Playart

Playart Bulldog 7800	Playart Bulldog 7800	Playart Sherman 7801
Playart Shermans 7801	Playart Centurion 7802	Playart Centurion 7802
Playart Panther 7803	Playart Panther 7803	Playart Panther 7803 base of tank
Playart Panthers 7803	Playart Tiger 7804	Playart Tigers 7804
Playart Chieftain 7805	Playart Chieftain 7805	Playart Chieftains 7805
Playart British Military 7584	Playart Chieftain 7805 From Playset 7584	Playart Saladin 7854 From Playset 7584
Playart Scout Car 7853 From Playset 7584	A.W. Seahawk, Supermarine Spitfire From Playset 7584
Playart Jeep, Kubelwagen and Schwimmenwagen Thanks Amphol H.	Playart Jeep, Scout Car and Schwimmenwagen Thanks Amphol H.
Military playset, number unknown	Military playset, number unknown
	Jeep from the playset	Truck from playset
Playart Amphibious Jeep	Playart Amphibious Jeep
		Playart "Super Six" Thanks Allan

 

Playart produced model cars, airplanes, tanks, and some other military vehicles (armoured cars, etc.) in the 1970's and into the late 1980's. Based in Hong Kong, Playart produced diecast vehicles under the names "Playart" "Fast Wheels" "Road Mates" "Charmerz" "Model Power", "Model Power Road Kings"  and "Peelers". I have only seen the military vehicles under the "Playart", "Playart Fast Wheels" and "Model Power" logos.

Playart produced diecast cars for Woolworth's when Woolworths decided to replace the Corgi "Husky" line with the "Peelers" brand (by Playart).  Soon after, Corgi change the "Husky" the "Corgi Juniors" branding.  In the 90's, Woolworth opted to replace Playart with Yatming as the supplier for low end diecast. Many of the tanks I own have a Woolworth's price tag on the box, although not the "Peelers" name. Playart also reportedly made vehicles for Sears (Road Mates) and other department stores.

The tanks do not appear to be very common. There is little web literature, and they do not frequently appear on eBay. For more on the Playart brand, go to Doug Breithaupt's very good article on Playart.

The tanks appear to be approximately 1:72. They are HEAVY diecast metal, with the exception of the treads, suspension, antenna and machine gun. Color schemes vary (see chart below).

Thanks to Amphol H. for the Jeep, Scout Car, Kubelwagen and Schwimmenwagen pictures. Thanks to Allan his many pictures and the informative correspondence!

Box Types/Releases

Playart British Military Playset #7584	Playart box with "hanging tab", side/top window Thanks Allan	Playart box without hanging tab wrap around window
Playart box without hanging tab. Note the odd shape	Playart box - side/top window, no hanging tab Slotted base, tanks names and numbers on the back Thanks Allan	Playart box - side/top window, no hanging tab Slotted base, tanks names and numbers on the back Thanks Allan
Two Tigers, right one with 'keyhole', the left withou	Model Power version of the Playart tank Thanks Allan	Model Power version of the Playart tank Tanks names and numbers on the back Thanks Allan

Playart hanging box

t Playart Card with scout car

Playart "Charmerz" amphibious Jeep Thanks Allan

Playart Charmerz Super Scale

Playart Fast Wheels Amphibious Jeep

Playart Fast Wheels Personen Kraftwagen

Playart Fast Wheels Saladin

The tanks were released in a variety of boxes, as well as a British Military playset including: an A.W. Seahawk, Supermarine Spitfire MK II, Chieftain, Saladin MK II, and a Scout Car.
Playart also made an Amphibious Jeep, a Jeep with machine gun, a Schwimmenwagen, and a Kubelwagen (in two different colors: green and tan). I am not sure if they were part of a playset or not.

The individually boxed tanks ranged from rectangular boxes with "hanging" tabs to irregularly shaped boxes. The tanks in the rectangular boxes with "hanging" tabs, and the irregularly shaped boxes with a "wrap around" window, are held in these boxes with clear plastic inserts. The tanks in the other irregular boxes without a hangers (with a front/top window) are held in place with a 'key" inserted through a keyhole in the bottom of the tank. Not ALL Playart tanks have the keyhole notch, only those in this sort of packaging.

The tanks also appear to have been released under the "Model Power" logo. The Model Power box differs from the others in that the 'Model Power' logo is displayed on the box instead of the Playart logo. The tanks are held in the box via a "key" inserted through the base of the box into a "keyhole" notch in the base of the tank. As a side note, Model Power has been known to repackage other manufacturers tanks under their logo. For example, they currently market 1-87 tanks, but close examination reveals the tanks to be repackaged ROCO tanks. Thanks to Allan A. for the photos and discussion/revelation!

Prices

Prices range from $10 (unboxed, and dirt cheap for one in good condition) to $35-$40 boxed. The original price was $1.99!!! :-)

Summary Chart

References

Doug Breithaupt's internet articles on Playart page 1 and Playart page 2 and here

Johnson, Dana. Diecast Toys and Scale Model. Collectors Books, a Division of Schroeder Publshing Inc., 1998

Johnson, Dana. Toy Car Collectors Guide. Collectors Books, a Division of Schroeder Publshing Inc., 2002

Ragan, Mac. Diecast Cars of the 1960's, MBI Publishing, 2000

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