RAMI by J.M.K.

Rétrospectives Automobiles Miniatures (, mostly known for its acronym RAMI) was a French manufacturing company that made diecast scale model collector vehicles mostly of classic French automobiles in 1:43 scale. The acronym was seen on packaging without the periods between the letters of the acronym, but on some of the vehicle bases with the punctuation. "J.M.K." was a further acronym that stood for the three founding members of the company: M. Jarry, Henri Malartre and M. Koch. Though the models were often known simply as RAMI, the full name of the company was RAMI by J.M.K.

The cars in the line-up represented actual vehicles in the Automobile Museum of the Château de Rochetaillée sur Saône. The models were made in Lure, France, from 1958 to 1969.

Museum models

Sometime around 1957, the decision was made to make – in miniature – automobiles housed in the Automobile Museum Malartre of Rochetaillée sur Saône in eastern France. This was the real auto collection of Henri Malartre who also started RAMI. The concept was similar to Dugu Miniautotoys in Italy made for the Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia Automobile Museum in Turin, from 1961 to about 1975, or Cursor Models which produced models in Stuttgart seen in the Daimler-Benz Museum from 1969 to about 1980.

The first prototype RAMI vehicles were made in wood in 1958 in Villeurbanne, next to Lyon, by a Monsieur Rivoire. Production models were made in Lure of the department Haute Saône about 175 miles northeast of Lyon, near the border with Switzerland and Germany.

The founders of RAMI cars were M. Jarry who had previously worked for model maker Quiralu; H. Malartre, who had worked in the auto parts business and had collected classic vehicles; and M. Koch, who had worked previously in a weaving factory.

Model details

Though Johnson says models were produced up to 1980, in all, 39 different models were produced between 1958 and 1969. Many models were of veteran 'brass' era vehicles. In fact, 33 were of vehicles made before 1920. Two of the vehicles were steam (1878 Amedee Bollee and the 1892 Scotte steam wagon with large boilers) and one electric (the irresistible 1898 Hautier Taxi), 34 are representations of French vehicles with two American Fords, a Packard, and a Mercedes.

The Hautier Taxi is particularly interesting as a vehicle that is mainly a horse carriage with an electric motor. The driver sits in a makeshift seat up and behind the cab, almost in a 'stagecoach' position. Some kind of crude steering mechanism went down then to the rear wheels. To enter, one stepped up onto the front of the vehicle and entered directly forward through two opening doors – which open on the model.

RAMI models were made of diecast zamac metal alloy – only wheels and tires were plastic. Some early models, like the Marne Taxi are made in diecast halves joining down the middle of the car – this faux pas was avoided on most other models. Seats and thin fenders were diecast metal on R.A.M.I. models, which is a bit rare as many diecast manufacturers of early brass era vehicles (like French Minialuxe) often use plastic. Plastic is easier to work with for 'spidery' parts such as wheel spokes, thin fenders, steering tillers, and long gearshift and brake levers. Occasionally, a dab of glue can be spied at the base of a lever or a tiller. RAMI tops, even those purportedly of cloth were diecast in metal as well. Thus models were heavy, especially if one was used to handling plastic Minialuxe vehicles.

Early diecast collector Cecil Gibson noted the delightful features of RAMI models as early as 1971, pointing out the company's unique selection (from museum vehicles), delicate details (like spare tires and long brake and tiller levers) and whimsical features (as in 'mother-in-law' seats and parasol tops which do not cover the passengers. Neither did RAMI shy away from odd body shapes – whether late 1800s boilers, curved boat-tails, spare wheel covers on roofs, or the varied folds and waves of landaulet covering material (in plastic or diecast metal. Models often had combinations of vibrant colors, and appear much more striking in person than in photographs.

founded	1958
founder	M. Jarry Henri Malartre M. Koch
defunct	1969
hq location city	Lure
hq location country	France
products	Diecast scale model cars

Museum models

Model details

Lineup

Packaging

End of RAMI

References