that I feature on this bike belong to a select few collectors that are gracious enough to show their awesome collection. I don't want to name names, unless they want me to give them credit. It is sometimes hard to know what bicycles are out there, especially if collectors keep them hidden away in there attics, basements, and garages. I am happy I have the opportunity to travel around the country, and the world, and meet people that are as interested(or more!) bicycles and bicycle history as I am. I have no problem showcasing some of the super rare/cool bikes that I find to show the internet world that these bicycles are out there. Just think about it, many diehard collectors had never seen a Rene Herse, and now it seems everyone has one!
I love traveling to see people's cool collections. I enjoy the stories involved finding the bikes, the process of restoration, the provenance of rare pieces. Provenance is everything to high end collectors. The history of the bicycle, the story involved, is critical to it's importance and collector value. In rare cases, not just who the bicycle was built for, but from what collection it came from add value. It starts to mirror the world of fine art, like a Picasso owned by de Kooning, or a Hirst owned by Gagosian.
So this post is a salute to those awesome collectors that love to share what we fellow collectors covet. Feel free to invite me into your chapel and we can talk about bikes and adventures, from dingy basements or dusty attics, stinky barns to rusty junk yards.
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