New Book: Maserati, the Family Silver

It seems that there is a new book out which will become the true Maserati bible:
Maserati - The Family Silver

 

Christmas present to myself!

 

I agree, looks promising. Lets wait for some reviews....

 

I hope that some people will buy the collectors and the archive editions. Otherwise, the author will never get correctly paid for 14 years of work. This sounds like a labour of love! I think I'll buy it without any reviews... It can't be bad.. at least some of the 900 pages will bear some news for those of us who own all the books about Maserati (btw: the only one I'm lacking is "Schwartz, Maserati, Car for the connaisseur". Does anybody have one for sale?)

 

I will post a review when it arrives

 

That would be splendid Fredric!

 

I received the book yesterday and I have spent a few hours with it (them since it is 2 volumes) It has a LOT of text and pictures is not the main focus. Mostly are black and white. the whole first and 50% of the second volume is dedicated to the racing history with lots of details about specific races and cars.
The production cars of the 60's is covered in a few pages as well as recent history. The story from the 60's and forward has been told better elsewhere. If your main interest is in the early/racing history this book is for you. Since I am mainly interested in the "classic" era from 3500 to let's say Khamsin, this book is disappointing. All the major classic models such as Sebring, Mistral, Ghibli and the Quattroporte is given maybe 10-15 pages out of 900. I learned nothing new and saw no pictures I haven't seen before.

 

Thank you very much for your short impression in the book, Fredric! Saves me from a bit of a disappointment, because my main interests are quite similar to yours.
Can you recommend a better book about the 60s to 70s era of Maserati production cars? Besides the excellent book on the Citroen era by fellow Maserati lover Marc Sonnery i am really missing something good about the decade just before that.....

 

Thank you, 15 pages out of 900 is indeed a bit weak...

 

Maybe it is rude to complain when someone spent 15 years researching and writing this book. I just don't find it very exciting to read. It is a bit dry and academic in its approach. Compared with Marc's book which is clearly a labour of love, this feels like something you study at the university. Marc should write one "The Orsi years"! Still the Crump/Rive Box is exciting since they have so many pictures of prototypes and one-offs. This book has none of that. It doesn't help a boring b/w picture with a text like this either
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The Centennial book, one of the authors was Luca Dal Monte at the time Maserati SpA Director of World Wide Communications and Senior Member of the Board of Directors.

BTW Luca is currently on the book circuit with his latest publication Ferrari Rex, which is now considered the definitive book on the Life of Enzo Ferrari.

 

First of all congratulations to the author for such an enormous job, I certainly did not want to do that.

It would seem that either the racing cars were his main love and he perhaps should have focused on them only or perhaps he felt the road cars had already been covered by other books such as mine. Anyway I preferred concentrating on ONLY the era that is of interest to me and with it being relatively short -510 pages for seven years so 72 pages per year imagine the page count that would be 7285 for 100 years!- The Citroen era was also extremely poorly covered previously and most of the protagonists being alive I was lucky to hit a gold mine of new information, then it was just work work work to get to the end result. Thank you for the kind comments by the way

I will still buy his book because the early years really did need to be better documented and it appears he has very much done so.

Best regards,

Marc

 

I've had the chance to take a look and am not impressed. Quite a few of the photo captions have been misplaced, the proof reading is poor, among other issues.

It's a lot of money for what is ultimately a poor book. It looks impressive in its slipcase, but once you actually start reading it, you'll wish you kept the receipt!

I understand that Simon Moore is currently working on a book covering the early racing period - if it's up to the standard of his Alfa Romeo books, we should be in for a treat.

It's the early period and the road cars up to the Citroen years (dealt with so well by Sonnery's superb book) that still need covering. Hopefully Moore will cover the first, the second....?

 

This has to be the hardest Maserati book to find. I bought my copy some time ago on eBay. I made my bid at the last minute and was accused by the under-bidder of stealing the book from him and accusing me of not being a true Maserati gentleman. I informed him that had he valued the book more highly he should have bid more. About three weeks later another book appeared on eBay. Spotting that he had made a bid, I emailed him wishing him the best of luck. I'm happy to say that he did get his copy. Another copy appeared some weeks late and I bid and won on behalf of the Maserati Club UK.

