There are already a lot of books about cars and also about Ferrari. You actually think you've seen almost everything. And then comes this book, weighing around four kilograms and in a large format of 30 x 37 cm, i.e. 60 x 37 cm when opened. And you don't want to stop leafing through it and looking.
Through the eyes of an enthusiast
We take a look at the world of Enzo Ferrari, at the early years of his own company. The photo collection, which is spread over just over 350 pages, covers just five years. The photos were taken by Corrado Millanta (1909-1983), a trained industrial designer and engineer who was self-taught in photography.
He gained the trust of designers, engineers, mechanics and racing drivers early on and was able to go in and out of the Commendatore. And he always had his Leica 35mm cameras with him.
Predominantly black and white
It is mainly black and white photos that show the racing cars and the people involved in the Ferrari events between 1957 and 1952. These are extraordinary photos that can be seen in the photo book designed by Sportfahrer Publishing in collaboration with the Klemantaski Collection. They bear witness to a great love of photography, but also of the technology and the people in and around the racing cars.
Some of the photos were taken on the spur of the moment, while others were probably elaborately arranged. Millanta knows how to handle the light, but he also masters his equipment. You have to bear in mind that he had to work with viewfinder cameras and short focal lengths, there was no SLR or autofocus at that time, and the light intensity of the objects was far below what is possible today.
And yet Millanta still managed to take clean pull-along shots and great snapshots.
The pictures that show racing cars in the wider surroundings are particularly appealing. Whether at the racetrack or in the workshop, you can always discover interesting details.
The early Ferraris
Almost exclusively cars from the early Ferrari years are shown. They are called 125 S, 166 I, 166 M, 500 F2, 225 Berlinetta Vignale or 375 Indianapolis. And they drive in Monaco, Monza, Szilien or at the Mille Miglia. You can see the most famous drivers of those years, such as Ascari, Taruffi, Villoresi or Farina, behind the wheel and next to the racing cars. And the mechanics, designers and, of course, the boss himself. It portrays an era when racing drivers were true heroes, driving without seatbelts and helmets, relying only on themselves and technology.
Short text elements explain what you may not (or no longer) know due to a lack of detailed knowledge. But the photos (almost) live for themselves. The large format allows the photos to be displayed generously, regardless of whether they were taken in landscape or portrait format.
For Ferrari and photo fans
This is a book for connoisseurs with an interest in the monoposti and road-going sports cars of the post-war era. If you think you already know everything there is to know about Ferrari, you won't be able to avoid this book anyway. Anyone who enjoys racing in the late forties and early fifties should at least consider it.
Such a book, which is also published in a small edition (550 copies), cannot be cheap, but the EUR 495 invested will probably be more enjoyable than the same amount spent on ten glossy books about Ferrari, which you quickly put away again.
Bibliographical details
- Title: Millanta on Ferrari 1947-1952
- Author/Editor: Alessandro Silva
- Language: English
- Publisher: Sportfahrer Publishing
- Edition: 1st edition February 2024, limited to 550 copies
- Format: Hardcover, 300 x 370 mm, in slipcase
- Size: 352 pages, 338 black and white and 8 color photos
- Price: EUR 495.00 (incl. German VAT)
- ISBN: 978-3-945390-18-4
- Buy/order: Online at Sportfahrer Publishing
