Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 18:46:15 +0000 From: themaaslands@comcast.net To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org (Classic Rendezvous) Subject: Re: [CR]Gorgeous Legnano ebay Restored PATINA!
Bob wrote:
>I suppose someone may have outed this already, but if you have not seen it
take a look. I hope my Dalcerri looks half as good when I get done with it.
No relation to seller other than LUST for the bike.
http://ebay.com/
>
>I predict it will go for $3000 and worth every penny.
To which Sterling added:
Here is another example that Original paint and/or parts do not count for much when it comes to bikes. I have seen time and time again where RE Paints have brought as much $$ or More than Original Paint bikes! Bikes are just not looked at the same way as Furniture.
To which Steven added:
Sterling is quite correct about this lovely Legnano bike having neither original paint nor parts. The repaint seems to have been well done, but the parts definitely are not up to the same specification. Giampaolo, the seller, states that the bike is from 1949 or 1950, but the 3TTT stem is from the 60's, the brakes are mod.51, hence no older than 1951 (I believe these are actually similar to the ones that I have supplied to numerous listmembers and are actually a latish version of the mod.51 from the late 50's or early 60's.) The chainrings are also not original as Legnano wasn't offering any bikes with the combination of Simplex front and Paris-Roubaix rear. The pedals are also newer and not correct: Legnano apparently specified Legnano-branded FOM alloy or Sheffield steel pedals. It is a nice bike, but not particularly significant and in my eyes certainly lesser than the older Legnano presently being offered on Italian ebay.
To which I would add:
This bike has appeared multiple times on eBay over that last year or so IIRC, and has failed to sell every time I believe.
If it were more correct parts-wise, and had original paint with "patina," IMO it would be worth a whole lot more than it is in its current state. It is just like it is with furniture....
(Did any listmembers see the $25 garage-sale-find table from "Antiques Roadshow" that sold for about $440,000 at Christie's? Now that's original finish paying off bigtime!)
(Did anyone also see the "restored" highboy dresser on one episode that was worth $50,000 but would have been worth $250,000 if it hadn't had an expensive restoration?)
Cheers,
Greg Parker
Ann Arbor, Michigan