RE: [CR]RE: "Fake" Hetchins

(Example: Framebuilders:Rene Herse)

From: "Jim Cunningham" <cyclartist@home.com>
To: "feldman" <feldmanbike@yahoo.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Cc: "peter naiman" <hetchinspete@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: [CR]RE: "Fake" Hetchins
Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2001 22:49:29 -0800
In-Reply-To: <002501c191b3$1da34f60$17bbe10c@attbi.com>


David,

Hard to see in that crummy old scan, but there was a Brampton like plat at the fastback, however low on the tube it might be. The fellow that brought this frame in bought it from Harry Butler with the story that is was a 1960's Hetchins that had somehow never been completed. It was unpainted. The story had obviously been fabricated to fit the desires of the customer as the frame had many clues as to it's more recent and bastard origin.

Jim Cunningham CyclArtist Vista, CA

-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org]On Behalf Of feldman Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2001 8:25 PM To: Jim Cunningham; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Cc: peter naiman Subject: Re: [CR]RE: "Fake" Hetchins

GREAT decal, Jim, and also interesting to note a very non-Hetchins fastback stay treatment; don't they still use the Brampton Victor-style plate extension of the back of the seat lug?
David Feldman
Vancouver WA


----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Cunningham
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Cc: peter naiman
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2001 2:19 PM
Subject: [CR]RE: "Fake" Hetchins



> It does seem that this is an issue for the lawyers to sort out. The ad is
> misleading in its assertion that Hetchins is "back", implying that prior
> producers had ceased or abandoned the marque.
>
> I contacted David Miller regarding the first of the fake Hetchins I have
> seen. I was concerned because the frame in question was poorly built. We
> had to rebuild the form to bring it up to reasonable standards. I don't
> know if it was from Omega or not, I understood it to have come through Harry
> Butler, but don't know if there is a relationship there.
>
> All I know, is that although I offered photos or even to send the actual
> frame to David Miller as evidence, he seemed unwilling to take serious legal
> action. He may have let this get away from him.
>
> David Miller OK'ed my customer's request that the frame be refinished with
> Hetchins decals. Something I would have refused to do without Miller's OK.
> Although the frame looked and rode fine by the time we finished with it, I
> was uneasy enough about the whole deal to insist on the application of a
> special model name decal I made up for the bike. See photo at this link:
> http://www.cyclart.com/photos/Recent%20work/magnumBogus.jpg
>
> Any maker who does not defend his trademarks, by preventing reproduction an
> unauthorized sale of trade name decals for example, risks loosing exclusive
> use of his trademarks. We may soon see all manner of famous names knocked
> off and new makers arguing that the exclusives have been broken, because
> trade names were not maintained. When doing business in Taiwan, I was
> appalled by the widespread cloning of famous names and the delight the
> locals took in showing off the fakes. In this case, perhaps Omega feels the
> market for this bikes is not adequately served, and has chosen to exploit a
> legal vulnerability.
>
> Jim Cunningham
> CyclArtist
> Vista, CA
>
>
> ---Original Message-----
> From: peter naiman [mailto:hetchinspete@hotmail.com]
> Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2001 1:39 PM
> Subject: Fwd: Fw: C+ advert in January 2002
> This letter was sent to me by Andrew Moore, a fellow cycling enthusiast in
> the UK, with regard to Omega Cycles production of "Fake" Hetchins. If you
> are not familiar with this controversy please write me for a further
> explanation.
>
> With this note there is an attachment which is an ad for Omega Cycles which
> includes there email address and phone number in the UK. I would encourage
> members if possible, to email letters to Omega Cycle about this issue and
> ask that they stop production of fake Hetchins and that we will spread the
> word about this issue to others in the lightweight community. Hopefully this
> will either pressure them to stop production or will limit there production
> so severely that they will die of from lack of business.
>
> If this attachment does not come through, please email Andrew Moore at this
> address. <andrew.d.moore@btinternet.com> . The phone number of the fake
> makers is 01144 1322 660 451 and the Email address is
> sales@hetchins.com. Lets support David Miller, the true maker of Hetchins.
>
> Peter Naiman
> Boston, Mass
>
> >From: "ANDREW MOORE" <andrew.d.moore@btinternet.com>
>
> >Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2001 09:50:16 -0000
> >
> >Dear All
> >
> >Attached is an advert from Omega Cycles with regards to what best can be
> >discribed as a copy of the original and at worst a FAKE. The advert seemes
> >to be mistaken with regards to it's comment about being back, "to be back
> >you first have to go" As we all know the geniune Hetchins has never
> >stopped trading.
> >
> >I've passed the details to both David Millar and Flash
> >
> >Happy new year to you all
> >regards
> >Andrew Moore
> >Wiltshire England
>
>
> _______________________________________________

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