BAYKO Adverts in 'The BOYS OWN PAPER'

Children's publication, 'BOYS OWN', perhaps more correctly called 'The BOYS OWN PAPER', was a very long running magazine, originating around the end of the 19th century and lasting for the best part of a century - from 1879 to 1967 to be precise.
'BOYS OWN' was the sort of publication that parents tended to approved of, personal experience included…
…which doubtless contained the roots of its ultimate demise!
BAYKO was advertised widely in various parts of the UK press in the 1950s. Some, like those in 'BOYS OWN', generated what we now call 'pester power', others were aimed head on at parents.

1936
This was a full page advert!
December, 1936
Pushing back the frontiers, this is by far the earliest 'BOYS OWN' BAYKO advert I've come across - December, 1936. That alone makes it interesting.
The advert was placed by Berwick's Toy Company, a Liverpool based marketing agency, which acted for Plimpton in their early years - a common launch strategy at the time.
While not identical, adverts sharing top billing with WEMBLEY MINIATURE FOOTBALL were very much the chosen formula, as seen in contemporary 'MECCANO MAGAZINE' adverts…
One tiny question is hurting my brain, why wasn't the corny central strap line thought suitable for 'MECCANO Magazine' readers‽
“YULE” BE HAPPY WITH EITHER !
…don't shoot the messenger!
I do, however, approve of the BAYKO headline…
“THE WONDER TOY”
…the messenger feels safer with this one!
The contemporary respect for plastic, reflected in the proud claim, “Made throughout in Coloured Bakelite”, is clearly not of today!
Half-page advert from the Boys Own Paper, December, 1950
The image is shown courtesy of Chris Boutal. If you can help bring more adverts to the party, then I'd love to hear from you…
As an afterthought, I'm adding the main script, which speaks to the [self] opinion of the product, as well as providing a complete contrast to LEGO's [almost] one box, one model approach.
“These amazingly ingenious Constructional Sets are now famous. You can build Castles, Railway Stations, Houses
and a host of other models, and by means of Converting Sets work up from the lowest price Set to the larger sizes.”
…now, where can I buy one‽

1950
December, 1950
This was a ½ page advert.
Half-page advert from the Boys Own Paper, December, 1950
The fourteen year gap from the BERWICK's Toys advert [above] suggests there may well be several more 'BOYS OWN' BAYKO adverts to unearth. I'm a shade frustrated that it's taking so long to complete the collection, but I'll keep going…

1951
January
February
March
BAYKO advert in Boys Own, January, 1951
BAYKO advert in Boys Own, February, 1951
BAYKO advert in Boys Own, March, 1951
BAYKO advert in Boys Own, April, 1951
BAYKO advert in Boys Own, May, 1951
It looks like imagination wasn't a key requirement of BAYKO's marketeers in 1951!
April
May
These were ½ page, BAYKO adverts.

1952 to 1955
November, 1952
November, 1953
December, 1953
Quarter page advert from BOYS OWN, November, 1952
Quarter page advert from BOYS OWN, November, 1953
Quarter page advert from BOYS OWN, December, 1953
Quarter page advert from BOYS OWN, November, 1954
Quarter page advert from BOYS OWN, December, 1954
Quarter page advert from BOYS OWN, November, 1955
November, 1954
December, 1954
November, 1955
These adverts are clearly very similar - except for the heading/caption, the changes in set prices displayed and the change of address towards the end.
These were all ¼ page, BAYKO adverts.

1956 to 1957
January, 1956
October, 1956
January, 1957
Quarter-page advert from the Boys Own Paper, January, 1956
Half-page advert from the Boys Own Paper, October, 1956
Half-page advert from the Boys Own Paper, January, 1957
A major point of interest with the two adverts [directly above] is that the reference to “Girls” was so quickly removed…
…perhaps not too surprising given that this is 'BOYS OWN'!!!
I've also acquired copies of two adverts, identical to those above, which, sadly, have been cut out of unspecified editions of 'BOYS OWN'. This doesn't prove that other issues carried these adverts, but it is strongly indicative.
This was a ¼ page advert.
These were ½ page BAYKO adverts.

This is a section I intend to extend and I will add more adverts if I can find any.
If you've any copies of 'BOYS OWN' with BAYKO adverts, which I could scan, or you could perhaps scan for me,
for inclusion here, then I'd love to hear from you.
 
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