Relative skill aside, Alberto Masi as the son of the company founder, and bearing the same surname, is seen as more closely connected to the origins of the marque than Rene's son-in-law. Plus as I said at the beginning of the auction, Herse racing bikes, however well made, are not what Herse is famous for, while racing bikes are exactly what Masi is famous for. I wondered if the Herse would make reserve, and it did, but I think if it had been a touring bike with lots of brazeons and custom Herse components, it would probably have gone for twice as much.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring
Michael Schmidt <mdschmidt@patmedia.net> wrote: What's up Doc? That pink Herse was made by Jean Dubois. Jean is Lyli Herse's significant other and an excellent builder in his own right. He was building Herse bikes, when Rene was still around. My understanding is that toward the last few years of Rene Herse's life, the quality of Rene's work was not as good as Jean's work.
Color of the Herse in my opinion had something to do with the final price. Some guys would not want to ride a hot pink bike.
On 9/17/07 6:46 PM, "gholl@optonline.net" wrote:
> feel that the answer to this well posed question is seen not only in t
> he final price, the Masi valued at $1150 (32%) more (and the He
> rse sold only at the reserve), but, more obviously, in the number
> of bidders, i.e. 26 to 1.
>
> Such is the ratio of interest in Masi vs. Herse.
> Certainly the fact that the Masi was built by Alberto Masi and the Herse
> was a posthumous production by another hand must had some influence in
> the outcome. It certainly influenced me--not to bid on the Herse.
> George
> George Hollenberg MD
> Westport, CT, USA
Mike Schmidt
Stirling, NJ
USA