Ferrari Register by Dr. Robert Marvin

I already have a copy, but there's one on ebay right now that seems to be going begging. 1985 edition.

For those who don't have this, and are Ferrari serial number/history nuts, you should try to grab it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=8052297268&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

DM
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Any idea what the bound red edition sells for now?

Steve

 

I got mine from Velocepress: $59.95

http://www.velocepress.com/books/italian.php

Cheers,
JB

 

Who is Dr. Robert Marvin? I have not heard of his name (i.e., in Ferrari historian circles).

 

That's the RAAB book.

Also available from:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158850011X/ref=pd_rhf_p_1/104-5724638-1371159?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155

Amazon.com, and they'll toss in the shipping.

DM

 

He was (now deceased) a Ferrari and Porsche owner who had registers for both makes. The Ferrari one came out in three editions with a supplement for the third. The third edition and supplement are red covered, hard bound. His widow periodically sells them on eBay and they usually don't go for much (<$50).

One caution, take the information with a grain of salt. There are a number of errors.

Regards, Kerry

 

Here's what the inside jacket info says.

"The Ferrari Register is a publication of the Ferrari Data Bank.

The Ferrari Data Bank is an independent research organization which specializes in the collection and dissemination of information on cars made by Ferrari.

Information is obtained from various sources. The principal sources of information are owners and authorities who send information to the Ferrari Data Bank (FDB)....

The Ferrari Data Bank and the Ferrari Register are owned and operated by Dr. Robert B. Marvin and as such they are totally independent of any club, association or firm...

The Register subscribes to every publication that features Ferrari Cars. Data published in these works are constantly cross referenced to our own files..

Robert B. Marvin, D.P.A"

There's a bunch more, but this seems to be the pertinent info.

Rob started a thread on this about a year ago.

http://ferrari101.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46665

I can't find any current information on either Marvin or the Register through Google.

Amazon produced a couple of hits.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/104-5724638-1371159?%5Fencoding=UTF8&index=books&rank=-relevance%2C%2Bavailability%2C-daterank&field-author-exact=Robert%20B%20Marvin

bookfinder.com produces these:

Ferrari Register-Supplement One.
The Ferrari Register Volume Three 1988
The Packard Guide
The Packard Identification Guide. Second Edition.
Packard A Chronology of the Company the Cars and the People
The Booklet of Walther Values #2
The Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. Hand Guns of the Thrid Reich.
THE ENCYCOPEDIA OF AMERICAN LAFRANCE.PLUS SUPPLEMENT ONE.
The Packard Registry 1991.

DM







DM

 

Actually, I find that Vol 3 1988, Is very accurate.....?

Argento

 

Dr Marvin, as mentioned above, allowed owners to submit the histories of their cars...and this in the days before the Internet, when independent and unbiased checking was not possible. Dr. Marvin accepted and printed the entries as submitted.

There are some histories, particularly on early cars, which deserve creative writing awards.

O.G.

 

I am certainly not a Ferrari historian. However, based on what little I know, it appears that Dr. Marvin's publication is not the only entry in the creative writing sweepstakes.

I have an idea for you. Perhaps the Dinosaur Club (those who have not yet become extinct) could establish an annual award for the best creative fiction involving a Ferrari award? Sometimes the fiction is a whole lot more interesting than the truth!

Dale

PS I hope that no one thinks that I'm implying that Old Guy or any other Dinosaur has had anything to do with reinventing the history of Ferrari. Quite the opposite. They are the only ones who actually know the truth!

 

A decade late to this string, but thought I'd update it with some corrections and additional info. The "red book" reference below seems to have triggered confusion between the Hillary Raab serial number books and the Dr. Robert Marvin serial number books (see attached photos). The later Dr. Marvin books were large, red, hardbound books; Vol 3 was published in 1988 and Supplement 1 in 1990. The Hillary Raab books (at least the ones I have) are softbound.

The major difference, however, is that the Raab books are line listings of serial numbers, with such factory info as might have been available regarding configuration. The Marvin books are, as noted below, sourced from a variety of resources but much of the info is contributed by owners. Accordingly, the Marvin books contain much more info.

Although the overwhelming majority of the info in the Marvin books (95%? 98%?) is correct or at least believed correct, there's no easy way to identify the other 2-5%.
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