This second one surprises me more than the first, though it is in excellent condition. The bike is claimed to be 1957-1960, and that may be, but most of the components are from the 70's. For that kind of money, I'd expect original or at least period correct components. Evidently, the Helyett marque possesses the kind of mojo I'd expect only from the likes of Herse or Singer.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA
> From: Martin Walsh <mowalsh@verizon.net>
\r?\n> Subject: [CR] Market High for Helyett Speciale
\r?\n> To: "CR List" <ClassicRendezvous@bikelist.org>
\r?\n> Date: Saturday, October 24, 2009, 3:10 PM
\r?\n> Dear CR list members,
\r?\n> I followed a couple ebay auctions for "Helyett
\r?\n> Speciale" bicycles that two esteemed list members brought to
\r?\n> the list's attention.
\r?\n> Peter Kohler outed the first auction and Norris Lockley
\r?\n> outed the second Helyett Speciale auction.
\r?\n> One auction was sold by a seller in the U.S.A. and the
\r?\n> second auction by the son of the original owner over in
\r?\n> Orleans,France.
\r?\n> Each of the auctions offered a different twist on what
\r?\n> buyers want in vintage bicycles.
\r?\n> The first bicycle featured "original patina",and the second
\r?\n> bicycle featured a "pristine frameset" to sum up the
\r?\n> descriptions in two words.
\r?\n> The prices were what I consider to be market highs for
\r?\n> production bicycles of this time period of late 1950's thru
\r?\n> the early 1960's.
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Peter Kohler list member from our DC metro area outed the
\r?\n> first Helyett Speciale and here's how Peter described it,and
\r?\n> I'm quoting Peter.
\r?\n> Please see Peter's quote below:
\r?\n> ..."entire machine just ouzes "Vive La Tour" originality. "
\r?\n> The first Helyett Speciale that was outed by a fellow DC
\r?\n> list member,Peter Kohler,can be found by pasting in :The
\r?\n> "tinyurl" below or going to your ebay account and pasting in
\r?\n> the auction item number: 280405683885http://tinyurl.com/yatltk2I wrote to the seller of this
\r?\n> auction and he stated it was a "good auction" and the
\r?\n> bicycle was being shipped to Japan.The selling price was
\r?\n> $4500.00 dollars plus shipping to Japan.I considered the
\r?\n> auction a market high for this type bicycle.But I may stand
\r?\n> corrected......
\r?\n> I followed a 2nd auction for a Helyett Speciale that
\r?\n> esteemed list member Norris Lockley brought to the CR list
\r?\n> attention.
\r?\n> The completed auction can be viewed here:http://ebay.com/<blah>
\r?\n> Or you can go to your ebay account and pasted in the auction
\r?\n> "item number" which is: 280410458517
\r?\n> This is the second Helyett Speciale that has gone for what I
\r?\n> consider "Market High" prices.Selling price was $6,035.00
\r?\n> and $300.00 or so for shipping and maybe more if it was sent
\r?\n> to Japan.These prices are like what I'd expect for a custom
\r?\n> made Alex Singer or Rene Herse bicycles.Any explanations for
\r?\n> the "market highs" for a production bicycle that is not in
\r?\n> pristine condition with all the right "bits and pieces"?I
\r?\n> guess an excellent condition Helyett with all the right
\r?\n> vintage parts should go for truly top dollar in this
\r?\n> market!The complete discussion on "Helyett Speciale"
\r?\n> for new and current list members can be viewed in the
\r?\n> Classic Rendezvous archives by doing key word search,here's
\r?\n> the link:http://search.bikelist.org/?SearchString=Helyett%20Speciale&SortBy=MsgDate[d]&Scope=classicrendezvousTake
\r?\n> care and safe riding!Yours truly,Marty Walsh in
\r?\n> Vienna,Virginia United States of AmericaP.S. Make sure you
\r?\n> ride a bicycle, "single file" when riding, in
\r?\n> Purcellville,Virginia,U.S.A., or the town police may just
\r?\n> stop "you".True story!
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Marty Walsh
\r?\n> Vienna, Virginia, USA