Wow! I grabbed one of those BIDONs from Ebay two or three years ago, also quite cheaply, recognizing it from Tour photos in Italian 1950s Sport Illustrato mags. Turned out to be almost perfect for my 1955 Torpado corsa which had an empty handlebar mount cage. I say "almost", mostly because I can't recall if these bottles were also used in the Giro, in which Torpados were ridden. Torpados were not in the Tour in the 50s, AFAIK.
The lid is held on by a tiny gauge rope that is still holding strong. If you've never sampled the mildew odor of the inside of a 50 year old water bottle, then you haven't lived ... a terrifically horrible stench ... as unique as the smell of death, itself!
Here is a LARGE pic of the bottle, just as it was shown in the "Torpado-O-Rama"(TM) display at Cirque 2005. Look closely at the lettering, and notice: TOUR 1954.
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Ciao, Mark Agree Southfield MI USA ~ ~ ~
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2006 00:58:25 -0000 From: "Norris Lockley" <norris.lockley@talktalk.net> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Subject: [CR]New Market High for a BIDON?
For those of the List members who would like to put their money where this bidon would go..in the mouth.. here's your chance to do some record-breaking at the same time.
Item 220053309075 - an early LA VITTELLOISE bidon..now pushing at 191 euros..with 23 bids and not a Japanese insight due to the seller restricting posting to just France. I was in there early on watching,,can't remember whether I bid..but I only just lost out to a similar bottle last week that sold for under 20 euros as I recall.
I can' afforf to fully equip my 1950 Uragos and Stellas at this sort of price.
Norris Lockley..Settle UK