i'm addressing Jan's points, below. 1) as we've read, in the old days, even the pioneer of ornate lugs, hetchins, was pre-fabbing their designs, either mechanically by stamping , or by casting them, as early as the 1950s. the history text states that it was very rare to 'take a lugset and carve a design into it'. that was the exception, not the rule, at the company best known for hand-cut ornate lugwork. 2) as it goes, "ornate" lugs a 'la Nervex ref.49s were latecomers to the party. 3) BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i always wondered why there's such a focus on 'them there 3 fancy-ish lugs'. once you get past the '...3 lugs', there is an entire frame to reckon with. are the wheels correctly spaced apart? how is the rider's center of gravity? will the frame's descending manners inspire confidence? is the frame 'straight'? will the frame allow the parts hung on it to perform efficiently? jeeeez. there is no much more to 'all this' than just 3 freaking lugs, or 'lugwork'. 4) alas. imperfection is perfection. e-RICHIE chester, ct
here is Jan' post: Jan Heine <heine@mindspring.com> writes: cut and snipped... 1) In the old days, carving the lugs, etc., was seen as the evidence of handwork. Especially if each bike is different, you got a truly individual design. 2) Once pre-made "ornate" lugs like the Nervex came out, there was little point in doing ornate bikes - especially in France. 3) So ornate curls that don't do anything may have been of questionable value? 4) By comparison, you may get an Herse with every part beautifully integrated, looking absolutely wonderful from 5 feet, but then you zoom in, and wouldn't it be nice if the seatstay caps lined up a bit better on top of the seat lug?