Official book collectors thread

Hello Lars,

Yes the model is included, no ideas about the run/limited edition.

Tom

 

Hi Grant,

Many thanks for the pics, first time that I see any picture of the red "Ferrari Edition" book! (I don't have this brochure, but got the info on it by email, w/o pics).
Very interesting to see that these 10 "Ferrari Editions" were actually part of the 100 leatherbound editions. But to be honest, I don't think it really looks very nice - at least not with the blue spine and the red cover. So I guess I'm better off after all with the "regular" leatherbound edition

My copy has arrived last Thursday btw. It's simply amazing - more a piece of art than a book. Nothing in my collection comes close to it!
It is number 081, which is beautifully engraved on a metal mirror-like plaque on the front cover, along with the book's name. I'll take & post some pics of it during the weekend.

Ciao,

Lars T.

 

Hm, I'd rather skip the model and have just the book - but at a more reasonable price

Ciao,

Lars T.

 

You are more than welcome.
If i may be so bold as to request:
The description for the leather bound book entails a "drop back solander box". I have always wondered what exactly that is. I assume the box is constructed with some sort of fold-down side so as to grip the book easier to raise it up. If you could add some pics of the mechanism to prove/disprove that i would appreciate it... Palawan uses this box system for other books as well but none of their photos show it in action.

Congrats again Lars and i am looking forward to pics. The leather must be exquisite.

On another note for everyone:
The book Ferrari Berlinetta "Objects of Art" by Peter Groh is on Ebay right now at a good price (but still 2 days+ to go...) just a heads up.
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=400035845310

GT

 

Hi Grant,

Half an hour ago, I have taken the promised pics of the book and some of the "drop back solander box" as well.

As far as I understood, the leather binding and the box were done by this small traditional London-based company: http://www.wyvernbindery.com/ABOUTUS.HTML
The price for the drop-back solander box and the leather binding (it´s the "Morocco" leather they used) can also be found on this site. I can now understand even better the high price of this book!

I think the pictures answer your question on the box? The wood is covered by some kind of cloth/fabric on the outside and is has a nice soft cloth (suede?) on the inside to protect the book. The name of the book is printed on the box in letters that sometimes look silver, sometimes light blue, depending on the light (you can see that a bit on the 2nd pic). Any other questions? Just let me know.

Btw, the weight of the book + box is an impressive 8 kg (17,6 lbs)!

Anyway, please find the pics below. I took only one of the content - just to give an idea what it looks like (don´t want to violate the copyrights).

Have a nice weekend!

Ciao,

Lars T.
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you think it's sufficient when I myself already did this ?

Best Regards

Martin

 

Words fail me.


Lars, thank you for the extra pics of the box. Quite the presentation of an extraordinary book.
Enjoy!

GT

 

Yes, much nicer than my blue "econo-box"!

Jack.

 

Hi Grant,

Auction won, the book will soon be on its way to my collection

Ciao,

Lars T.

 

Anyone heard of the forthcoming "Ferrari Opus" by Kraken?

As far as I understood, it will be huge (50 cm diameter), 850 pages and will weigh... over 37 kg!

Limited to 500 pieces and the price...

Well, the cheapest books by Kraken cost GBP 3000. But somehow I have this feeling that this will not be one of their cheapest books...

Ciao,

Lars T.

 

That is a very nice book. Bought well. I think my wife paid about twice that for my copy.

George

 

Congrats. AGAIN!
I am glad someone here got their hands on that. It certainly is on its way to a good home...

GT

 

Yes - it's advertised in Ferrari magazine #3 - but you have plenty of time to save up for it. When I visited the Opus shop in London last month they said maybe a year away.
Nathan

 

Hi Grant & George,

Thanks! I´ve never seen this book "live" yet, so I´m very curious. But judging to your reactions, I think I will be happy when I receive it

Ciao,

Lars T.

 

Hi Nathan,

Exactly, that´s where I heard (well, read) about it for the first time. Since I never heard of Kraken before, I googled them and was quite amazed by what I found on their previous "Opus" publications. For example the Opus on Diego Maradona, where the first 100 examples are called the "Blood Edition". Buy the book and a sample of DM´s blood is included. Hm, would I really like that...?

Anyway, I sent Kraken an enquiry about the issue date and the price and their website "answered" that a representative would get in touch with me within 24 hours. That was last Friday and I haven´t heard anything since. Oh well, let´s see what happens (or not)

But honestly, I´m not really willing to purchase a book for (at the very least) GBP 3000. I would already have big problems justifying the purchase of Ferrari in Camera to my wife (which is not too bad though, since she doesn´t know anyway), but spending double (triple, whatever?) that amount I couldn´t even justify to myself!
There´s just too many other good and interesting Ferrari books around that I all could buy for this kind of money!

