17 replies to this topic

[Arjan de Roos]

Of course a museum is to be visited when you are looking for things in the past. Racing cars, or just cars are to be found in museums all over the world. Of course a museum is not really the place for a racing car to be, but still its better than a private collection, a damp garage or shed, let alone the shred yard.
Two museums in the western part of Europe have claimed an international reputation:
- Rosso Bianco (Aschaffenburg , Germany);
- The Louwman Collection (Raamsdonkveer, The Netherlands).

A few months ago I already heard that the Louwman collection was destined to be relocated to The Hague (NL). Only some weeks ago did I learn about the fact that the Rosso Bianco Collection has been purchased by Louwman. It will be joining the existing collection in The Hague.

Of course the R&B collection was for a large part owned by Mr. Peter Kaus himself, so it is a simple deals between the two men I guess.

On the Rosso Bianco site I noticed a statement that this will become the largest automobile collection as well as automobile art collection in the world. Is this true? What is the largest at this moment? Or is this just a promotion slogan?

When I visited the Rosso Bianco Collection in 1993, it had quite some racing gems: Ferrari 512S&312PB, several Maserati Tipo's, Porsche encdurance racers, etc etc. Many that where discussed here. I know some have been sold in the past 13 years. So what has remained of the racing cars in R&B that leaves for Holland??

Here are some links:
http://www.rosso-bianco.de/
http://www.louwmancollection.nl/

[dretceterini]

Harrah's or Schlumpf might have been bigger at one time, but I think this is now the largest collection in the world. It's my understanding some of the cars will be sold off..

[MCH]

I sure hope they won't be selling the racecars off! fingers crossed.

[steinbacher-hohl]

Yes, Rosso Bianco is my favourite Motorsport Museum.
I used to be there when I lived in Frankfurt am Main.

There were so many Italian racing cars.
But there were less Formula cars.

[steinbacher-hohl]

You can see cars at the Rosso Bianco.

http://www.shmoo.com.....ianco Museum/

[robert dick]

"A part of the famous Rosso Bianco Collection will be auctioned at Les Grandes Marques à Monaco at 20th May 2006" - via Bonhams :

http://www.barchetta...tion/index.html

[steinbacher-hohl]

Originally posted by robert dick
"A part of the famous Rosso Bianco Collection will be auctioned at Les Grandes Marques �Monaco at 20th May 2006" - via Bonhams :

http://www.barchetta...tion/index.html

What happened at Rosso Bianco ?

[dretceterini]

Originally posted by steinbacher-hohl


What happened at Rosso Bianco ?

I guess Peter Kaus either needed cash flow or simply got tired of cars.

[Martin Roessler]

hi,
there is a nice 3 parts series in the german magazine "motor klassik" #9 1987,#10 1987 and #3 1988.
very nice pictures of every single car that was exhibited there at the time.
cheers marty

[Michael Müller]

Peter Kaus was finally fed up of German bureaucracy! The museum was located in Aschaffenburg (abt. 50 kms east of Frankfurt), but the cooperation with the municipal authorities was obviously not the best. Extremely difficult procedures for building extensions, continiously new requests from municipal authorities like fire brigade etc., and instead of subsidies tax bills.

Possibly the reason for this was his often published wish to move the museum to his home town Frankfurt, but may be it was the other way round. He finally found a suitable building in Frankfurt, a former machinery factory, but the Frankfurt authorities even put more stones into his way as their collegues at Aschaffenburg.

So if you bite my dog, I bite yours! Leaving Germany and it's famous bureaucracy seems the only suitable way nowadays (I joined this club by the way...!). However, it is reported that Kaus "transferred" his collection to Louwman, the word "sold" at least in primary articles is not used.

[Michael Müller]

By the way, Rosso-Bianco is concentrating on sports cars, not racing cars as such. And the term is not "Biggest racing car museum" but "Biggest sports car museum". Which surely may be correct with approx. 200 2-seaters for road & track.

[Arjan de Roos]

Michael and all, you are of course all welcome in Holland at all times

[MODE]

Yes, you can't visit it any more but virtual visits are still possible :


http://www.gurneyfla...iancomuseu.html

[Mark A]

Is the new museum open in Holland now?

[Valvert]

Is the new museum open in Holland now?

No, it is planned to open this summer.

[AJB]

Any updates on this?

I went to Rosso Bianco 10 years ago (without a camera!) and was thinking of going to the Hague. As my particular favourites are CanAm cars and Sports-racers of the 50s - 70s, how many of these have been sold off? I'd hate to go there only to find fewer cars than 10 years ago.

Alan

[Arjan de Roos]

Any updates on this?

I went to Rosso Bianco 10 years ago (without a camera!) and was thinking of going to the Hague. As my particular favourites are CanAm cars and Sports-racers of the 50s - 70s, how many of these have been sold off? I'd hate to go there only to find fewer cars than 10 years ago.

Alan

Hi Alan,

Please do go there. It is different than the RB collection was. Look at it as a merger between two large collections. Also RB was for a part property of others who simply stored their machines in the museum (call it on loan). Mr. Louwman then did sell a part of what he bought. His original collection was on exhibit in Raamsdonkveer for many years. Now also to be seen in The Hague.
He does have his own preferences and taste for quality, mix it with many other (racing) memorabilia and this is what you get. And awarded by the FIA.

http://www.louwmanmu...mp;menutype=sub

[AJB]

Hi Alan,

Please do go there. It is different than the RB collection was. Look at it as a merger between two large collections. Also RB was for a part property of others who simply stored their machines in the museum (call it on loan). Mr. Louwman then did sell a part of what he bought. His original collection was on exhibit in Raamsdonkveer for many years. Now also to be seen in The Hague.
He does have his own preferences and taste for quality, mix it with many other (racing) memorabilia and this is what you get. And awarded by the FIA.

http://www.louwmanmu...mp;menutype=sub

Thanks for the update Arjan. Unfortunately, if all the cars in the museum's combined collection are listed on the website, then there are significantly fewer sports-racers than there used to be in the Rosso Bianco collection alone. Very sad.

Alan.