TOY FAIRS
Jim Bonaretti was a long-time member of both the Chamber of Manufacturers and of TAGMA (Toys and Games Manufacturers Association of Australia) and exhibited the Bestoys range at almost every Sydney Toy Fair from its earliest days to 1984. Through his agents, the Bestoys range was also displayed at the Melbourne Toy Fairs.
One of the earliest he exhibited at was held at the Sydney Town Hall or the Trocadero (unsure which venue…) between 1957 and 1961 during which Desmond Tester and his Channel Ninepins children's TV show was televised live. (See Bestoys History)
Sydney’s Toy Fairs were usually held in February or March and usually in conjunction with the International Toy and Sporting Goods Trade Fair (sometimes known as the International Toy Exhibition), while Melbourne held theirs sometime mid-year.
There is scant information regarding the formation of TAGMA or who the inaugural members were or, indeed, how it developed through the years however, newspaper articles strongly indicate that the very first toy exhibition by Australian manufacturers was held in in April 1954 in the Sydney Town Hall.
This page details those toy fairs and exhibitions in which Jim Bonaretti took part, either personally or through his agents, with photographs and publicity of those together with a listing of Bestoys and N.E.S.Toy products exhibited where possible.
One of the earliest he exhibited at was held at the Sydney Town Hall or the Trocadero (unsure which venue…) between 1957 and 1961 during which Desmond Tester and his Channel Ninepins children's TV show was televised live. (See Bestoys History)
Sydney’s Toy Fairs were usually held in February or March and usually in conjunction with the International Toy and Sporting Goods Trade Fair (sometimes known as the International Toy Exhibition), while Melbourne held theirs sometime mid-year.
There is scant information regarding the formation of TAGMA or who the inaugural members were or, indeed, how it developed through the years however, newspaper articles strongly indicate that the very first toy exhibition by Australian manufacturers was held in in April 1954 in the Sydney Town Hall.
This page details those toy fairs and exhibitions in which Jim Bonaretti took part, either personally or through his agents, with photographs and publicity of those together with a listing of Bestoys and N.E.S.Toy products exhibited where possible.
For a very brief history of the Chamber of Manufacturers, TAGMA and Toy Fairs from 1951, go to this page…
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SYDNEY TOY FAIR
c1957
Up until the beginning of 1959, Bestoys was operating out of 26 Hutchinson Street, St Peters. It was at these premises that the Bestoys logo of moon and rocket ship was born. This is also where Jim Bonaretti crafted a giant rocket and moon logo from plywood and decorated them by hand for an upcoming toy fair. He suspended these in front of a deep mauve backdrop made of velvet ceiling-to-floor fabric curtaining to represent the sky. This made for a very eye-catching display backdrop for his toys and nursery furniture and promoted the new Bestoys logo to visitors and buyers.
Rolls of the velvet fabric were purchased and Ebe fashioned them into curtains of the appropriate length for the exhibition. Afterward, those lengths were rolled up and stored for future use.
When the Bonaretti family moved to Byrnes Street in late 1958, some of that fabric was used to curtain the doorways to the three bedrooms in the old cottage at number 19. For some unknown reason, Jim and Ebe had removed the doors or, perhaps, the original doors had been removed by the previous owner.
The original moon and rocket ship made c1957 still exists today.
Rolls of the velvet fabric were purchased and Ebe fashioned them into curtains of the appropriate length for the exhibition. Afterward, those lengths were rolled up and stored for future use.
When the Bonaretti family moved to Byrnes Street in late 1958, some of that fabric was used to curtain the doorways to the three bedrooms in the old cottage at number 19. For some unknown reason, Jim and Ebe had removed the doors or, perhaps, the original doors had been removed by the previous owner.
The original moon and rocket ship made c1957 still exists today.
SYDNEY TOY FAIR
March, 1963
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SYDNEY TOY SHOW (1963)
To the left is a short film found in the British Pathé archive of the toy fair held in Sydney in 1963. The date of the film is 5th March, 1963. Slot cars and trains sets were all the rage and, behind the marionette, glimpses of metal wheeled-toys and table and chairs can be seen (Cyclops?). The next shot shows playsuits in the background (Lindsay?) Bestoys most likely exhibited its range at this event and, as more information comes to hand, it will be included here. (Media URL: UN 3721 D) With thanks to British Pathé |
MELBOURNE TOY FAIR – July, 1964
This photograph is of the Bestoys stand. The caption beneath the Bestoys Rocket and Moon reads, “Furniture for Children and Dolls”.
Note that the Bestoys sign is not the one made by Jim Bonaretti in c1957.
Note that the Bestoys sign is not the one made by Jim Bonaretti in c1957.
