youngc@NetReach.Net wrote:
>
> Has anyone seen any more "ink" on this auction than the snippet reported at the
> cyclingnews site?
>
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/
>
> quoting from same:
>
> "Coppi's bike goes for 9000 euro
>
> A bike belonging to Fausto Coppi has been auctioned off for 9000 euro in
> Clermond-Ferrand, France, to help raise money for a cycling museum. Coppi won
> the 1950 edition of Paris-Roubaix on the machine, which was expected to fetch
> around 4000 euros. However, a collector Nancy thought it was worth more than
> that, and paid 9000."
>
> Is this the one that several listmembers believed to have been refinished then
> cobbled together with incorrect parts?
>
> Charlie Young
> Honeybrook,
> PA
===============================
Charlie, maybe you missed one of our CR list members bidding and reporting on the same bike? -- Chuck Schmidt
===============================
Subject: [CR]Auction Report: Fausto Coppi's Original Bicycle from Paris-Roubaix Date: Sat, 06 Jul 2002 14:57:44 -0700 From: Brett Horton <bhorton@brickerhaven.com> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org References: 1
Earlier today the "bicycle" used by Coppi during his win at Paris-Roubaix sold at Vassy & Jalenques auction house is France at the hammer price of 9,000euro. With buyer's premium, the total was just shy of 11,000euro. The pre-sell estimate was 30,000-50,000euro.
To the best of my knowledge, despite heavy publicity in Europe, a packed auction house, and television cameras rolling there were only three actual bidders: all on the phone. The bidding started at 5,000 and went up at 1,000 increments. My final bid was 8,000 and the bike sold to another phone bidder at 9,000.
To put it mildly, the auctioneer was disappointed.
I had several conversations with the auctioneer, Bernard Vassy, over the past couple of weeks. Had the bike not been "lovingly restored" by Scapin, I know of at least 3 collectors, myself included, that would have been willing to bid the original estimate range. Unfortunately, from a purist standpoint, the only thing original from the bike was the frame, which had been repainted. The original components, in all their race worn glory, had been replaced mainly with NOS. I got the privilege of discussing "mojo" with the auctioneer. It is my opinion that the restoration had stripped away the vast majority of mojo.
Finding anything of Coppi with unequivocal provenance is very difficult. There was no doubt Coppi used this frame at Paris-Roubaix. However, I feel the condition of the Coppi bike auctioned today is akin to taking a historical piece of furniture, dismantling it, then rebuilding it with bright shiny nails and fresh coats of stain and varnish. Restoring historically significant trophies and vintage posters is one thing. When it comes to historically significant race used bikes and jerseys, I feel strongly restoration should be undertaken when there is no other alternative. I feel that conservation, rather than restoration, is a better way to go.
Brett Horton
San Francisco, California