Off the Shelf: How Brooklin Got Under Gianluigi Cappi’s Skin

Gianluigi Cappi’s collecting journey began in childhood, in the difficult years after World War II, when hope for the future mattered deeply. Even then, he was drawn to gathering small treasures—little objects that meant something to him, carefully arranged in his room and admired with pride. It was a time when collecting was about the enjoyment, memory, and pleasure of surrounding himself with things that sparked wonder.

That early curiosity soon grew into a love of building as well as collecting. As he got older, Gianluigi began assembling plastic war aircraft kits made by Revell, combining patience, skill, and imagination. Before long, he set his sights on something even more ambitious by building model sailing ships. Those projects reflected a trait that would define his collecting life from then on. Once something captured his interest, he pursued it wholeheartedly.

As a teenager, Gianluigi found another passion in miniature liquor bottles. He collected them not for drinking, but for display, preserving each one full as a small work of art and a reminder of places he had been. Over the years, that collection grew to more than 3,000 bottles, gathered during travels to countries around the world. Among them, his favorites are the whiskies, with more than 200 different miniature bottles proudly displayed in two cabinets he built himself for his living room. The collection is personal, carefully curated, and tied to a lifetime of travel and experience.

His love of the sea also played an important role in his story. Gianluigi loved sailing and enjoyed windsurfing for many years, only stepping away when, as he puts it, his body let him know it was time to stop. Even then, the sea remained close to him. When he came across a magazine that included a small, finely made model of an old sailing ship with each issue, he eagerly began collecting those as well. It was another way to keep that nautical passion alive.

Model car collecting, however, came later and would ultimately become the defining chapter of his collecting life. Cars had long held a personal meaning for him. His first real car was a used Fiat 600, but he was especially drawn to convertibles. While in college, he bought a red MG Midget MKI, a “little fantastic car” that stayed with him for several years and carried him more than 60,000 miles, including a memorable trip to London, complete with the challenge of driving on the “wrong” side of the road. After that came an Alfa Romeo Duetto, a dream car he had to part with too soon when marriage and a move to the United States changed the course of his life in 1971.

(This diorama captures a scale accurate Gianluigi among his cars, including a VW convertible he once owned)

In America, he bought a Chevy Chevelle and became more familiar with American cars, but he still missed the joy of top-down driving. So he added a 1962 Triumph TR3 while living in Raleigh, North Carolina, where many could still be found at the time. That car proved to be far more than a passing enthusiasm. He brought it back with him when he returned to Italy and he still drives it today.

Once he was back in Italy and enjoying a more settled future, Gianluigi finally began collecting model cars in earnest. Naturally, he started with the Triumph TR3, the car he knew and loved so well. At first he focused on 1:43 scale versions, but before long he was searching for TR3 models in any scale he could find. And, true to his nature, once he committed to collecting something, he wanted to do it thoroughly. His TR3 collection expanded beyond models to include kits, signs, books, and just about anything connected to the car. The scales ranged from 1:87 to 1:18, and the materials included plastic, metal, pewter, and even a small gold example.

Eventually, though, he reached the point where there was almost nothing left to find related to the Triumph TR3. So he widened his search and began collecting 1:43 scale convertibles from different brands. Then came a turning point. He bought a model of a 1959 Chrysler 300E convertible. It was unlike the diecast cars he had been buying. It was noticeably heavier, more refined, and beautifully made. It was a Brooklin model.

At the time, Gianluigi knew little about Brooklin, but that first purchase made an immediate impression. He bought more, always convertibles at first, and quickly realized that these models had a character and quality all their own. Wanting to learn more, he researched the company online, and what he discovered convinced him that Brooklin would be his next great collecting passion. As he later reflected, from that moment his life changed.

Determined to immerse himself fully in this new world, Gianluigi joined the Brooklin Collectors Club (BCC) in the UK. Membership opened the door to a rich community of enthusiasts and a steady stream of information through the club magazine. But one of the most important resources he found was the Collectors Guide compiled by the club chairman, listing all models produced up to that time. It became an essential roadmap for his collecting.

Through the club, he also connected with a Brooklin dealer who became much more than a source for models. The dealer provided valuable guidance, shared his knowledge generously, and over time became a good friend. Armed with the guide and driven by his usual desire to build a complete collection, Gianluigi steadily acquired most of the models he was missing.

Another major breakthrough came when he contacted the San Francisco Bay Brooklin Club. Its founder told him the club was preparing to close and that he was considering selling his collection. After discussions, they reached an agreement, and Gianluigi purchased it, more than 300 pieces in all. The arrival of those boxes became one of the great thrills of his collecting life. He opened them one by one, savoring the suspense of each discovery, examining the many Brooklins inside, and carefully identifying every model. He spent hours sorting through color variations and deciding which pieces filled gaps in his collection and which were duplicates and could be parted with.

Gianluigi’s collecting then took on another fascinating dimension when he met John Roberts, the master Brooklin enhancer. John created many special models for him and introduced him to a more creative side of the hobby. Gianluigi began buying cheap or defective models and restoring them, repainting them, and giving them new life. Sometimes he even modified sedans into convertibles. He readily admits that he is not a purist. Originality matters less to him than beauty and enjoyment. He chooses color combinations because they appeal to him, not because they are always factory-correct. In creating miniature scenes, he often adds Omen figures—each model paired with a figurine or a woman, hand painted in colors that complement the car. The result is a collection infused not only with history, but with artistry and personality.

(Gianluigi and his wife in front of a miniature classic car garage)

Over time, Gianluigi brought his Brooklin collection to an extraordinary level of completeness. He assembled virtually all the standard and special models, along with many Code 2 and Code 3 variations that form part of Brooklin’s broader story. But he did not stop at collecting. He wanted to document the collection in a serious and lasting way. That idea led him to photograph all of his models and write descriptions for each one, creating what has become the Brooklin Collectors Guide.

He initially printed 100 copies and sold them to fellow collectors who requested one, including Brooklin Models, which wanted their own copy. As the years went on and new models were produced, he issued second and third editions with updates. Then, in 2015, Brooklin joined the NB Center of American Automotive Heritage founded by Nicola Bulgari. During a visit to the factory, Nicola saw Gianluigi’s guide, was impressed by the work, and proposed turning it into a professional publication. The two reached an agreement, and version IV was published and sold by Brooklin. Gianluigi has gone on to create additional collectors guides for Brooklin’s European series, Lansdowne and Robeddie, and more recently completed a History of Brooklin Models book as well.

Today, Gianluigi remains focused on Brooklin alone. He does not collect other brands, because his passion is not simply for a category of cars, but for something specific that he genuinely loves. For him, collecting is most meaningful when it centers on a subject that truly resonates. That philosophy has shaped a remarkable collection of about 1,200 Brooklin models, displayed in specially built cabinets that showcase what he refers to as these “little jewels.” Space is growing tight, but not quite full. There’s fortunately still room for future additions.

Taken as a whole, Gianluigi Cappi’s collecting life is a story of passion, craftsmanship, curiosity, and dedication. From childhood treasures in a postwar bedroom to beautifully displayed Brooklin models and published collectors guides, his journey reflects a lifelong instinct not just to gather things, but to celebrate them. And if one line captures his devotion best, it is the Frank Sinatra lyric he borrows to describe his relationship with Brooklin: “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.”