Charles,
When I attended L'Eroica I saw a pantographed Gran Sport crank set on an Olmo being ridden in the ride. The stem and seat post were also pantographed. The crank was definitely Gran Sport. I thought it was odd, the bike had a generic Columbus tubing sticker and chrome head lugs. I don't have a picture of it, but I remember looking it over at one of the stops.
Courtney Johnson
Grand Marais, MN
On Dec 18, 2008, at 9:05 AM, Charles Andrews wrote:
> Based on some experience with the originals of some of these items, I
> would have to say that both Alexx and Casanova are having their parts
> pantographed in the here-and-now.
>
> The stem with the Colnago sig on it, in particular, is not
> correct. The
> signature is too big, and the script is not shaped right. It's a pro
> job, just not original.
>
> The De Rosa stuff seems obviously reproduced. For one thing, I have a
> hard time believing that Gran Sport stuff would have been panto'd, and
> I've never seen those patterns on any original De Rosa panto'd stuff,
> from any set of years. They look recent to me. Nice, but recent.
>
> I've written to Casanova about his parts and their provenance and I
> found his answers mildly evasive.
>
> Doesn't mean I wouldn't buy some of them. Some of the stuff looks
> plausibly period-correct, and sometimes that'll float my personal
> boat.
> Most of the time though? Not interested. The stuff from the period
> has the mojo...anything else? Probably doesn't. But, of course,
> it all
> depends on who's looking.
>
> Charles Andrews
> Los Angeles