Coming up for sale on Ebay tonight starting at 6:00PM Pacific Standard Time, my 1935 Hetchins frame and fork, frame size 20CT, and with a 22&1/2" top tube. The extremely rare frame and fork is one of the three oldest surviving frames found to date, and possibly the oldest surviving to date. Below is a bit of text from the auction page: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Up for auction, an extremely rare 1935 Hetchins frameset with Vibrant rear stays, chromed fork ends and fork crown, serial number H297, frame size 20" center to top at the seat tube and with 22 & 1/2" a top tube measured center to center. The rear dropout spacing measures 105mm. Seat tube is 27.2mm. This frame set is extremely rare, atleast one of the three oldest surviving Hetchins frames and very possibly the oldest surviving found to date. There is a lack of understanding of exactly how the three digit Hetchin's serial numbering system worked, or its way of dating frame production and or sales date. All that is understood is that this frame was built prior to August of 1935 when Hetchins adopted a four digit serial numbering system, and prior to this used a the three digit serial number with the number appearing on both the right rear dropout and steering tube, as it appears on this Hetchins. There are only two other Hetchins to survive from before August of 1935 with this three digit numbering system. The lug pattern is also unknown, as early surviving catalogues make it difficult to dicpher lug patterns. This frame was most likely repainted in the early 1940s, as there are remnants of Pre-war transfers on the front right fork, down tube and top tube that were either unknown to exist until very recently, and appear on only one other Hetchins surviving to date, my 1939 Hetchins Trio. Purchased through a well known broker of bicycles in the U.K. this year, it was sold to him by the son of a fellow who was most likely the second owner of the frame, and all that is known of the frames history, is that the frame was purchased by his father in the early 1940s and possibly re-enamaled at that time. The head badge is a later Mazac badge from the 1950s, that was applied over the earlier head tube transfer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter Naiman
Glendale, WI