Apparently there are some still around with disposable income. Check out this alloy rail Ideale:
Now at $935 with 13 bids and 4 days yet to go. This is a very dependable seller, in fact one of the French CR members I believe. This one may top a grand, as it is probably the perfect saddle for that superlight Herse or Singer. The model 57, probably the alloy model most used in the Technical Trials, near NOS condition, somewhat rare honey color, old stamp with F&T, pre-Berthet. Probably headed for Japan. Wonder if this will wind up on a Toei. Maybe not, that saddle at that price probably belongs only on an actual French randonneur from the 30's to the 50's.
I'll not be bidding myself - my last two Ideale purchases are a lot more pedestrian, a Model 45 for $50 and a model 40 I just bought for $11.50 - the $26 shipping from Belgium was more than double the item price. Too bad eBay now disguishes the bidder names - it used to be amusing to she which two (or more) heavyweight Japanese collectors duked it out over an item like this one.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA