[CR]Confente signed Masi on eBay?

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Avocet)

To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: <marcus.e.helman@gm.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 13:03:41 -0500
Subject: [CR]Confente signed Masi on eBay?

eBay item 200046711616

Seller says "The original owner of the bicycle told me that it was welded at the 1979 Bicycle Dealer Tradeshow Expo (now Interbike) in California by Mario Confente and painted by Jim Allen." Obviously we are not dealing with an expert. The bike has an odd paint job: it is sort of metallic purple on the seat stays, down, and seat tubes; then a medium metallic blue elsewhere. I initially assumed that this meant it had once been a purple bike, and was resprayed blue with an attempt made to save the decalled areas. However the head tube is blue with a Masi decal.

The main reason I bring this to your attention is the signature on the right side of the top tube, where one would expect to see Faliero's signature. On this bike it seems to say Mario Confente. The signature looks as if it was made with a metallic marker. Is it possible that this bike is authentic?

Best regards,
Marcus Helman
Huntington Woods, MI