Vintage FERRARI letters

Description:

FOR SALE: collection of four extremely rare pre-war original SCUDERIA FERRARI factory letters to ALFA ROMEO MILANO.

Period: 1935-1936.
Including signature and manual side note script by Enzo Ferrari himself.
The letters were sent to the board of directors of Alfa Romeo in Milano.

The official factory letters originate from an Italian private collector and a longtime retired Alfa Romeo employee.

History:

The Scuderia Ferrari represents the milestone in the life of Enzo Ferrari, the undisputed basis of the choices which, since 1929, marked the step in the growth of a company which will inextricably bear his name in the years to come. 

On 16 November 1929 the public limited company "Scuderia Ferrari" was being founded in Modena. Its purpose was stated as being "purchasing race cars of the Alfa Romeo brand and participating with these cars in the races listed in the national racing calendar and in the calendar of the National Association of Automobile Clubs." Share capital 200 thousand Italian Lire, executive advisor and director, Cavalier Enzo Ferrari, holder of 50 of the 200 shares. The beginning of an extraordinary adventure.

The breakthrough for Scuderia Ferrari came in 1933: Alfa Romeo passed into state control through IRI, in the wake of a deep-rooted financial crisis that afflicted the entire automotive sector. Ugo Gobbato become General Manager and Portello embarked on a radical process of industrial reorganisation that led to the manufacture of aircraft engines, heavy vehicles and the subsequent militarisation of the company in 1935.

In this new scenario, races could distract the attention of the engineering department and staff and Alfa Romeo decided to appoint Scuderia Ferrari to manage the competitions: Ferrari was appointed consultant for racing and sales activities. The Scuderia enjoyed considerable independence due to its location in Modena and though it began by carrying out only service activities, it soon expanded into car research and development activities as well, especially with a view to the new 1934 formula. 

The draft agreement between Alfa Romeo and Scuderia Ferrari dates back to 1934: Alfa undertook to build a certain number of racing cars and the Scuderia agreed to take part in all the races that were arranged. The agreement was renewed for 1936, with a further increase in independence for what could now be considered a true Alfa Romeo racing department.

In 1937, the agreement with Scuderia Ferrari was amended to forge a closer bond between the organisation and its parent company, which now shared management of motor sports activity. Although Ferrari retained considerable decision-making autonomy, it had to report to and be directly answerable to the General Management.

The independence of Scuderia Ferrari now represented a problem for the Alfa Romeo Management: there was no direct control of motor sport activities and the distance between Milan and Modena made race management and car development inefficient. During a Board of Directors' meeting of 30 December 1937, Ugo Gobbato therefore announced the purchase of an 80% share in the Scuderia.

The company was wound up and the equipment - and staff - were transferred to new premises in Portello, given the name of Alfa Corse. Ferrari was appointed management consultant to the Section, directly answerable to the General Management.

The loss of decision-making independence and his very bad relationship with Wifredo Ricart, the brilliant Spanish engineer who had recently been made head of design, led Ferrari to abandon Alfa Romeo in 1939. Shortly after, Alfa Corse was also disbanded and motor sport activities were transferred to the Experimental department.

With the income from winding up the Scuderia, Enzo Ferrari went back to Modena and set up a new company: Auto Avio Costruzioni. Enzo Ferrari's agreement with Alfa Romeo prevented him from re-establishing the Scuderia for at least four years: the "new" Ferrari was not set up until 1947.

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Original Ferrari Letter 1 (19-05-1936)

This document has been hand signed by Enzo Ferrari in his trademark purple ink.

Translation:

"I would deem to be in agreement with you on this distribution, in any case you can decide differently if it doesn't.

I would count on seeing you on Thursday, and in the meantime I cordially greet you."

Signature: Enzo Ferrari

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Original Ferrari Letter 2 (20-12-1935)

Translation:

"Following the recent regulations relating to liquid fuels, we would like to point out the following provisions of the Ministry in the event that they had escaped your attention:

"CIRCULAR N.9949 DATED 29 NOVEMBER 1935 XIV OF THE MINISTRY OF CORPORATIONS - SPECIAL OFFICE FOR COMBUSTIBILI LIQUIDI.

This circular establishes that, starting from 1 December 1935 XIV and up to new provisions, the use of benzol and homologous fuels, both as such and in mixtures.

In certain mixtures, the use of even a small percentage may be found, of benzene and, in this respect, the ban on the use of benzene in fuel mixtures creates a certain unease.

The R.DECRETO LAW 26 FEBRUARY 1928 N.333.

relating to provisions for the automotive industry, granted for two years - starting from 22 March, the date of entry into force of the Decree itself - the duty-free import, free of customs duty and sales tax, of petrol intended for consumption for the testing of automobiles by the manufacturers of such vehicles.

This decree, after an initial extension, was extended again for another three years with R. Decree Law 13 March 1933 n 157, for which the concession in question must be considered valid until 22 March 1936.

It would also appear that in one of the last Councils of Ministers, a draft law was submitted for approval tending to lighten and exempt from tax burdens the petrol required for testing experimental engines.

It would be a question of clarifying the true scope of this resolution, that is whether it will be intended only for engines under construction, in trials or also for those to be used in sporting events."

+

Side note written by hand by Enzo Ferrari:

"Since 1928 we have used the benefit of these decrees.

Has our procurement office always been kept up to date?"

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Original Ferrari Letter 3 (27-04-1936)

Translation:

"We would be very grateful if you could kindly send us the overall drawings of the carriage and the bridge of the carriages 8c. and 12c., so that we can promptly equip ourselves in the workshop with regard to supports, trestles, etc.

Waiting for your kind fulfillment, we salute you distinctly."

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Original Ferrari Letter 4 (12-06-1936)

Translation:

"We thank you for your kind message of June 10, with which you kindly sent us the drawings of the sealing rings and oil scraper of the car 12c.

We proceeded to expressly send a copy of the same to the company Les Segments Amedée Bollée, Le Mans, asking it if it could immediately supply us with a certain quantity of these special segments with heat resistance characteristics much higher than those previously supplied to us.

We have also announced to the same the separate sending by half sample recommended sv, of some "Goetz" segments from which they can detect the characteristics of the material.

Except that since we absolutely lack segments of this brand, having sent the series from VS, delivered to us in Adenau as a spare for our cars.

We will be grateful if you wish on our behalf to send the samples to the Bollée company, address as mentioned above, in order to gain time.

Certain of your kind interest, thanking you in advance, we salute you distinctly."