The RH modified hubs are Maxi-Car at the front, the back is another make, H erse modified either RAS (not the case here) or another maker I can't remem ber the name of off-hand, if it comes back I'll mail to CR. This type of hub was only fitted to very special bikes.
When an item disappears from eBay like that, most likely the owner has had an offer he can't refuse... So in my opinion the hubs are already on their way to Japan.
I actually had the chance to buy the bike the hubs belonged to, but decided it was too expensive, unless as a machine to break, and I didn't want to b reak such a bike.... Great shame it had to be broken. But that is the logic of the market.
As I've remarked before, I can't see the point, if you have any other choic e, of a "do it yourself" Rene Herse made out of parts that never belonged together in the first place, and a beautiful Toei can be made without destr oying a Rene Herse in the process...
Concerning Norris' complaints about RH (in French this is called a "marronn ier" ie an issue that comes back once a year like leaves on a tree), it is perfectly possible to criticise individual bikes from the Herse production. As with all hand-made products, there were good days and bad days. Maybe t here was a rush of orders to finish that month and a not so good one slippe d out... Without seeing photos of the bike I can't judge. Certainly there was a big difference in price between the best bikes, and t he not so best ones.
But I invite Norris to propose a bike equivalent in every detail of finish, quality of parts, etc, to the Rene Herse on the front cover of "The Golden Age". I think he will have a struggle, particularly if he starts with the British bike industry...
At their best, RH bicycles are pretty unbeatable.
And the average production is of extremely high quality.
Alexander March
Bordeaux
France