[CR]re: reproductions

(Example: Component Manufacturers)

Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 00:15:30 -0800 (PST)
From: <chasds@mindspring.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]re: reproductions

Chuck Schmidt proposed:

The reason being that Edoardo Bianchi, born in 1864 and having started Bianchi in 1885 at the age of 21, died in 1946 (cause of death, car accident) so the rest of my Bianchi collection is NOT GENUINE !!!

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********Not genuine what? I never said a frame couldn't be perfectly fine for its purpose--or perfectly nice, period, but the argument holds. If Bianchi didn't make 'em, they're not Bianchis.

That said, Bianchi was not the sort of company I had in mind. I had in mind small artisan shops, one or two or three-person concerns, at most. I think you knew this, and you're just throwing up a straw dog...something you're in the habit of doing Chuck... ;>

Where Bianchi turned out thousands of frames and bikes a year, even from the pro shop, artisan makers turned out far fewer. Even the most biased fan of Bianchi would have trouble arguing against the proposition that their frames, top to the bottom of the line, were production frames. Sure, some highly skilled artisans no doubt made frames for the most famous pro riders...but that doesn't invalidate my main point.

My point had to do with small shops, not big ones. Bianchi is a big shop. But I stand by my contention that, when you get right down to it, they're not Bianchis. Be *glad* they aren't! Eduardo could not have made a frame as refined as the Paris-Roubaix or the Specialissima... :0

In line with this, Louis Lot's successor Emile Barat made some fantastic flutes...he stamped 'em Louis Lot, but they were Barats. Had he stamped them *Barat Paris* he wouldn't have sold many, though.

Charles "oh, puh-LEEZ Chuck, gimme a break!" Andrews Los Angeles

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(sniff, sniff,...waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... sorry)

Forgive me Fausto, but you were riding and winning on a not genuine Bianchi. Si, si, it's a pity, no?