and white...

...just remember this was the early 1960s well before colour photography was really widely available at reasonable prices.

Still it's interesting to see exactly how MECCANO's marketeers intended their displays to look.

Interestingly, these units were still being offered for sale in 1963, but the price had gone up to the princely sum of £5/15/- [£5.75].

I mention this because BAYKO set #15 had been introduced the previous year and yet was still not provided for in these display units.

These display units were included, by MECCANO, in a leaflet for their retailers, in 1963.

That's all the information I have on BAYKO Display Shelves / Units...

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