Still, it will be interesting to see what the book will look like once it´s finished.

Ciao,

Lars T.

PS Nathan: I have a (leatherbound) copy of your Boxer-book - and I like it a lot! Much recommended to any Boxer fan!

 

Blood Edition?
Is the idea that you can clone him when the technology arrives? )

 

Hello Lars,

this Opus thing is interesting. Interesting and crazy in my eyes. It's just an arty-crafty thing, but if I look at the F1 issue, the contents just don't justify such a price. There are only a few photographs on the website but from this selection I have all of them in fairly cheap motor-racing books. I fear, that the Ferrari issue also comes with well known photographs packed into a hugely exaggerated packaging.
Ferrari in Camera is a completely different topic, because it is the content, which makes that book so special. For me the content counts most, then the print and paper quality and then the binding, slipcase, box.
Many book collectors have a different view. I know. It seems to be similar to those Matchbox toycar collectors where the box is much more important than the content.
And hey; a book, that weights 37 kg. Who cares. Do we buy books for their weight ? Is it pork ?

My last acquisition three weeks ago was Lewandowski's Ferrari GTO book. I paid a fair bargain price and have to admit, it is great. But the prices, some bookstores ask for it, are plain nuts. It is worth EUR 100,-- in my eyes, especially because of the big, separate engine drawing, which is a joy for every technician. But NEVER those EUR 440,-- some sellers ask on amazon.

Ah, and talking about wives ; I now have to admit, that I didn't purchase Ferrari in Camera myself. I whined a little bit at my wife 13 years ago about that great book which is SO very expensive and that I have sleepless nights. I have almost forgotten about it, when my wife came with the book on my 34th birthday in 1996.

Best Regards

Martin

 

Lars
I have to agree about the price, but unless you have actually seen these it is hard to believe just how big they are. They are almost too heavy to move. They are the ultimate coffee-table book (in fact they almost are a coffee table).

Thank you for your kind words. I'm pleased you like it. It makes all the hard work worth while.
Regards - Nathan

 

Martin
I couldn't agree more. The content is most important, and I have bought poor quality books because they had interesting content. Let's hope they have a very knowledgable editor for the Ferrari Opus.
Nathan

 

Nathan,

Do you know if back issues of the Ferrari magazine are available? As a registered owner I understood (perhaps mistakenly) that I would be notified of subscription details. I never received the information from Ferrari.

Can you enlighten me? I would like to start a collection of the magazine from #1.

Many thanks.

Jack

 

Hi Martin,

Concerning the Opus, I read that at least 50% of every Opus should be unique content. But we'll know in about one year then.

Interesting to see that you found the Lewandowski GTO book for a good price. The silly prices usually asked for it are way beyond what I'd pay for it myself. Indeed EUR 100 seems ok and for that price I'd also happily buy it.

Seeing that your wife bought you Ferrari in Camera, I will try out your strategy and tell her about this expensive Opus-book with tears in my eyes. Maybe it works

Ciao,

Lars T.

 

Hi Nathan,

Well, I'm certainly curious to see the Ferrari Opus for real, once it's finished. I'm sure it will be quite impressive!
But I have just not put it on my mental "to buy" list, as it will just be too expensive for my wallet

Ciao,

Lars T.

 

Hi Jack,

Sorry, I'm not Nathan, but I just wanted to point you towards Ebay, where the three magazines are regularly offered, at least here in Europe (and usually at more reasonable prices).
A search of "official ferrari magazine" should get you to some offerings. Ferrari charges a whopping EUR 250 for a subscription of four issues. Including postage, I only paid about EUR 30 per magazine for issues 1 and 2, and EUR 60 for issue 3 (considered to be the yearbook). So, quite a lot less than for the official subscription.

Good luck!

Ciao,

Lars T.

 

Hi,

I didn't see anyone mentioning the books on Ferrari by Jurgen Lewandowski. Isn't it worth collecting?!

http://www.artundcar.de/buecher.html
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Hello,

only a few posts earlier I indeed mentioned the Lewandowski Ferrari GTO book. Like said; it's great, but in my opinion not worth those crazy prices some booksellers ask for. A third or half of the content ist interesting and I like especially the big, separate engine drawing. The other two thirds or half of the book is unnecessary and it seems, that they desparately needed some more pages to make it look like a book rather than a brochure.
O.k., it was published around 20 years ago in a small number of copies and back then there was absolutely nothing comparable.

But a crazy price not automatically makes a 'collectible', whatever this means regarding books.

Best Regards from Germany

Martin