Eyes Right

Reviews

By Arnoud Op de Weegh and Ard Op de Weegh Hardback 160 pages ISBN: 978-1-787113-09-1 Published by Veloce. Published by Veloce. www.veloce.co.uk Available from Renniks Publications. (02) 96957055.www.renniks.com RRP: Aust$64.95 There have been several books about the fabulous car collection mysteriously amassed by the reclusive Schlumpf brothers in Mulhouse, southern France, notably the original by the late Dennis Jenkinson. Dutch Father and son team of Ard and Arnold set out to delve deeper into what has become known as the “Schlumpf affair” – an intriguing and complex saga in which the socialist French government and the trade unions, supposedly defending the interests of the vast Schlumpf workforce, pulled some very questionable stunts. The Swiss Schlumpf brothers, Fritz and Hans, certainly managed to get their hands on a huge chunk of the world’s most desirable cars, and if you believe the polemics, largely by exploiting the workers at their textile mill. According to the authors, who spent nine years investigating all aspects, the truth is somewhat different. As well as unravelling the cover-ups, this book gives detailed accounts of the legendary vehicles in the collection (including many of the world’s most prized Bugattis), which makes fascinating reading in itself. Having read several of the earlier books on this subject I was initially sceptical that there could be anything new, but in that respect I was mistaken. This book has a real double edge – espionage, social prejudice and miscarriage of justice, plus in-depth accounts of just what grew into “the most beautiful car collection in the world”. Highly recommended.