The Showroom- Motor Sport collection
Fans of motor racing art, artefacts and ephemera will find a huge range, including these collectables, at the Motor Sport shop- motorsportmagazine.com/shop
James Stevens- Michael Schumacher painting, £1650
James Stevens
Editors Choice
A new star of Formula 1 art
James Stevens- Max Verstappen embellished canvas, £800
James Stevens- Fernando Alonso painting, £1650
James Stevens
James Stevens- Jackie Stewart embellished canvas, £800
James Stevens
James Stevens art
He may be one of the newer names on the motor sport art scene, but James Stevens’ star is on the rise. Since switching his focus away from a career in aviation and turning his considerable artistic talent to Formula 1 imagery in 2021, Stevens’ work has gone on to garner critical acclaim. He started out creating pitstop scenes, earning the nickname the ‘Pit Stop Painter’. It was a clever approach, and he’s since branched out into action paintings. We’re fortunate enough to have a selection of his works available, from embellished canvases showing pit scenes for the likes of McLaren, Red Bull and Jackie Stewart at BRM, to a true one-off original depicting Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari F2004. An investment piece.
Michael Schumacher painting, £1650; Max Verstappen embellished canvas, £800; Fernando Alonso painting, £1650; Jackie Stewart embellished canvas, £800
Suixtil Rio polo shirt
Bring in the new year in style with this slick Rio polo shirt from Suixtil. The brand became a big thing in Argentina during the 1940s and ’50s thanks to its involvement with motor racing. Its sponsorship of the national racing team even led to its re-branding as Escuderia Suixtil for a while. This design features mother of pearl buttons and red logo and is made from 100% slub yarn cotton, which is a far nicer material than it sounds. £95
Motor Sport 100 Years Calendar
It’s not too late to secure your copy of our stunning 100th anniversary Motor Sport 2024 calendar. Celebrate a centenary of your favourite motoring monthly all year, with each image depicting an epic scene from Formula 1’s rich history, from rumbling BRMs and Vanwalls, to turbo monsters, screaming DFVs and modern-day heroes. It’s also massive, at A2 size. £32.99
Avro Vulcan cufflinks
Love something with a story behind it? Look no further than these cufflinks, made from recycled fuselage material from the Avro Vulcan XH558 bomber – the last Vulcan to fly. Designed in 1952, the Vulcan was revolutionary with cutting-edge technology and Rolls-Royce Olympus turbojet engines (derivatives of which would go on to power the mighty Concorde). The aircraft now resides at the former RAF Finningley in Doncaster. £19
Motor Sport water bottle
The start of a new year brings the return of plenty of motoring events, so having something handy to keep your chosen tipple hot or cold is a real bonus when on the banks. Try our new insulated 500ml drinks bottle, guaranteed to keep your brew piping hot for hours in the winter, and your squash ice cold in the summer. Plus, it has the Motor Sport logo on it! £32.99
The Expert View
When is a toy not a toy?
A visit to the Toy Collectors’ Fair at Sandown Park got me thinking: when does a model stop becoming a toy, and instead become a collectible?
This thought was sparked by a discovery from German company Schuco, which has been around since 1912. While at Sandown I found a lovely die-cast model kit in 1:18-scale of Stirling Moss’s Mercedes W196 from Monaco 1955. It was a lovely thing, but it was wind-up, so you built it, gave it a crank and it would run around the floor. Great, but is it a collectible?
The general rule in the collecting world is, no, because by that point you’ve opened the box, built the item and enjoyed it. But that does mean it’s unlikely to have any future increase in value. And frankly who cares if you’ve bought the thing to enjoy in the first place? But it is an important distinction. Take Dinky or Corgi toys. These were always made with play in mind, yet classic ones still in their box fetch huge amounts over ones that have clearly had a less-preserved life.
The modern variant would be Hot Wheels. There is a huge variety of models out there, all in seductive packaging. The rule here is, they become toys when opened. Hot Wheels knows this and has started to release boxed sets of cars with transporters or sets of related cars, such as rally heroes or endurance legends in its Premium ranges. These are a response to more mature customers who love a little collectible for a good price.
Bburago for years made cheap model cars, ‘toys’ intended to be removed from their display packaging and enjoyed. But a few years ago they got the Ferrari licence, and if you’re now in the market for a fine F1 model under £150 then you’ll struggle to find better. Even modern offerings – such as Charles Leclerc’s official 2019 Ferrari – are already growing in value, with some even doubling in price as soon as they stop being made.
In future, don’t let a name like Bburago put you off investing. As always, investing in the future is fine, but if you buy something to enjoy it, that’s all the value you’ll need.
Andrew Francis is director at The Signature Store, thesignaturestore.co.uk
About the Motor Sport shop
With hundreds of special and unique racing-themed products, and many new items regularly added, the Motor Sport shop is aimed at both serious and casual collectors with a wide range of prices to suit your budget. Visit motorsportmagazine.com/shop