Agricultural Tractors - Italy: Books - History

Trattori classici italiani - I documenti (Vol. 1)

Dozza presents a collection of reproductions, in natural dimensions, of the illustrative material published by the manufacturers to inform the public of their machines: brochures, catalogues, sketches, advertising material and much more.
The book illustrates the activities of 36 manufacturers and shows hundreds of models of a period that ranges from the origin of the machines, in around 1910, until 1960, and for some tractors, those with a special historical or technical value, extending even further down the years. The original material, which is rare and often previously unpublished, is the result of 20 years of research conducted in both Italy and other countries.

Text in Italian.

Trattori classici italiani - I documenti (Vol. 2)

Documents, leaflets, advertising and illustrations by the tractor manufacturers from Italian collections are the subject of this second volume, which covers the period up to the Sixties, the first volume being limited to the Fifties.

The book contains rare documents produced in the 10 years that included the Second World War and material relative to the machines that will soon arrive at their 50 anniversary, of particular interest to collectors for conservation and restoration purposes.
Among the rarest of the documents are those concerning the very first Orsi Testacalda, the Pavesi Balilla, the Fiat 700 B and dozens of other machines, notable and less so. A book which is a must for the specialist but also simply the enthusiast.

Text in Italian.

Trattori, motori e carioche di Romagna

The history, technique and documentation of the 16 Romagna manufacturers of agricultural vehicles who distinguished themselves in Italy and in the world from the 1910s to the 1960s.

Text in Italian.

Trattori classici esteri in Italia

After the books on the italian "hot-bulb" engine tractors (Trattori Testacalda italiani) and Italian Classics Tractors (Trattori Classici Italiani), William Dozza has returned to the subject of tractors with a close look at "Classici Esteri" (Foreign Classics), machines that arrived in Italy during the early 20th century up until 1955, the last period in which a tractor can be considered a collectors' item and vintage.

As a result of his investigation into various sources and a wealth of documentation, this concise book illustrates for the first time foreign agricultural machines which worked in Italy The only one of its kind, the volume is a study of the story of the 35 manufacturers and their 180 models and is supported by 250 illustrations, many in colour, as well as about 50 technical drawings.

Text in Italian.

Carioche - Le trattrici agricole figlie della guerra

The "carioca" was the agricultural vehicle of choice when Italy was so poor and run-down that it could not afford proper tractors. Farmers were obliged, with the assistance of local mechanics, to piece together whatever obsolete parts and equipment they could find on the market: old cars, vans and trucks.
Anything that had four wheels and an engine was chopped up, switched around and stitched back together and the machines that were so imaginatively assembled became known as "carioche".
They were most widespread between 1936 and 1955 in the Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Veneto regions.

In 1947 there were around 7 thousand carioche in Italy constructed in 150 workshops that continued to develop their products for a number of years, making them ever closer to traditional tractors. Lamborghini and Lesa began in this way, along with dozens of others with various degrees of success.

This book documents the history and evolution of this distinctly Italian phenomenon, featuring around a hundred models and their constructors.

Text in Italian.

Orsi - Trattori agricoli 1931-1964

This book deals with the history of agricultural tractors produced by the Orsi company from 1931 to 1964. Although the company produced many other types of agricultural machinery, including threshing machines, it has consciously chosen to limit itself to agricultural tractors built over a period of thirty years.

Both the wheeled and tracked models, Diesel and glow head (Testacalda), are described and presented in chronological order. Each model description is completed by a technical sheet with dimensions, weights, engines and measures of the tires for the wheeled tractors and of the tracks for the crawler tractors.

Each model is illustrated by descriptive photos that will allow collectors and technicians to have accurate documentation for the restoration and cataloging of the vehicles.

Text in Italian.