Miniature Lamborghini Espada

Miniature Lamborghini Espada by Michele Conti

DALLAS, TX, January 12, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- When Enzo Ferrari chose an official model maker to reproduce his cars, he selected Michele Conti. Known for his faithful, meticulous recreations of exotic cars, Conti insisted his 1/10th scale models include working doors and trunks - and even a scale set of tools with tool roll. Conti's models are so good that it is often impossible to distinguish a photo of a Conti scale model from a photo of the car it was based upon.

Conti, an Italian craftsman, showed such skill that each one of his hand-crafted models has attracted attention from collectors. Since his death in 1996, the cars have risen in value and interest. Although it's rare for non-collectors to see even one of these model cars - Conti made only 350 models during his lifetime - visitors to DFW Elite Toy Museum.com can see four examples of Conti's handiwork. "As a collector, there is no joy that matches finding a Conti," says Ron Sturgeon, noted car collector and founder of DFW Elite Toy Museum.com. "The precision, the dedication and the pride of the maker are evident in every aspect of these models."

The four models on display at the Toy Museum - an Iso Fuso, a Lamborghini Espada, an Iso Grifo, a red Ferrari 553 Squalo F1 racer and a silver 1955 Mercedes W196 race car - are beautiful and intricate examples of Conti's talent. Sturgeon's first purchase was the Mercedes, which he bought from a private collector in 1990. The other three were purchased at a Brooks' auction 9 years later.

Oliver Strebel-Ritter, a consultant and owner of World Collector, an auction service in the U.K., is presently co-authoring a book on the work of Michele Conti and his son, Maurizio - also a well-known model car builder. The book will include information on all of the Conti models and the people who currently own them, including the five models at DFW Elite Toy Museum.com.

"There are about 23 serious collectors of Conti's work around the world," says Strebel-Ritter, adding that Conti's attention to detail played a tremendous role in buyers' fascination with his models. "Michele was originally a car panel maker, and he used these skills to ensure that all the Conti model car bodies were built like a real car." Strebel-Ritter noted that each of Conti's models has an aluminum or copper body. Michele insisted upon finishing the Ferrari models with authentic Ferrari primer and three coats of Ferrari paint.

The collection of Michele Conti models can be seen along with the other rare and antique toy cars in the Toy Museum inside DFW Elite Auto Rental at 5940 Eden in Fort Worth. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, with weekend hours by appointment. In Fort Worth, call 817.838. RENT (7368); in Dallas call 214.247.4700. For more information, visit them online at http://www.dfwelitetoymuseum.com.