> if this frame or one as rare as this is > re-tubed owing to an accident, how is the > value/mojo/provenance affected? the same > question goes for the fork if a new steerer > is installed. All I can say, before giving this some deep thought or consulting a reliable oracle, is that Richard's question brings us to the heart of the definition of original. This is probably why antique collectors care so much about original finish, patina and all that.
At some point, a repaired frame will not really be much different than a reproduction that uses original decals. The only difference might be whether an old "master" or a current framebuilder filed the lugs. With many classic frames, an unknown assistant might actually have performed that task so it gets to be a sticky discussion.
That's why, should you travel to Ghent this winter and visit a museum instead of watching the Six Day, you're likely to find a painting credited to "the school of Pieter Bruegel". In those cases, much of the value is based on the quality of the work as much as for the director of the workshop in which it was produced. Actually, there are more aspects of all this to discuss but I'm at the office now... Best regards, Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia