Rickey,
My understanding of the origin of the color is like this. The word Celeste means "sky" in Italian. The original celeste color was sky blue. Applied over the celeste paint and Bianchi decals was a coat of clear. The clear in use yellowed over time (long or short I don't know) which resulted in the odd green color most of us associate with Bianchi. By the time paint was stabelized the traditional color was more green than blue and the trademark color was established. The name remained unchanged.
Sounded like a good story the first time I heard it, so I still like it. But this would be a good time to remind ourselves not to believe everything we think, no?
Brian Baylis
Rehersal cancelled tonight; you're going to have to put up with me for a
while.
>
> well, let's talk about colors. my impression of bianchi celeste is that it
> really doesn't mean anything very specific anymore: the "celeste" of the
> fifties bears little resemblance to that of the eighties, to that of today,
> etc. my preferred "celeste" was that of the Coppi era, which was muted,
> matte-like finish, industrial, and lacking in blue tones. today's celeste
> seems a little goofy. and is it my imagination, or is cannondale "doing"
> celeste these days?
>
> ricky garni
> carrboro, nc
>
> p.s. isn't the accepted story that bianchi originally developed the celeste
> color as a result of overruns/surplus of WW II tank paint? or is that sheer
> apocryphia?