Breaking a rare 1950s UK bike collection.
I have today taken on the task of helping someone in my part of the UK thinning out his collection of 1950s frame and part projects. These items are all of exceptional quality and far too good for e-bay! I have JPEGs of all the items listed that can be e-mailed to serious enquirers. If anyone would like to donate a suitable website so that they can be put on more permanent display, please do not hesitate to let me know. I have done the following descriptions memory and my badly written notes, so I apologise for inaccuracies. I will endeavour to give serious buyers the fullest description I can!
Hetchins Magnum Opus. 1952 Curly. This 23" frame was totally restored a few years ago and although it is been partly built up, it has never been used. It is one of the most immaculately beautiful frames I have ever seen and has undergone a full money no object restoration which includes ¾ chroming on both forks and on both top and bottom headlugs. The ends are Campagnolo road ends without the derailleur hanger. Very rare. It has been enamelled in a single colour a most beautiful pale lime green which is absolutely gorgeous. The owner assures me it is an authentic Hetchins colour for the period. It has the original headbadge, and of course the fairground seat and downtube transfers. I have three different views of the frame, which show it in all its glory. It will be sold with a chrome steel headset (Make unknown) and a non-period Campag Seatpin (26.8) The price is £550 plus carriage.
Hetchins Experto Credo 22½". If I hadnt been eclipsed by the Magnum, I would have thought this was an absolute beauty too. Its a late 50s straight stayed model with Agrati ends. It has been unused since being re-enamelled in dark powder blue with black head tube, seat tube contrast and bands and luglining. It is Hetchins badged with gold down-tube logos. Plenty of braze-ons inc. pump pegs plus a later pair of Campag lever bosses. The forks have been half-chromed, although these were not redone at the time of the enamelling, so there is some wear on the insides of the ends. Sold with a headset but nothing else. £350 plus carriage.
Claud Butler 21" Early 1950s lugless road frame in plain bright yellow enamel with the correct CB transfers and headbadge. Again this frame has been built-up since being re-enamelled, but not ridden. It is currently partly built with a period Nicklin chainset, Deep South of France bars and an alloy Reynolds stem which are included. A really good basis for a pretty 1950s project. £300 plus carriage.
Ephgrave road frame 21½" Another frame that has not been put together since an expensive restoration. This is an example of a very early Ephgrave built by Les & Maurice Ephgrave in 1949, with the pre-lollipop seat stays. The transfers are not quite correct as they say L Ephgrave not the brothers. Otherwise all is correct. It is enamelled in white with the gorgeous lugwork picked out in red. It has ¾ chrome on both forks plus chrome headlugs and forkcrown. Headlug and seatcluster detail is breathtaking. This is sold as a frame only with headset and cottered BB. A tiny dent in the down tube was not fixed during the enamelling, otherwise it is as new. £425 plus carriage.
Raleigh RRA. 22 ½" This is for sale as a 90% correct period bike in immaculate condition. Again it has been re-enamelled and unused since. It is in plain dark metallic red with the correct transfers including the gold RRA ones on the seattube. Half chromed front and rear forks. It is set up for single fixed with a single Raleigh chainset, Airlite LF hubs on early Mavic sprints, GB Hiduminium brakes, levers, bars & stem, Brooks B17 and the correct Bluemels pump and mudguards. All in superb condition. Only lacking pedals and a chain. £500 plus carriage.
By all means come back to me with as many questions as you like and I will put them to the very knowledgeable owner who has left the negotiating to me. I will also be doing the packing and despatching. The only information I have regarding carriage is that it costs roughly £50 to send a frame from the UK to the US. I will have to find out the cost for despatch to other countries.
David Blight, Exeter, UK (davidblight@rya-online.net)