YOUR CLASSIC MOTORING SPECIALIST

• Automobiles Voisin 1919-1958 the complete history
• Paul Courteault & Peter Hull
• Limited edition No. 1858
• Sold

Automobiles Voisin 1919-1958 by Pascal Courteault, limited edition No. 1858 of 3500, French text, inclusive separate English translation by historian Peter Hull.

This limited edition measures 270 x 330 mm, counts 311 pages and is profusely illustrated with 660 Pictures of which 118 in full colour. A true collector's item.

The main volume is bound in original blue hardcover. Both books are housed in a decorative slipcase, all in practically perfect condition.

A unique feature is the cover of the main volume, which is of metal, depicting the famous Voisin bird mascot in art-deco style, and actually bolted to the book's thick card cover.

Until the publication of this ambitious Voisin history not a lot has been available on this renowned French automobile. Now we have the full coverage, of the man and his individual motorcars, and some of his aeroplanes and later products, including cyclecars and biscooters.

The main publication contains not only this comprehensive history of the Voisin but has an incredible number of photographic reproductions of these cars, from the beginning to the fading years.

What a formidable book this is! It covers all the known Voisin models, with specifications, catalogue extracts, engineering drawings and the like, including the streamlined recordbreaking racing cars which Voisin built and used so effectively after given up participation in touring car and Grand Prix races.

Even the tank-shaped cars with knight-type sleeve-valve engines in the 1923 French GP form many of the large and impressive pictures used in this great book. There are also photographs of the lesser-known French drivers who were entrusted with these Voisins.

So whether you seek information and illustrations of the chic Voisins that enlivened the European motoring scene in the 1920s, of the exciting racing and record-cars, or of Voisin the designer and creator, this is a magnificent way of enjoying such nostalgic fancies, especially as the bulk of the photographs used have not been seen in print previously.

In spite of the considerable diversity and numbers of Voisins made, after Gabriel Voisin turned from aeroplanes to cars, the make is now distinctly thin on the road. It should appeal to those who study coachbuilding as well as cars, for the elegant Voisins appealed to Presidents, Princes, and film-stars of the calibre of Josephine Baker and Rudolph Valentino.

Overall, it is an interesting story, well told and superbly illustrated, with its rather sad ending. It is important to emphasise that this is, indeed, a most detailed study as far as information was available, of the technicalities of all the Voisin models, nor just a repeat or embellishment of Voisin's own book My Thousand and One Cars.

This is an important as well as a highly browsable contribution to motoring history and the translation, partly subsidised by the Michael Sedgwick Memorial Trust, is most useful.