Many of the models at the House carry a line such as "edition of 20". It is one of the first things collectors ask about. Here is what it means, where to find it on a model, and how we state it.
What a limited edition is
A limited edition is a fixed production run. The maker decides how many examples of one version it will build, in one colour and specification, and builds no more. "Edition of 20" means that 20 examples of that exact version exist.
The limit applies to the version, not to the car. The same car in another colour is a separate edition with its own count. That is why one model can appear at the House several times, each in a different finish and each with its own edition size. If a maker releases a car in ten colours of 30 each, 300 models exist, but only 30 in the colour you are looking at.
How numbering works
In a numbered edition, each example carries two figures: its own place in the run and the size of the run. The numbers are normally given in order as the models are finished. A low number is not a better model. Every example in a run is built to the same standard.
Some editions are limited without being numbered. The maker states the total, and the individual pieces carry no number of their own.
Where the edition is stated
- The plaque. A small plate on the display base, usually with the name of the car, the maker and the edition.
- The base or underside. Some makers mark the underside of the model or of the base instead.
- The box. The outer box or sleeve often repeats the edition on a label.
- The certificate. A card or booklet from the maker that states the edition.
When these agree, you know what you have. Keep them together with the model.
Why small runs matter to collectors
A run of 8 or 20 means very few collectors anywhere will own the same piece. It also tells you something about how the model was made. Runs this small are built by hand, usually in resin, because no maker cuts steel tooling for 20 models.
Small runs are also what make unusual subjects possible. A one-off Pagani Zonda, a wide-body Lamborghini from a tuning house or a single race livery would never be made in thousands. In a run of 20 it can be.
A small edition is not a mark of quality by itself. Judge the model in front of you: the paint, the stance, the panel lines, the glazing and the interior.
Edition sizes at the House
About a third of the pieces at the House have an edition size on record from the maker. These are the usual figures.
| Maker | Edition sizes on record |
|---|---|
| Davis & Giovanni | Most often 8 to 16 |
| H&H | Usually 20 or 30 |
| IVY | 10 to 40 |
| Amalgam Collection, 1:8 | 199 |
| CMC | 300 to 2,200 |
The two ends of that range look like this. The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ LB Performance in lime green by Davis & Giovanni is an edition of 8. The Ferrari 250 GTO, Goodwood TT 1962 by CMC is an edition of 2,200, which is still a small number for a model sold around the world. Between them sit pieces such as the Pagani Zonda King by H&H, a 1:8 model in an edition of 30.
How the House states edition sizes
On each piece's page, the line under the title gives the maker, the scale and the edition size, for example "H&H, 1:18, edition of 20". The same figure appears in the piece details further down the page.
We give the size of the edition, not the number of the individual piece. If a page shows no edition, either the maker has not published one or we have not been able to confirm it, and we would sooner leave the line out than guess. If you want to know more about a particular piece, ask us, or come and look at it.
The models are on show at the House in Al Quoz 3, Dubai, open 10am to 10pm every day and 4pm to 10pm on Fridays.