Carlo 1849: a success story
This story begins in the Milan of bygone days, where Leonardo’s canals were flowing, when Italy was not yet united and when this city was more European than Lombard.
In the San Celso district, around 1830, Carlo Castagna is an apprentice worker in one of Milan’s most famous “workshops”, where, for more than a century, elegant and sumptuous carriages have been produced, mainly for the aristocracy and the European royal families: the Ferrari, previously Mainetti & Orseniga.
Thanks to his daily effort at his work, Carlo is able to gain the respect of his colleagues and his employer, until, in 1849, he is able to take over Mr. Ferrari’s business when the latter expresses his intention to retire.
Carlo builds elegant, majestic carriages, finished with fanatical attention to detail, secretly believing that luxury must be built slowly and with passion: in detail.
With the support of some of the greatest names of the Milan aristocracy, both customers and financiers (the Viscontis, the Brivios, the De Capitani d’Arsagos, the Bagatti Valsecchis and the Prinettis) he becomes a well-known businessman. Famous personalities order promenade carriages, the precursors of today’s sports cars: Alessandro Manzoni and Enrichetta Blondel use one of such carriages, made of lemon-wood with red threading, for their romantic outings on the shores of Lake Como.
Towards the end of the 1800s, the first motorised carriages driven by combustion engines are produced, on commission, for Ottolini and Ricordi, importers of Benz quadricycles for Italy.
“workshop” in via della Chiusa
In the San Celso district, around 1830, Carlo Castagna is an apprentice worker in one of Milan’s most famous “workshops”, where, for more than a century, elegant and sumptuous carriages have been produced, mainly for the aristocracy and the European royal families: the Ferrari, previously Mainetti & Orseniga.
Thanks to his daily effort at his work, Carlo is able to gain the respect of his colleagues and his employer, until, in 1849, he is able to take over Mr. Ferrari’s business when the latter expresses his intention to retire.
Carlo builds elegant, majestic carriages, finished with fanatical attention to detail, secretly believing that luxury must be built slowly and with passion: in detail.
With the support of some of the greatest names of the Milan aristocracy, both customers and financiers (the Viscontis, the Brivios, the De Capitani d’Arsagos, the Bagatti Valsecchis and the Prinettis) he becomes a well-known businessman. Famous personalities order promenade carriages, the precursors of today’s sports cars: Alessandro Manzoni and Enrichetta Blondel use one of such carriages, made of lemon-wood with red threading, for their romantic outings on the shores of Lake Como.
Towards the end of the 1800s, the first motorised carriages driven by combustion engines are produced, on commission, for Ottolini and Ricordi, importers of Benz quadricycles for Italy.
“workshop” in via della Chiusa