This was a few years ago and I haven't seen a copy for sale since.

Does any one know how many copies were published ?

The book was published at a time when there were very few publication on the marque.

The one word that often crops up all too often when one talks to any Maseratista is the word ‘passion’. From the owner of a million-pound Tipo 61 to the owner of a modest Biturbo, that’s the one thing that they have in common, a passion about the Casa del Tridente. My next book illustrates the point only too well.


Maserati GT: Car of the Connoisseur

by Malcolm M Schwartz

Published by Maserbook - 1976

Maserati GT: Car of the Connoisseur is a book that was written and published by one such enthusiast on the occasion of Maserati’s 50th Anniversary. Malcolm Schwartz literally put his money where his mouth was by not only writing this book but also publishing it. He had spotted that of the very few books had been written about Maseratis most were about their racing cars. Malcolm therefore concentrated on the Maserati Grand Tourers and in his 52 page book he describes each model, along with production numbers and technical specifications.

“Author after author has recounted the tales of the Maserati racing cars and their prowess over the years. Countless articles, often in the greatest specific detail, will satisfy one's desire to know almost everything and anything about any particular racing model. Nor, has this author discovered any new scrap of forgotten lore in the saga of the Maserati brothers' attempt to woo the fickle graces of the Loreli of Racing. How they, in 1926, created their own marque and designated it to bear the Trident insignia in red and blue colors of their native Bologna. And, how they and their loyal supporters and staff tasted both the heady ecstasies of the wildest success and the frustrations of discouraging failure over the subsequent years. No, this story needs no repeating.

Still one tale does remain to be told. Never before has there been a presentation devoted exclusively to the Gran Turisimo models by Maserati. Yet, it is these cars which have bestirred countless enthusiast's souls with that burning desire to possess and cherish, far more than all of their racing brethren. Endowed with some special magic, it is these Maserati GT models which could transform mere human blood into effervescent, sparkling burgundy with only one instant flashing image across the optic nerve. And always, through these many years, it has been the Maserati GT which has been crafted strictly for the automotive connoisseur. Then, on the occasion of this 50th anniversary, let us unfold the chronicle of these Gran Turisimo models, the cars which have become the beloved and prized possessions of the very ultimate in automotive enthusiast.”

This 52 page book describes each model, along with production numbers and technical specifications.

A splendid effort from a true enthusiast and for this reason it must be worthy of a place in any Maserati library.

Now out-of-print and "rarer than hen's teeth", expect to pay between £100 and £120 for a copy in good condition.

 

Hello Mamamia,

Yes even rarer than the rarest of Severo Boschi's books (one or two of those available in Italy for about €800). I bought it on ebay about 14 years ago.

It does appear Horton's have a copy amazingly (not involved)

http://www.hortonsbooks.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=4360

Your ebay story reminds me I had the same reaction as that man once, I was beaten at the last second, can't recall what the item was and blew up I was furious with him but he had beaten me that is how it works and he was very gracious so I apologized Perhaps it was you?;-) Then in late 2001 I bid on a Khamsin on ebay, scale 1 not a model, late one sunday evening (a very vulnerable time with monday blues in effect which is why all sorts of things get promoted on sunday evenings on tv), it was chassis 1000 which is now in Norway in good hands with an acquaintance. I bid $17000 at the last minute...and at the last second someone in North Carolina whose ebay name was Hueypilot beat me with $17100...I was upset but also relieved, at the time I would have had to get creative to actually pay it LOL

Regarding the family silver book I am reading a few pages a week, very busy time he did a lot of work on the early years but it feels very much like a scholar's work, somewhat dry with not so many illustrations. Also if you actually do a wordcount per page there was no need for the book to be so voluminous, it could have been quite a bit more compact. As to the Citroen years coverage in his book he seems to have decided to basically skip them, I guess my book was an unexpected surprise 4 years ago as he worked on his but then again clearly his interest lies in the early years.

I exchanged emails with Adolfo Orsi the other day and asked about him, AO just said he had contact with him many years ago and then the book got stalled due to to publisher trouble.

Will post again about it once I am through but it will be quite a while!

