MAT’S US DIARY: DEAN MILANO

As Georgy and I are staying with Dean Milano, perhaps I should say a few words about him. Dean was at Revell-Monogram for many years, which was when we first met, though we had already heard of each other, as we were both writing for model magazines in the UK and US.

These days, Dean works for himself, though for some time he also ran the Milano Toy and Model Museum in Elmhurst, his local town. Elmhurst is in effect a suburb of Chicago, though, like most of the surrounding towns, it maintains its own separate identity. Dean’s museum was bang opposite the railroad station, so it was hardly unobtrusive, and for three years offered visitors an amazing mix of classic toys and models, with a lot of rare stuff not seen elsewhere.

These days the Museum has a virtual existence on the internet, but a lot of stuff that Dean collected for his ‘real’ museum now has to be sold off. “No space!” is the cry. Consequently, most days will find him rummaging in the garage for more items to put on eBay.

But when he isn’t modelling or eBaying, Dean spends a lot of time with his other main interest, music. His primary instrument is the bass - electric and string - though he will squeeze away on the accordion, given half a chance. He was a member of The New Seekers group for some time, and has just completed his second album of self-penned songs, for which I took most of the sleeve photos.

Mat Irvine

The pictures show (top) Dean sorting out yet more car kits. At left is one of his string basses, this one owned originally by his uncle, the recently deceased Connie Milano. Connie was for many years very big on the Chicago music scene, and played alongside many great names, including Charlie Parker, Miles Davies and Nat ‘King’ Cole.

(Middle) One for this evening’s eBay offerings? Deans shows a poster, advertising Revell’s Mercedes-Benz 190.

(Bottom) One of Dean’s specialities is models of stock vehicles, of which there are over 1000 in his collection. This is just a small part of what was in the Museum collection. They are all in 1:24 or 1:25 scale.

Mat’s US Diary

Deciding to take a week’s break, I’ve journeyed to Chicago, the Windy City, to visit Dean Milano. Dean was at Revell-Monogram for many years, though like so many of us, he now works for himself.

For some time Dean also ran his own Milano Toy and Model Museum in downtown Elmhurst, a suburb of Chicago. Here was an amazing mix of classic toys and models, with a lot of rare stuff not seen elsewhere. The Museum existed for three years as a physical entity, but as with so many things, rising costs meant its closure, though the Museum still has a virtual existence at Dean’s website here.

Currently Dean spends a lot of his time with his other main interest, music – he was a member of 'The New Seekers' group for some time – and has just completed his second album of self-penned songs. Here’s a nice song you can listen to, Take the Blue Highway. More songs are on Dean’s site.

Mat Irvine