N.E.S.Toy For Value

1969

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Bestoys built its success and reputation on the quality of its range of products. This quality came at a cost, which allowed other manufacturers to undercut Bestoys with items that were produced with less care and a basic finish.
Never wanting to reduce the quality of his Bestoys range and still be competitive with all things being equal, Jim Bonaretti introduced an entirely new line of product that, initially, seemed to compete against the Bestoys range. Jim released this range of toys and nursery furniture in 1969 and branded it “N.E.S.Toy” – the initials of the three family members directly involved at the time: Nazzareno, Ebe and daughter Susanna – the younger children still attending school.

Cover page of introductory pamphlet 1969 from N.E.S.Toy

The range was limited but comprehensive:

A small and medium-sized blackboard and easel
A garage
A 24” doll’s cradle
A horse and a swan rockaway
A doll’s house
A tubular steel-framed painted table and 2 painted chairs
A tubular steel-framed laminated table with upholstered chairs
A desk and matching stool made of Corinite
A bookshelf made of Corinite in 2 widths
A 2-drawer student’s desk made of Corinite

All were manufactured using the same methods and materials as the better quality Bestoys range but were finished or decorated less extravagantly.

The edges of the Corinite or particle board panels were finished with dense black paint that closed the porous edges or, with the tabletops, painted white and spangled with gold paint.

Where Bestoys supplied its products mostly unassembled in cartoned flat-packs to protect them in transit and in store, N.E.S.Toy products were offered fully assembled and slipped into a strong plastic bag (Garage, Doll’s Cot and Cradle, Horse and Swan Rockaway, Doll’s House) or otherwise wrapped in corrugated paper.

This cheaper range of toys and nursery furniture was quickly accepted and Bestoys, with this addition, increased its market share, giving its less expensive competitors cause for concern. N.E.S.Toy had the added advantage over its direct competitors that it was distributed Australia-wide by the same wholesalers and agents Bestoys had established over the years.

No 1 Blackboard from N.E.S.Toy 1969 pamphlet

No 2 Blackboard from N.E.S.Toy 1969 pamphlet

Doll's Cradle from N.E.S.Toy 1969 pamphlet

1970

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Never resting on past success and always looking to improve, Jim made modifications to the N.E.S.Toy range:

The Doll’s House was redesigned and supplied unassembled in a flat pack carton.
The Horse and Swan Rockaways, too, were packed in a carton.
The Student’s Desk was discontinued from this range and a new item introduced: the child’s Mini Deskette Table and chair set.
The Tubular painted Table and Chairs were now available in pink, blue or white.

However, it became obvious to Jim that, to avoid the inevitable breakages that minimal packaging caused, it was better to supply as much of the new N.E.S.Toy range unassembled, in flat packs and in cartons.

c1979

Many changes took place with the range of products N.E.S.Toy offered but Jim didn’t publish a new brochure before he incorporated the range on the back cover of the new Bestoys colour catalogue produced c1979 with George Wills & Co Limited NSW.

The nine years in between saw these additions, deletions and modifications to the 1970 range:

A new Dropside Cot was introduced along the same lines as the ever-popular “Susanne” Drop Side Cot but offered in one colour only and with one-colour screen-printed motif of cats.
The Horse Rockaway was redesigned and the Swan Rockaway discontinued
A new Table and Chairs set was introduced made using Corinite particle board tabletop and chair sides with the remaining timber legs and particle board seats and backs finished in spray-painted orange and all packed unassembled in a flat pack carton.
The Doll’s House remained the same, double-storeyed basic style with a single roof, 2 large celluloid windows and a sliding front door, all painted in tones of blue and white and supplied unassembled in a cartoned flat pack
New to the range was “Pam’s Cottage”, a single-storey house with a two-room attic, one celluloid window and a sliding front door. The 2-part gable roof was spray-painted and the exterior walls were silk-screened on unpainted ¼” (possibly 3/16”) particle board. This doll’s house, too was supplied unassembled in a cartoned flat pack. Its name, “Pam’s Cottage”, was a nod to Jim’s son and daughter-in-law using their initials to form “Pam”.
Also new to the range was a fully painted Dresser made of particle board and hardboard with wet-application decals on the sliding front doors. The colour range of this dresser complemented the colour range of the Bestoys Doll’s High Chair, “Princess” Crib, Ironing Board and Toy Box – pink, blue, green, yellow, orange and mauve.
An addition to the Blackboard range was the “Double Blackboard” made the same size as the popular No 2 Blackboard but double-easeled for 2 children to play simultaneously.
The small Garage (Service Station) was augmented by a “Large Service Station” and were supplied fully assembled.

Of the lines listed in the N.E.S.Toy 1970 pamphlet, these had been discontinued or modified by 1979:

The No 2 Blackboard corner designs were changed from kangaroo and emu to dogs
The Doll’s Cradle (Full Size) was discontinued
The Mini Deskette, Table and Chair was discontinued
The Tubular Table and Chairs was discontinued
The Corinite Desk and Stool was discontinued
The Laminated Table and Chairs was discontinued
Both Large and Small Corinite Bookshelves were discontinued.

