De Andreis Peugeot 201: biscuit boxes on wheels

You may recognise these little Peugeot 201 vans without knowing their maker. They were produced by Giacomo de Andreis in Marseille, France, with colourful lithographed tinplate bodies.

The real Peugeot 201 appeared in 1929. These toy versions are thought to date from somewhat later. Their roofs open, and the bodies appear to have doubled as biscuit boxes: a practical container that became a toy once the biscuits were gone.

The three versions discussed here have fragile clockwork mechanisms, although examples without clockwork are also known. Two have mudguards and one does not. Was this a difference between versions or levels of finish?

The number plates pose another question. Two read 72 47.X1 and 72 32.C1, which may reflect French registrations of the period. The third, S P 9, may refer to Service Pompiers.

Do you recognise the markings, or have another version of one of these vans? We would love to compare examples.

Story and research by Hans van Dissel.