Best regards,

Marc

 

I checked my copy of the Schwartz booklet and onthe front page it shows Edition No. 024. Let's see what some of the other booklets show for an Edition No. and perhaps we can get some idea of how many were self published. I don't remember when I got mine but it must have been early as it is in perfect condition. I am stunned about the asking price of one of the Severo Boschi books as I have two of the Terza editions in my collection and one of the "storia di una grande casa" books. I better tell my children not to throw out my collection of Maserati literature when I pass on as there might be some real money hidden away.

 

My copy of the Schwartz booklet shows Edition No. 315

Re. the Severo Boschi book "Il Tridente Storia della Maserati Terza Edizione", has anyone ever seen the Prima and Seconda editions ? Was there ever a Quarta edizione ???

 

It is confusing, but the first edition is "Le vittorie Maserati" (1954/55), the second edition is "Maserati, Storia di una grande casa" (1964/1965) third edition is "il Tridente" (1970). The "Tridente" is sometimes misdated (as here: Il Tridente Storia Della Maserati). But, in spite of them all having different titles, it's three different editions of basically the same book/similar layout.
All three editions must have had the backing of the company, i.e. the Orsis. When Maserati was bought by Citroen, they didn't think of updating it again. And then, from 1975, Maserati didn't need to edit books about their cars, as this was then done by enthusiasts. Later, in 1986, De Tomaso wanted to pick up the "tradition" with the "Rivista 1986", but that was a one-off, although probably not intended as such.

 

My copy of the Schwartz Maserati Gt is #485

 

My copy is in storage with all my ex Florida belongings so can't access it right now to see the print number, I can't wait to reunite the two halves of my Maser book and also model collections.

There is only one Severo Boschi book which is rare: storia di una grande casa.

Vittorie is stunning graphically.

MS

 

Thank you for explaing this sequence. Luckily I have a copy of all four books, but never realised their association.

I hope Marc will be able to tell us how this new book compares with the Orsini and Zagari book. I know the English translation leaves much to be desired. Luckily I also have the Italian version which helps a lot. Many wonderful photos in this book ! Are there previously unpublished photos in "The Family Silver" ?

 

Bertochi would be turning in his grave.
I have bought Maserati The Family Silver, reviewed and read it.
I was waiting in great anticipation for this so called book on Maserati to end all books.
If you want to read about Maserati's magnificent racing history this book is for you.
If you want to read about Maserati road cars particularly the Citroen era ie Bora, Kamsin,
Merak don't buy this book.
Very little on De Tomaso's time as well.
I was shocked at how little there was on Maserati's rebirth post 1998, post Ferrari.
The book is a lovely production don't get me wrong but two volumes mostly racing history.
Page after page of racing history, scant regard for early Maserati road cars , particularly
1950's early sixties.
I have close to 100 books on Maserati and much of the information is in other books,
it would have been better to consolidate the racing history in volume one , and road cars
in volume two.
There is still so much we don't know about Maserati, even after one hundred years.
The volumes had much photography on early racing but very little on production cars.
Colour photography was very minimal as there were many photos in colour in period.
The two volumes are ponderous and could have done with some serious editing.
Please, please will some one write 'The book on Maserati'.

 

Bertochi would be turning in his grave.
I have bought Maserati The Family Silver, reviewed and read it.
I was waiting in great anticipation for this so called book on Maserati to end all books.
If you want to read about Maserati's magnificent racing history this book is for you.
If you want to read about Maserati road cars particularly the Citroen era ie Bora, Kamsin,
Merak don't buy this book.
Very little on De Tomaso's time as well.
I was shocked at how little there was on Maserati's rebirth post 1998, post Ferrari.
The book is a lovely production don't get me wrong but two volumes mostly racing history.
Page after page of racing history, scant regard for early Maserati road cars , particularly
1950's early sixties.
I have close to 100 books on Maserati and much of the information is in other books,
it would have been better to consolidate the racing history in volume one , and road cars
in volume two.
There is still so much we don't know about Maserati, even after one hundred years.
The volumes had much photography on early racing but very little on production cars.
Colour photography was very minimal as there were many photos in colour in period.
The two volumes are ponderous and could have done with some serious editing.
Please, please will some one write 'The book on Maserati'.

 

Speaking of Bertocchi, my copy of "Maserati storia di una granda casa" contains Guerino Bertocchi's signature.