Wyndham,
I have a J.A. Holland that John Crump has advised me might have been made in 1952 that has a similar treatment on it's seat stay caps. However, instead of three up, and one across like yours, mine has three up, and three across. I have absolutely no idea if this has any significance or not.
Wishing everyone all the best in the coming New Year,
John Barry
Mechanicsburg, PA, USA
> From: Simon P-J <simonpj@mac.com>
\r?\n> Subject: [CR]please
\r?\n> To: "Classic Rendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
\r?\n> Date: Tuesday, December 30, 2008, 5:44 PM
\r?\n> I would be grateful for any information about the frames
\r?\n> that Les Ephgrave
\r?\n> built for O'Brien, and also for your advice about an
\r?\n> appropriate
\r?\n> double-chainwheel to fit to this frame.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> A couple of years ago I acquired this frame, believed to be
\r?\n> a 1950's
\r?\n> Ephgrave built O'Brien. (Serial number: HP27 ORO):
\r?\n>
\r?\n> http://www.wooljersey.com/
\r?\n>
\r?\n> It was in a pretty sorry state, but cleaned up quite
\r?\n> nicely. It has
\r?\n> Campagnolo dropouts, and braze-ons for a front derailleur.
\r?\n> I'd like to build
\r?\n> it up BLRC style, and still have to find several parts,
\r?\n> namely: saddle,
\r?\n> seatpost, stem, bars, chain, a nice pair of sprints, a
\r?\n> bar-mounted bottle
\r?\n> set - and a chainset with a double-chainwheel.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> I have tried to fit a Duprat chainset with
\r?\n> double-chainwheel that I have -
\r?\n> and found that the bottom bracket axle which I had bought
\r?\n> as the right
\r?\n> length for a double-chainwheel was too short to clear the
\r?\n> bolts that attach
\r?\n> the double-chainwheel to the crank. What length should I be
\r?\n> looking for to
\r?\n> provide clearance for a double-chainwheel?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> The Duprat chainset and double-chainwheel are steel and
\r?\n> pretty heavy. I'd be
\r?\n> grateful for any recommendations for an appropriate
\r?\n> double-chainwheel for a
\r?\n> mid 50's BLRC-style bike. And tips on how to ensure a
\r?\n> matching BB axle.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> I have posted detailed photos of the frame. I'd
\r?\n> appreciate any thoughts on
\r?\n> any marks of Ephgrave's work. If you look closely at
\r?\n> the photos of the tops
\r?\n> of the seat stays you'll see that gold paint has worn
\r?\n> away from a pattern
\r?\n> which has three vertical lines crossed by one short line.
\r?\n> Is this an O'Brien
\r?\n> mark - or Ephgrave? - or one used by several builders?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> All the best for the New Year,
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Wyndham Pulman-Jones
\r?\n> Girton, Cambs., UK.