In a message dated 11/6/02 7:27:50 PM Pacific Standard Time, richardsachs@juno.com writes:
<< but any way
you slice it, if others had a hand in some of the
more mundane tasks, then the frame is a product
of a collaborative effort, tho only the 'builder' may
get credit. therein lies my interpretation of that
letter that started this thread. >>
I understand what you're saying about the letter, but at risk of splitting
hairs, if one guy does ALL of the important work, and 90% (or whatever) of
the bulk of the work, I think it's reasonably fair to say he deserves credit
for the build. If a helper does something like slot drop outs or pre-file,
I'm not sure I'd call that a collaborative effort. There's a difference
between someone paid to do a menial task, and say someone paid to braze rear
triangle assemblies so someone else can braze them to the main frame.
At risk of sticking my neck out: Were I in Faliero's position (early in his
career, 1954) and I got a Team order at a time when I was building my
reputation, I may have had someone do the menial stuff (pre-filing bb shells,
etc.) to facilitate my getting the job done. I think it's a matter of view
point and definition whether that amounts to a collaborative effort. I would
build them myself (with that small amount of prep work by someone else) and
would feel strongly that I was the sole builder. That's how you build a brand
and a reputation. If on the other hand, I oversaw the job, that's a different
story. It's hard for me to imagine, that at that point in his career, Faliero
would NOT have done virtually all of it himself. I think that having others
do the work, came later. That's how you build a business.
There is certainly no harm in someone asking Alberto for clarification, but
I'm inclined to think (for the time being) that back then, the likelihood is
that Faliero most likely DID build it.
That said, I'll always modify an opinion if faced with facts that clearly
contradict it.
Stevan Thomas
Alameda, CA