Ferrari 166MM 1:43 - Model sports car - Ferrari 166MM - Ferrari 166 MM 1950 – CHALLANGE / Heco Models – 1/43

Rare 1950s handmade miniature Ferrari 166 MM, produced at 1/43 scale by CHALLANGE, a French brand historically linked to Heco Modèles creations.
It is an old resin production, assembled and decorated with care, representative of high-end French artisanal miniatures from the late 1980s.
Identification
Brand: CHALLANGE
Model: Ferrari 166 MM
Year of the represented vehicle: 1950
Scale: 1/43
Main material: resin
Color: red
Manufacturing: France
Assembled model
CHALLANGE markings, “Ferrari 166 MM” and 1/43 present under the chassis.
An early period CHALLANGE
CHALLANGE is a French brand that appeared at the end of the 1980s in the world of artisanal miniatures and linked to Heco Modèles.
The brand specialized in 1/43 models produced in small series, with bodies and chassis in resin and various attached elements.
This Ferrari 166 MM corresponds to this old artisanal production and should not be confused with a modern industrial miniature.
Old CHALLANGE box of particular interest
The miniature is accompanied by its old CHALLANGE presentation box, now very hard to find.
It is immediately recognizable by its presentation:
yellow box;
large clear window;
white interior with red grid pattern;
prominent CHALLANGE logo;
label reading “FERRARI 166 MM / 1950”;
note “Made and printed in France / Fabriqué et imprimé en France”.
During in-depth research, old CHALLANGE Ferrari models with their box or cardboard display have been documented in antique auctions. However, this old yellow presentation is now particularly difficult to find.
The box is thus an important element of the set and will naturally be kept with the miniature.
Provenance and old documentation
The set comes from an old collection of model cars.
An old document found with this collection is an auction sale invoice dated March 17, 1989, issued by Mes Loiseau et Schmitz, Associated Auctioneers, Hôtel des ventes de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, 13 rue Thiers.
This invoice mentions the purchase of several groups of model cars.
Important: this document is an interesting item regarding the general provenance of the collection, but it does not individually designate the Ferrari 166 MM. It is therefore not possible to state with certainty that this miniature corresponds to one of the models listed on this invoice.
Condition
The miniature is very well preserved considering its age. Please examine carefully the numerous photographs, which are an integral part of the description.
The original box, however, shows significant age- and storage-related traces: card wear, marks, creases and deformation of the transparent portion.
These defects have been intentionally preserved to maintain the authenticity of this old packaging that has become hard to find.
No restoration of the box has been performed.
For collectors
A particularly interesting piece for a collection of: