Pedals - Lyotard No.23 Marcel Berthet
on eBay
same seller as " F. B. " new-in-the-box hub-set
Since we were discussing these pedals recently , here is an EXCELLENT opportunity to take a look at the LOVELY box in which they originally were sold !! And a chance to view a very nice example of those pedals also !! Although , the photo of the pedal is not the best .
And since the " F. B. " hub-set seems to be drawing out our more sensitive feelings , here on the list . . .
Let me just say that I am glad to see the definitive answer to a question I had .
The name of the company , as printed on that box , is NOT FB .
The name of the company , as printed on that box , is F.B. , with a period after each letter , and no space between the two letters .
I'd been curious about that . Thanks for helping to straighten that out for me !
. . . truly we live in the best of all possible worlds . . .
:^)
Raoul Delmare
Marysville Kansas
The Black Squirrel City
A while ago we discussed whether FB was a French or Italian company. We concluded that there was no doubt in any sane person's mind that they were Italian, and that the company was named "Fratelli Brivio."
In France, the company is known as "Brivio Freres." For the first time, I now have seen a box of FB hubs, made for sale in France - on e-bay
and it clearly is labeled "Brivio Freres" and every marking is in French, with no indication of an Italian connection. So I can see why the French were under the impression that they were buying a French product, especially as the company address is in Cognin/France. Even if the company really was American. (Many Germans believe that Ford is a German company, because the cars are made in Cologne and marketed as German cars.)
The box includes a wonderful cut-away drawing that shows the hub, and
how the ball races are on the steel center, so removing the alloy
flanges (for example, for rechroming) shouldn't be problematic for
the alignment of the hub... (If the drawing is correct and if I don't
overlook something).
--
Jan Heine, Seattle
Editor/Publisher
Vintage Bicycle Quarterly
http://www.mindspring.com/