In a message dated 2/26/01 8:36:32 PM Pacific Standard Time, cyclartist@home.com writes:
> his tools and inventory to an unscrupulous buyer for $800.
> ___________________________________________________________
> who was the buyer?
> why was he unscrupulous?
> e-RICHIE
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Cunningham [mailto:cyclartist@home.com]
> Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2001 10:19 PM
> To: Richard M Sachs
> Subject: RE: [CR]The rest of the Medici story
>
> Richard,
>
> Bob Hansing of Euro Asia. He took advantage of a distraught widow. I had
> been there on a Thursday and taken an inventory, I was trying to raise the
> money for a decent offer. Word leaked to Hansing, (via Kirkbride) who
> swooped in the following Sunday. Wholesale value of the tools (3 complete
> Campagnolo tool chests, extensive set of files, torches, hand tools, frame
> fixtures etc., on the inventory list I took was nearly $20,000.) I wanted
> to offer at least $5,000, more if I could get it.
> I could never lowball by that much and would certainly not have done so when
> I knew that someone was trying to raise a fair price for the widow.
> JFC
>
So now that Bob is headed to that bike shop in the sky or wherever, what will happen to that lot? Is there a widow who will offer those items?
I had a similar situation several weeks ago at the Swap meet reported here by several CR's
I noticed a few bikes that an individual was offering. I remembered these bikes from having repaired, overhauled, and serviced over the years
I learned that their owner was a customer and friend that had passed away and this man was sellingntham for the widow. I noticed unusually low prices, carefully piled the bikes in the corner, added a pile of other lowly priced items, and wrote hima check for a fair amount, greater than what he was asking.
Iearned of Bob's passing a few weeks ago when I called Mel Pinto to invite him to my party. Mt friend of many years, Frances, informed me that Mel was in California at a funeral.
I doub't that Mel was there on a buying mission, especially since the items at euro Asia would be far too modern and mainstream for MPI.
Are the stars into a strange alignment?
Just two weeks ago i learned of the passing of a gentleman in his 80's who sold my my first bike, a 20" coaster bike , used, brush painted red, in 1956. Then, last Friday, Henry Mathis, the former bicycle, car, and motorcycle curator of the Smithsonian and owner of Southeast Cycle on Capitol Hill. He sold bikes to many of the Nation's leaders, like trickie Dickie from Yorba Linda.
And where were Jill and I last Thursday night?
We aere visiting Fran Kruzberg, the widow of Will Kruzberg, local framevuilder who died an untimely death last summer at a young age. I was fortunate to get one of his custom frames from him years ago and a Jack Taylor tandem (that may show up under us at the Cirque).
Will had just bought a brand new Bruce Gordon Touring bike shortly before succoming to a sudden illness that took his life.
Jill picked up the Hetchins he treasured for years and the Gordon last fall.
Thursday we got the frame jig, torches, gas saver, tubing sets, lugs, BB';s, tiddly-bits, tools, and some odds and ends.
The BG cost him $3,200 with the BG racks and custiom Bags and the XT touring group. Both it and the 'chins are 62 or so CM
Maybe the CR group could helpget her a fair price, but she uis gpoing to have to take quite a hit.
She and Will were together 15 years and had some good times cycling, hiking, and especially camping.
Jill lives close to her and has invited her on some rides with the gals to get back into the sport. Fran hasn't been on a bike in almost a year, but is getting her desire to ride back very slowly since the tragedy.
From the looks of the house and furnishings, she could use the proceeds from the sale of the items as much as anyone with the wherewithall to make any huge profit.
I'll try to get a list together, but might have a tough time putting prices up until I sort it out.
Larry Black
Maybe I'll just