Wow, this thread is almost as old as that picture of Alvin Drysdale.
I actually have one of his frames sitting in my basement now, waiting for me to have time to restore it. It was "tacked" together with what look like 1/4" nails before brazing. It's not a high end frame, but the brazing looks pretty good.
Yeah, and nothing like a zombie thread to expose one's ignorance (mine, about frame building in this particular case). Mr. Larmer has hit the pin on the head above (or hit the pinhead - again, me?): I posted this photo because of the romantic mythology it suggests.