At 10:49 AM +0200 1/12/09, Amir Avitzur wrote:
>In a perfect world Phil would be right:
>
> "cream rises to the top. If you as good as
> Herse or Masi or Confente you get to be known.
> If you're not, even by a little, you aren't.
> You don't get to be Rene Herse by accident or luck.
> and if you're as good as Herse, you get known."
>
>In this world, the 3 builders mentioned would have been as well known
>as Philippe had they (or their business partners) had less marketing savy
>and fewer connections.
>
The Philippe bike is nice, it may ride well, but it is hardly comparable to the best bikes from the best constructeurs. When you look at the design of the racks or most other elements, it lacks the elegance and function of the best bikes.
The Philippe almost certainly cost less than the best when new, and it costs less now. At all times during its life, the Philippe probably has provided value for money. Or in other terms, you get what you pay for.
Unfortunately, there aren't many unknown gems waiting to be discovered. Names like Charrel, Daudon and Narcisse already are sought after by many, even if the "mainstream" collectors aren't too familiar with them.
I think the place to discover unknown gems is Italy, because the cycling history there has not been as well-documented yet. In France, many have scoured the countryside, and most elusive unknown genius builders have been discovered. I would not be surprised if Italy still held some bikes that would stun all of us, once discovered. Fausto Coppi's Bianchi from the 1949 Tour de France greatly impressed me when we photographed it for "The Competition Bicycle." Of course, some believe it may have been built by Faliero Masi, in which case it's not an "unknown genius" who is behind it.
The fact that many French cyclists never have heard of Herse or Singer only shows that their popularity is not due to marketing... If you asked the average cyclist in the U.S. today about Peter Weigle, most would draw a blank. Even most bike shop owners haven't heard of this "brand." This does not diminish the quality of Weigle's work. And among those who care about classic bikes, his name certainly has not remained obscure.
Jan Heine
Editor
Bicycle Quarterly
140 Lakeside Ave #C
Seattle WA 98122
http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com