One evening after dark, my wife came in and announced that she had seen a Holdsworth abandoned and laying on its side on the boulevard a few houses up the street. Upon reaching the scene I started to examine this amazing find and recognized it to be a Holsdworth Record from the early sixties. Cottered crank, Mafac long reach centerpulls, GB bars and stem, Brooks Pro saddle in remakeably good shape, Fiamme tubular rims with Campag hubs and complete Campag Record front and rear derailiers.
Upon knocking on the neighbors front door, I was assured that it was her husbands bike that had been hanging up in the garage for years and was no longer wanted!
When she detected my excitement she added "I hope I haven't thrown out anything valuable"! I was quick to assure her that only a rare breed of junk collectors like me would be interested.
Lightening does strike twice as shortly after that experience, I was contacted by the widow of my old cycling buddy and best friend in school from England in the 50's who had her husbands 1956 Claud Butler. She felt the bike should go to someone who would appreciate it. I was present when my friend was "measured up" for this bike in a lightweight shop in the London area. At the moment it is being disassembled and boxed for the trip across the pond.
From photos, I see that it has remained in it's original condition with Accles & Pollock Chromo D.B. fillet brazed frame (rare tubing nowadays) with a nickel plated finish that had a transparent red lacquar over coat. Not too much of the red paint left but strangely, all the decals appear to be in place.
Cottered crank with a 4 speed Cyclo Benelux rear derailier, G.B Courier side pull brakes. B.B Bars and stem, Brooks pro saddle and the old 27 inch clincher touring rims with wing nut hubs. It even still has the bar mounted single water bottle cage and the front fork bracket for the Ever Ready lamp.
I can't wait for this one to arrive and shall be full of restoration zeal.
I hope to bring the Butler to Cirque if George W. allows me across the border without being fingerprinted. Eeks!
Bob "One mans junk is another mans treasure" Murray Toronto