Thanks, guys... very helpful indeed. So it really was 1965 which means I have to plunge back into the deep-end of the Ideale saddle eBay bidding wars with our Japanese colleagues. I don't even recall seeing an Ideale 48 before or is because I skip over the "Buy it Now" saddles for $1,285.00? Forget the threading issues, it's the deep pockets that defines a love affair le cyclisme francaise.
Peter Kohler
Washington DC USA