I think the term "blue mink" is a misnomer. I bought an NOS '79 Pro in '81 and along with it some touch up paint which was labeled "Pro Blue". The '79 and '80 catalogs list the color as steel blue. The earlier catalogs list the brown bikes as "mink".
Norm Lafleur
Ashfield, Ma.
USA
> Re: What is the "Blue Mink" color on the 1973-1982 raleigh pros ??
>
> That's a good question, and although I don't have a definitive answer,
> there are at least 2 possibilities :
>
> (1) There was a rock band in Britain from 1969-1973, called 'blue
> mink' and the Carlton color was introduced (I think) in the 1973
> model year, in the year that the band broke up. Perhaps it was
> named after the rock band.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/
>
> Here's an album color with a lot of 'Raleigh Blue' on it ...
>
> http://www.musicstack.com/
>
> (2) There apparently ARE such things as blue minks in the wild,
> although it's a variant of silver with a bluish tinge. I found a
> great web page with a color wheel of mink coats, here :
>
> http://www.furcommission.com/
>
> I'm cc'ing Dave Marsh, an old carlton frame builder, maybe he can
> resolve this mystery in naming ...
>
> - Don Gillies
> San Diego, CA