Dear list, Well boys , I can assure youse all that the "VERY early box that Pergolizzi has" is, in fact, NOT once white or off white/cream or blue or light blue. Short of spectra analysis or some other hi tech means, visual inspection of said box tells the truth. When staring at the underside of the top of the box,where the Sun don't shine, she is a very light creamy brownish tan. Darkened on the outside like old news print paper. Think inexpensive 1930's cardboard. The top has a double rip in the side so that one can see the inside guts of the cardboard. Same color only lighter. Definitely not faded light blue. Not white that's oxidized. Not even cream. A light creamy brownish tan. Dark blue lettering. The inside of the bottom of the box is also very interesting. She is lined in a dark blue, very thin paper that was obviously glued to the original cardboard before the box was folded. This blue extends over the edges of the box and covers the upper 1/4 inch or so of the upper outer edge of the box bottom. There also remains the remnants of a wax paper "cover" that was glued to the inner edge of the box bottom side so that the contents could easily be covered and protected. The wax perhaps evaporating somewhat over time as to protect the contents further. An old machinists trick from examining enough old machinists boxes. Evidently a common practice in the old days in packaging of important goods. Both top and bottom are stapled in their construction. The bottom also has an interior "wall" so as to separate the contents from striking one another. Like Nuovo Record low flange hub boxes. I can tell you all of this because of CLOSE examination by me under very good lighting conditions. Unfortunately, Emmy's back room, where THE BOX made her last public aperance, was rather dim. The box is marked "cambio velocita (senza tendicatena) e galletti automatici" She contained a sort of retro-fit kit to change your solid axel/wing nut wheels to hollow axel quick release wheels. The contents: one front and one rear axel. Both complete with washers and cones. NO date stamps. Truly NOS. The quick release units were long ago used somewhere else. This box, and it's contents, are as they were found by me in Tommy Avenia's shop in West Haverstraw, N.Y. during it's slow demise around 1995. I purchased this item, along with other goods, at that time. If all goes well, little box will be available for public perusal in May at one certain cycle extravaganza in North Carolina. So iffin ya want's ta see her, ya better makes yer plans now, cause time is fleeting. Or go to Japan where there is another box just like this one. That one is in better condition but is with out most of its original contents. I have only seen j-pegs of that box in an English language magazine which had an article with photos of the box with a correct quick release lever. These are the only two known boxes of this kind in the World that I know of. Cool huh?
John T.Pergolizzi N.Y,N.Y
John Baron wrote:
>
> > The hiccup here is the VERY early box that Pergolizzi has that
> > is a yellowed white with blue letters. For all we know, a distributor
> > had boxes made up for the Campy parts they sold... There's also the
> > green Campy HS box on HI Campy's site...
> Steve Maasland wrote:
> I have seen John's box and have had my own share of older boxes too. I
> am completely convinced that John's box was previously a color other
> than white and has simply faded (my best guess is that it was blue on
> blue.) I sold a box with Cambio Corsa bits to Japan about 6 months ago
> and it was dark blue on some sides and completely white on others. The
> difference was undoubtedly exposure to sunlight. As for Hitoshi's box,
> this was a track headset, so I believe the green color was to
> differentiate between track and road.
>
> Personally, I think that the following comment from John is extremely
important:
>
> > My best and only reference is from what I have, and have seen, and while
>
> > I've seen a lot, there's others who have seen more, or at least have
> > seen different stuff. We need to rely on faith a bit that the correct
> > parts were in the correct box...