I asked:
>There seems to be some confusion about the orthography of this great
>marque. Can anybody give a definitive answer?
>
>I've seen it both ways, and I've seen the family name of the builder
>both as "Hetchins" (in which case the apostrophe would be an error)
>and "Hetchin" (in which case the apostrophe could be correct.)
Arrrrrrgh!!!
I've received two replies to this, both via private email, so I guess
they didn't have enough confidence to go to the list. One said:
>Hyman "Harry" Hetchins was his name, so like
>Colnago is just plain Colnago, Hetchins is just
>plain Hetchins...no anything else.
But the other said:
Founder - Hyman "Harry" Hetchin, who fled from Russia at age 26, according to sources.
If you look at a set of early script DT transfers, there is an apostrophe. However, that observation is contradicted in both the head tube transfers and badges, as well as "fairground" style DT transfers - both sans apostrophe..
So I'm no wiser than before. Hilary?
Please, no more private email on this, the world needs to know!
Sheldon "O Cursèd Apostrophe!" Brown
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