Humans of Motor Valley: The collection according to Panini

umberto panini photographed inside a red car of epoch

A far-sighted vision and a strong passion for the land and the engines are the pillars on which Umberto Panini has built his name. A name that became important throughout the Motor Valley from 2 December 1996, when he bought the Maserati Museum Collection, auctioned by the London-based Brooks, thus giving Modena an unmatched motor heritage. But not only, because from that moment his name is inextricably linked to the house of the Trident, which preserves its history through 19 iconic specimens.

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The passion for collecting is a founding element of his family: already in the 60s, Umberto, together with his brothers, creates the Panini Footballers collection and from the 80s he begins to collect motorcycles and cars.

Matteo Panini, the son of Umberto, who together with his brothers has become the head of the Panini Collection, tells the story behind the scenes of the Panini Collection, which attracts more than ten thousand visitors every year.

 

“This collection was born from my father’s will not to throw things away.”

Umberto Panini

An art that Umberto has transmitted not only to his children, but also to many children in Italy and the world. And it is precisely the passion that transforms the practice of collecting from a mechanical collection of objects to a living narrative of stories and emotions linked to each piece.

“The first thing that the collector seeks is possession of the object because everyone has his own vision to see a complexity.”

Umberto Panini

This personal vision is what makes each piece of the Collection unique and significant, testifying to the dedication and attention to detail that distinguishes the Panini family. But the Collection goes beyond the pure love of engines. It is also a tribute to the family’s love for the city of Modena, a city that, as Matteo says, “opens you up to the world and challenges that on paper would seem impossible.”

From this city it all started, specifically from a small edicola in Corso Duomo – removed in 2018 – where you can now admire a sculpture of a footballer making a flip, created by Wainer Vaccari. Modena thus becomes the stage on which this fascinating story of passion, heritage and care for a motor heritage that continues to inspire generations takes place. The Panini Collection is the protagonist, a testimony of an indissoluble bond between a family and its land.

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