Doll's House from N.E.S.Toy 1969 pamphlet

Garage from N.E.S.Toy 1969 pamphlet

Horse and Swan Rockaway from N.E.S.Toy 1969 pamphlet

Laminex Table and Chairs from N.E.S.Toy 1969 pamphlet

Desk and Stool from N.E.S.Toy 1969 pamphlet

Back page of colour catalogue produced c1979 for George Wills & Co Pty Ltd NSW

Bookshelves from N.E.S.Toy 1969 pamphlet

Doll's House from N.E.S.Toy 1970 pamphlet

Mini Deskette and Table from N.E.S.Toy 1970 pamphlet

1983

After the dissolution of the exclusive distributorship with George Wills & Co Limited NSW, Jim Bonaretti’s final Bestoys colour catalogue was printed showing more additions, modifications and deletions to the N.E.S.Toy range. These were:

The Corinite Table and Chairs set was changed to unpainted particle board and timber, ready to be decorated by the purchaser to his/her colour scheme. It was packed unassembled in a flat pack carton.
“Pam’s Cottage” was slightly modified by the formerly spray-painted roof now silk-screened with a tile pattern on raw particle board.
The Dropside Cot was replaced by the “Colonial” Cradle, made of Corinite and hardboard, with wet-application transfers on the bed ends and supplied in a cartoned flat pack.
The painted Dresser was replaced by the “Colonial” Dresser which was made of Corinite particle board and hardboard or plywood, and supplied unassembled in a cartoned flat pack.
The Horse Rockaway was discontinued and replaced with two new designs: a Pony and a Duckling and named “Sooky” the Pony and “Ukky” the Duckling = Sooky-Ukky = sukiyaki (a little in-joke). “Sooky” was printed in a range of body colours to match the trend of the day: blue, mauve, green and orange. These two rockaways proved to be very popular and sold in their 1000s…

Back page of Bestoys c1983 colour catalogue - not all of the N.E.S.Toy range was shown

1983 "New Releases"

These were illustrated on the “1983 New Releases from N.E.S.Toy” pamphlet:

“Pam’s Cottage”
“Pullablox”
“Sooky” Rocker
“Ukky” Rocker and
Wooden Unpainted Table and 2 Chairs.

New Releases for 1983 pamphlet, front page

New Releases for 1983 pamphlet, back page

At the same time, 21st February, 1983, Alltoys International Pty Ltd Wholesale Price List had these items available:

N.E.S.Toy wholesale price list from 1983 Alltoys International Price List

These items continued to be available from N.E.S.Toy until 1985.

N.E.S.Toy Finds - "Ukky" Rockaway

Found on Gumtree, listed on 14th March, 2021, was this "Vintage NES Toys Rocking Horse" offered for $20.00 in Oatley, NSW. It would have been made between 1983 and 1985. Because the silk-screened decoration is in yellow and brown inks, this item was most likely manufactured toward the later date, 1985.

Another "Ukky" Rockaway

From JET AGE DESIGN in Fyshwick, ACT, comes this offering of "Ukky" Duckling Rockaway. The date should read, "1980s" as this rockaway was produced only between 1983 and 1985. In this example, the interior is spray-painted in pastel green tinted undercoat and the duckling is in orange and black instead of yellow and brown silk-screen inks indicating it was manufactured closer to 1983.

Listed as "1970s children's rocker by N.E.S. Toys" it was made between 1983 and 1985

http://jetage.com.au/

No. 2 Blackboard in Bowral

Found in April, 2023, Shop 25 at Dirty Jane's this N.E.S.Toy No. 2 Blackboard still functional and the paint chalk-able. Only the easel legs have been changed. The design indicates this example was made after 1978 to 1985.

N.E.S.Toy No. 2 Blackboard c1978-1985

Shop 25 at Dirty Jane's in Bowral with N.E.S.Toy No. 2 Blackboard offering specials

N.E.S.Toy No. 2 Blackboard c1978-1985

N.E.S.Toy Horse Rockaway

Found on Facebook Marketplace in March, 2024, this is a fine example of an early N.E.S.Toy Horse Rockaway manufactured in the Bestoys factory between 1969 and 1983. Painted throughout with one coat of tinted matt undercoat in a neutral colour meant expediency in manufacturing saving labour costs. Even the handle, as seen here, is painted only on three sides, saving a fourth pass by the spray-painter. The screen-printing, however, is in two colours as one colour would have been too bland.
With thanks to the Seller and Facebook Marketplace: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3629632833968700/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A64cb1408-11b6-44f2-97ee-d779b5ab4c84

N.E.S.Toy Horse Rockaway found on Marketplace March 2024

Details for the N.E.S.Toy Horse Rockaway found on Marketplace March 2024

N.E.S.Toy Horse Rockaway found on Marketplace March 2024