Mordecai Silver wrote:
>
> Maino was a big manufacturer of bicycles in Italy and was one of the
> first companies to sponsor professional riders, and they had a team as
> late as the 1960's. The first campionissimo, Constante Girardengo, rode
> for them. Like Bianchi, they also made motorcycles.
On Brett Hoton's website http://www.thehortoncollection.com there is a
wonderful MAINO poster featuring Costante Girardengo:
http://www.thehortoncollection.com/
"COSTANTE GIRARDENGO c.1923 Poster 134cm x 106cm From 1913 through most of the 1920s Giradengo defined Italian cycling. From 1913 until 1925, he reigned as the Italian National Champion. Included in his long list of victories was the Giro dItalia in 1919 and 1923."
Large scan of poster:
http://www.thehortoncollection.com/
You can pick out the stacked-plate fork crown, a Maino signature that was featured in a stylized design on the Maino headbadge. Also check out the length of Costante's shorts, the Italian National jersey, the handlebar grips (no tape), the small amount of seat post showing and the height of the tops of the bars.
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, CA
.