[CR]Patina and History

(Example: Production Builders:Pogliaghi)

Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 09:41:23 -0400
From: "HM & SS Sachs" <sachs@erols.com>
To: jtperry@worldnet.att.net, Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
cc: tandemwiz <tandemwiz@aol.com>
Subject: [CR]Patina and History

John Pergolizzi wrote: The Cinelli frame that appears in the group photo of The Cirque belongs to me and I am now leaning towards NOT selling her because of this preservation of patina issue. You can always "restore" but you can never put back originality. There are more then a few of near perfect original Cinelli's and many, many restored examples. How many well worn, greatly patina'd sweethearts are out there? Just my take after seeing ALLOT of bikes.

----------------- John raises an important point when he writes, "The ones that are dearest are the ones that have a personal story to tell."

As the guy who grabbed that bike (without permission, but apparently with forgiveness, and brought it out for the picture), my initial instinct was to scoff, because that particular bike may have patina in extremis, down to the multiply cracked chainstays (which John and Steve took pains to point out). Because, to be frank, I thought of "personal story" in the sense of knowing the bike's history from purchase (or commissioning) till now. Not necessarily so. In this case, as I recall, there is story in how it was found and came to Cirque.

Besides, it sets the stage for another story. One weekend my buddy Mel Kornbluh and I, with our families, were at an LAW thing at a college in way upstate NY. I didn't stop at the yard sale; Mel did, and told me about the triplet lying on the grass. The next morning, we went back and it was still in the grass. The guy was adamant, not a penny less than $30, so I paid him. And loaded up a weird "Davis Sewing Machines of Dayton" triplet, all fully lugged, 1 - 3/8" tubes, 23/23/23, with rusty forged steel cotterless cranks, not quite enough 5/16" block chain, and incorrect wheels. It was from about 1898. I spent a couple of years making contacts with some great folks who sent me a copy of the original catalog, helped me find wheels, gave me chain, etc. Eventually, I decided the project was beyond my time, and it went to the new museum in Dayton, with a commitment by antique bike folks there to restore it. So, it will stay in my mind as the story of a great weekend with good friends, and wonderful help from a lot of people. One of these days, I will get to Dayton to see it again, and feel good that it did get saved.

Harvey Sachs mcLean va

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