(With thanks to Rebecca's Collections – (http://rebeccascollections.blogspot.com/2013/05/toy-journals-and-catalogues-at-national.html)
SYDNEY TOY TRADE FAIR
Menzies Hotel Sydney
March, 1965
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1965 TOY SHOW IN SYDNEY
To the left is another short film found in the British Pathé archive. This one of the toy fair held in Sydney in 1965 at the Menzies Hotel. There is no specific date this film was taken. Once more, playsuits feature (Lindsay?), marionettes, dolls and teddy bears, and Slinky, a toy introduced in 1945, still a favourite in 1965. Slot cars, too, remain extremely popular. TV shows like Combat! and The Gallant Men make war toys a must have. There is even a decimal converter cash register, ready for Australia's convertion on 14th February, 1966. Bestoys most likely exhibited its range at this event and, as more information comes to hand, it will be included here. (Media URL: UN 4043 D) With thanks to British Pathé |
MELBOURNE TOY FAIR – 1966
SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL TOY TRADE FAIR – 1966
This is still under construction - more to follow soon - meanwhile, here's an image from that event...
MELBOURNE TOY FAIR – July, 1967
Michaelis, Hallenstein & Co, with Mr Alex Gast at the helm, steered the Bestoys ship at the Melbourne Toy Fair of 1967 aided by the successful exposure of the Bestoys range on the TV Children’s Game Show, Video Village.
Bestoys products displayed are:
Top row on tabletops, left to right:
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On the floor, back row, left to right:
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SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL TOY TRADE FAIR
16-20 March, 1969
SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL TOY TRADE FAIR
Randwick Racecourse
March, 1972
In 1972, the 7th International Toy Trade Fair was held in conjunction with the TAGMA Toy Fair at Randwick Racecourse.
The Minister for Decentralisation and Development, The Hon J.B.M. Fuller, MLC, officially opened the international exhibition on Wednesday 8th March, 1972. While the Bestoys and N.E.S.Toy ranges were the main focus, Jim Bonaretti combined his manufacturing enterprise with his newly established wholesale company, Alltoys International Pty Ltd, adding the range of Japanese-made YKS microscopes and telescopes to the display on behalf of Mr. David Biber, Sales Manager for Slingo and Williams of Camperdown, which was the exclusive Australian importer of the scientific range for children and students. Assisting Jim on the stand was his sales representative, Ian "Mac" McLean and his wife. |
INTERNATIONAL TOY & SPORTING GOODS TRADE FAIR
Chevron Hotel Sydney
March, 1974
INTERNATIONAL TOY & SPORTING GOODS TRADE FAIR
Stands 17, 18 & 19
Centrepoint Tower Sydney
February, 1976
1976 for Bestoys and the Bonaretti family was a year of major changes. Decisions had been made to combine the three business entities into one property complex and building of that complex had begun when the family once again went on a buying trip to Italy. The fruits of those seeds were now ready for harvest and it proved to be a bountiful crop.
The captions on these pages from the Australasian Sportsgoods and Toy Retailer tell of those successes: |
TOY FAIR*
Boulevard Hotel Sydney
4th-9th March, 1977
Taken from the December 1976 issue of the Australasian Sportsgoods and Toy Retailer, this ad by Ideal and Mattel announces their display at the Boulevard Hotel in Sydney during the upcoming Toy Fair in March. If it was a standalone exhibition, it would have coincided with the TAGMA and ITSGTF. If so, then the Toy Fairs for 1977 were held from Friday, 4th March through to Wednesday, 9th March. *As listed by Ideal/Mattel |
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In 1977 Jim Bonaretti was promoting the range of Italian imports at the International Toy and Sporting Goods Trade Fair rather than TAGMA. Bestoys products were virtually selling themselves so little promotion was deemed necessary.
This was a good move and brought in a lot of interest and, more importantly, business to the combined businesses ventures of Bestoys and Alltoys International. |
INTERNATIONAL TOY & SPORTING GOODS TRADE FAIR
Hilton Hotel Sydney
February, 1978
The year of the BIG MOVE...
INTERNATIONAL TOY & SPORTING GOODS TRADE FAIR
Stands 73 A-B-C
Centrepoint Tower Sydney
March, 1979
Bigger and better than ever!
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TAGMA Toy of the Year EXHIBITION Sydney Town Hall
March, 1980
Now all under one roof, Bestoys, N.E.S.Toys and Alltoys International exhibited at toy fairs as Alltoys International. This year, Australian toy fair was held in Sydney Town Hall coinciding with the international toy fair held in a different location.
It was always a mad rush to have everything ready in time: samples of new products had to be made, new price lists and brochures printed, invitations with passes sent out. Shelving and custom-made stands had to be specially made - easy for cabinet maker, Jim. Then there was the scramble to wriggle the Bestoys truck carrying all this into the loading dock, unload quickly without damaging or losing anything, find a trolley and cart everything up to the exhibition floor with 100 other exhibitors doing the same. The photograph belies the bedlam that preceded it. The Alltoys stand was one of the biggest at the Town Hall that year and showed not only one each of the entire Bestoys and N.E.S.Toys ranges but one each of every colour that was available for each product, which made for an impressive and colourful display. Prominent on the stand in front the new releases for 1980 were featured. |
INTERNATIONAL TOY & SPORTING GOODS TRADE FAIR
Hilton Hotel Sydney
March, 1980
INTERNATIONAL TOY & SPORTING GOODS TRADE FAIR
Royal Sydney Showground
7th to 11th March, 1981
The following image of the two-page spread in the January 1981 edition of the Australasian Sportsgoods and Toy Retailer indicates that the Australian toy industry had, indeed, grown up and joined the big league in the world of toys, games and sporting goods.