Don’t miss out on the memorabilia

WIKIPEDIA says automobilia is a term to describe any historical artefact or collectable linked with motor cars and related areas.

Monaco PG 1936 connolly

ACCORDING to Wikipedia, automobilia is a “portmanteau of the words automobile and memorabilia. It is a term which can be used to describe any historical artefact or collectable linked with motor cars and related areas, such as motor racing and motorsport personalities.”

Well, that makes it clear!

Bonhams and other auction houses have focused on automobilia. They auction paintings of racing cars by artists such as Frederick Gordon Crosby and his followers Bryan De Grineau and Michael Turner. Fred’s paintings go for north of $30,000.

If a Fred is too much, buy a Ham. Geo Ham is to posters what Buddy Franklin is to football. You would recognise his ads for 1930s events such as the Monaco Grand Prix and Le Mans 24 Hours. Just $14,000 from Swann of New York.

Germany’s Automobilia Ladenburg sells things such as Rudi Caracciola’s driver’s licence for $7500 and his winner’s ribbon from the 1931 German Grand Prix for $4770.

If you can find one, you can buy a Michele Conti model car such as the 1957 F 500TRC F1 racer from Knightsbridge dealer Oliver Strebel-Ritter for about $40,000.

Michele, an Italian, began his career at car body makers such as Stabilimenti Farina and Pininfarina and initially moonlighted, making 1/10th models in his spare time. His son Maurizio joined him in the business. Describing one of Maurizio Conti’s models in an interview, Oliver said: “It comes with an opening engine bay and hinged bonnet, hinged doors and fully detailed interior faithfully replicated from wood, steel, aluminium, leather and carpet. The main copper body was hammered by hand, silver soldered and rubbed down.”

On the other hand, anything signed by Stirling Moss sells for at least $1000. When I was last at Stirl’s Mayfair house, he was busy signing watches that you can buy from about $5000. Stirl’s official agent is the Signature Store at Brooklands.

But be still, my beating heart. For a lousy $5000 you get a replica of the map he used to navigate the Mille Miglia and you get to pop around to his house and take a selfie with the great man himself! Who said money can’t buy happiness?

As usual we keep the best until last.

One category completely ignored by the arty automobilia is the kitchen, the dining room and the bathroom. Thank god for Carguygarage.com. Imagine the scene. The boss is coming to dinner and you want to make a big impression. The welcoming ale comes from the Diamond Plate Double Tap Kegerator ($1700). You’ve cooked the chook in the V8 Engine Barbecue Propane Gas Grill ($650). At the table, out comes the sparkling Blue Nun in the Indy Race Car Wine Bottle Caddy ($90).

By now she probably needs a pit stop and won’t the carbon fibre toilet seat ($350) provide lightweight performance when she needs to go fast. Of course the toilet paper comes from the carbon fibre toilet roll dispenser ($85). After the ice cream in the mirror-polished stainless steel bowl that simulates the left and right thread hose connectors used in racing engines ($35) it’s time for a cleansing ale or port or grappa.

Once she sits in the three-piece automotive lounge, a red racing chair, a red race car footrest, and a red race car side table ($2500), the promotion is yours.

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