> RE:
>
http://www.wooljersey.com/
>
> > Bob,
> > I understood you were referring to Signor Esposito, but
> I
> > was just trying to help date the article. I still have to
> > figure some time between 1985 and '86...
>
>
> I agree... still, it'd be nice to know for sure. I hope
> Matteo responds to my question about what's
> printed on the reverse of these pages... there might
> be valuable clues there.
>
> > As for us just hearing about this gentleman, I think from
> > the language of the article it's clear that, in Italy, his
> > relationship to the Masi family was an open secret. But
> > remember, while Signor Masi is a sort of sainted figure
> > to the members of this list, this list isn't _that_ large
> > and, in Italy the Masis were merely "noted frame builders
> > and mechanics from the Milanese scene..." :-)
>
>
> Good point (about the list not casting that wide a net).
> Still, with a few Italian members (like Matteo) and
> American Masiphiles who make regular trips to Italy
> (Pergolilzzi, Maasland, Gephart, Honn, etc.), plus all
> the Italian sellers on eBay, it surprises me that we've
> had no word of this guy (or his bikes) before. I have
> to wonder if his tenure in the bike world was perhaps
> quite short... could be he was excluded from the
> market at some point (Confente used to talk about
> this... if the other builders didn't like you, or had some
> other motive to see you gone, you would suddenly find
> yourself unable to get components or even frame
> materials). Perhaps Alberto and Faliero considered
> him an embarassment and pulled a few strings?
Bob,
That's hard to say, but when I visited Italy (for several
months in the early '80s) there really was a frame builder on
every corner. At least that was the case in the northern
regions like the Veneto, Lombardy, or Tuscany (where Signor
Esposito worked). If you can read the story whose link Matteo
provided, you can see the man is stressing that his bikes are
custom/bespoke in the truest and most complete sense - and
that's why you should come to him.
But that was true of dozens (perhaps hundreds) of builders
in Northern Italy. Each of those guys was famous in his
"patria" (home town). To really rise above this multitude of
craftsmen required other types of genius beyond that of the
frame builder. That's why all the really famous Italian
builders were as intent on building mystique as on building
bicycles.
And not long thereafter came aluminum and carbon fiber...
Best regards,
Fred "my father wouldn't hire me either" Rednor -
Arlington, Virginia (USA)