I'm not sufficiently clued up early Colnagos to be able to comment on this particular machine, and cannot remember unfortunately when Colnago started engraving his top-eyes etc Did he do it from the first frame.. I doubt it.
However I've always hankered after an early "ernesto" from th 70s, a bit like the one Saronni used to ride - just that red flam, chrome forks and those white panelled decals. some weeks ago I spotted a "Velo de Course" on French ebay.. going for very few euros indeed... and it was my size. I followed the auction with interest, thinking whatevere the red and chrome bike might be it just had to be a bargain...With only a little time left i sent an email ti the seller asking what "marque" the bike was. his rapid reply said "Colnago" I was quite overwhelmed..
knowing that I was about to leave for France within a couple of days I decided to bid on the bike and, if succesfsful, have it sent from Marseille to my caravan in Provence, about two hours away by wagon. I won the auction and it was with a great and overwhelming sense of anticipation that I opened the HUGE cardboard box..
At first glance I had obtained my objective.. a resplendent flam ruby and chrome Colnago shone in the rays of the Provencal sun..but that world-renowned type face did not spell out Colnago... but Tinazzi. Tinazzi the former French pro has a tio shop just outside Marseill at Aubagne,famous throughout thre world as the setting for Marcel Pagnols poignant novels..
studying the frame I noticed the clover-leaf cut-out in the down tube-head tube lug, couldn't find any engraving on either the fork crown or top-eyes, but turning the bike upside down rejoiced at seeing the large Colnago motif cut out of the bracket shell.
My joy was short-lived as I was certain that this frame was no Colnago but a very subtle copy .. and well executed ...The "give-away" is that the foot of the trefoil is not flat but slightly radiused downwards.. not too much .. but sufficient not to breach Colnago's registered design. Clearly the seller had been duped... Other cyclists on the caravan site thought it to be original... but I am not too sure.. but it's a nice frame anyway.. The final word will rest with M. Tinazzi... if he ever replies to my email.
Can anyone help out here.. could it actually be a genuine Ernesto..?
Norris Lockley...just reflectong on the thought that if you can't convince them you should confuse them, as my old Prof. used to say..Settle UK