When a vintage bicycle is considered for its virtues as a collectible it is evaluated by other criteria rather than solely by function.
In the case of vintage racing bicycles, among those criteria are the maker's renown and the marque's connection with racing. A similar calculus is probably made by collectors in determining the value of vintage steel bikes used for other purposes.
Fame has been likened to a tennis ball-in order to remain aloft it must be constantly hit.
If the vintage bicycle community wants to raise the profile of a marque it must somehow make its members aware of that marque's good features-be that through exhibiting examples of the bike, showing images on websites such as Classic Rendezvous, and others. This must be a long term, continuous effort.
Those makers that are now little known, and a result , undervalued and under-appreciated because of the vagaries of circumstance will not become known through continued neglect. In fact they are likely to become more obscure with the passage of time. Perhaps the current generation of collectors need to be more active in their approach to publicizing their collections.
One can't have it both ways.
George
George Hollenberg MD
CT, USA