Beautiful Cars of Brianza

Ray Thursby

10/01/2003

High-quality model cars have a life of their own, a special appeal that makes them much more than mere undersize representations of the originals. Of course they provide an up-close look at cars generally admired from afar—if ever seen in person at all. But they also display a level of craftsmanship that is rare in this injection-molded, computer-controlled age. Forming and finishing the tiny bodies is an art in itself, as are the techniques used to miniaturize fuel fillers, windshield wipers, wheel spokes, and all the other details that make the best scale models as authentic as the originals. (Click image to enlarge)

In fact, some models can be classified as artwork. Like the full-size cars they represent, they require the uncommon talents of their makers: an ability to shape metal, apply paint, and fabricate components—and most importantly, perhaps, a sculptor’s eye for form. The latter is critical because the modelmaker must subtly alter the contours of the original, if a scaled-down version is to look accurate. That applies not only to the overall shape, but also to the small parts that cannot, for practical reasons, be exactly reduced.

On an exact automotive replica—in one-twelfth-scale, for instance—the body panels and glass would be too thin to retain their shapes. Hoods and doors could not be opened, because the gaps between them would be too small. Worst of all, the proportions would look wrong, for the same reasons a Rolls-Royce radiator shell, which appears to be made up of flat planes and straight lines, is in reality a series of subtly curved forms. The end result, then, must be an artist’s interpretation, not an exact copy. (Click image to enlarge)
The best of these miniatures are so realistic that there is a temptation to remove them from display cases and play with them. Of course, as adults, few of us would ever actually push them around on the floor, accompanied by self-made engine or tire noises. That would be okay for a child’s toy, but hardly appropriate for serious objets d’art. Even so, these models appear ready to scoot away on their own, with no more impetus than an eyedropper of fuel and a suitably minuscule pilot.

Traditionally, there has been a gap between the truly bespoke miniatures created by such legendary model builders as Manuel Olivé Sans, Michele Conti, and Gerald Wingrove, and the fine but machine-made cars of companies such as Burago and Brooklyn Models. One of the first to sense a need for miniatures that combined handcraftsmanship and limited-quantity production was the late Carlo Brianza. The company he founded, now called ABC Brianza, continues the practice today, offering scale-model cars of exquisite quality.

---

Even tiny racers need transporters. Two Ferrari haulers from the 1950s are joined here by a newer team bus, all in one-forty-third scale. (Click image to enlarge)

---

Brianza honed his craft while working with Conti and Olivé Sans. His first independent effort, a replica of the Type 156 Ferrari Formula One car that Phil Hill used to win the 1961 Driver’s World Championship, was a one-off. In time, he offered his first “production” car, a one-fourteenth-scale Ferrari Daytona. Others followed over the years, generally in series limited to 1,000 copies.
Under the stewardship of Brianza’s wife, Ella, son Andrea (who was trained by his father and creates the prototype for each new offering), and daughter Laura, the ABC Brianza line has grown to encompass hundreds of models, each hand-assembled by a small staff in Varesino, Italy. Bodies are cast (usually in a stable, durable resin), finished, painted, and mated with wheels, interiors, and the fine detail elements that are the hallmark of Brianza models.

The level of detailing varies, depending on the model’s scale and projected price. At the head of the line are the one-fourteenth-scale “Carlo Brianza” signature editions. These magnificent €1,620 miniatures are perhaps the closest one can come to owning a bespoke model without paying the much higher price—and enduring the much longer wait—the one-offs demand. If the “Carlo Brianza” series has a drawback, it is the almost total devotion to Ferraris (Brianza is an Italian company, after all), though one need not be dedicated to the Maranello marque’s cars to appreciate them. Brianza has announced that a Maserati A6GCS, Rolls-Royce Phantom III (with stunning Figoni et Falaschi coachwork), and Lamborghini 350GT will be made, which will interest a wider range of automotive enthusiasts.

---

It's red, it's beautiful, it's an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider, and thanks to the skills of Brianza's artisans, it does not leak oil as the real thing is prone to do. It takes up much less space than the original, too. (Click image to enlarge)

---

It seems unfair to brand the ABC Brianza lines of one-twelfth-, one-fourteenth-, one-twenty-fourth-, and one-forty-third-scale miniatures as lesser offerings, for they are still crafted by hand. They are less expensive, however, ranging in price from roughly €200 to €1,600. Many are also available in unassembled form.

Brianza also offers miniatures—in finished and kit form—from a variety of other sources. Some of these are scarce on this side of the Atlantic, so it is worth poring over the thousands of listings in the firm’s catalog (available either online or by mail) in search of rarities and oddities.
Price aside, the prime criterion for choosing a model car to add to—or start—your collection is visual appeal. The expert modeler’s elusive goal is the creation of miniature art to please the most discriminating collector. Judging the success of the effort is purely subjective—sometimes a mass-produced example can be considered more desirable than one from a limited edition. There are no rules in this game.

---

Alfa Romeo's Type 33 racing cars may not have been as successful as the company had hoped, but they were a treat for the eyes and ears. The tiny V-8 engine of the scale model, with its miniature velocity stacks, looks ready to race, save for a drop of fuel. (Click image to enlarge)

---

Determining future value is equally difficult. Some scarce miniatures are relatively inexpensive secondhand, while some mass-produced toys, such as the British Dinky cars, command substantial premiums over their original prices. Those acquiring model cars as an investment face a time-consuming task, spending countless hours prowling model car shows, reading magazines, and interacting with other collectors. That can be rewarding, but it is not nearly so satisfying as simply collecting scaled-down versions of your favorite cars. Some might be replicas of the full-size denizens in your garage; others are the closest any of us can come to owning exotic machines that either no longer exist or remain firmly in the clutches of owners who will pass them along to their sons and daughters.

Model collecting does have its practical side. Dozens of Brianza Ferraris can be lavishly displayed in the space occupied by just one 1:1-scale F360.

Brianza, www.abcbrianza.com