Coys Auction - True Greats
Royal Horticultural Halls
Elverton St
Westminster
London SW1

Thursday 4th December 2008

In 1937, due to economic depression, the Maserati brothers were forced to sell their company and the rights to the use of the Maserati name to the wealthy Orsi family. However, they stayed on under the terms of a 10 year employment contract. When the 1947 expiration date approached, the Maseratis left the Modena factory without a word of discussion on either side.

As soon as they could they set up space in a corner of the original Maserati works in Bologna, where the brothers had originated their business back in 1926. They set about designing a completely new car from a clean sheet of paper. The new company was named ‘Officine Specializzate Costruzioni Automobili - Fratelli Maserati SpA‘, and so the legend that became OSCA was born, launching the Maserati brothers into their greatest commercial success.

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