Does anyone have a photograph of the mid 1950's head badge please, or the colour of the background to the Olympic rings on the right-hand side ?
My photograph shows the head badge in question, which was superseded in 1957 by a different design.
The head badge was also replicated on the seat tube and a possibly smaller one in the centre of the down tube between the De Rosa Ugo lettering.
Any information about this particular head badge design, including it's size, would be appreciated. Also, any information about the strange "broken" Olympic bands at each end of the lettering would be most helpful.
Thank you.

To the best of my knowledge, the era of the headtube decal you show does not match the down tube decal era. Why are you looking for this information?

Please explain what your knowledge is. It is of no consequence why I'm asking for the information.

Citoyen du Monde is one of the oldest members here and probably one of the most knowledgeable about Italian bikes from the '50s and 60s.


Perhaps is ask for information about your bike/project to keep you from making an expensive mistake like stripping the paint off of a possibly rare bike.

BG, my take is CdM does not spit out information without a reason to do so. The OP is being a bit oblique. The info is not easily found. There is no meeting of the minds.

That would be too bad. We all share info here - every day. Why would that change/be different just because we're talking about something really rare?

DD

[QUOTE=. It is of no consequence why I'm asking for the information.[/QUOTE]

I wouldn't give the original poster any information if this is his attitude.

Perhaps he has a line and doesn't want anyone else to wreck his chances? That would be understandable to all of us here, right?

Why can't someone with information simply help a guy out without having to know the ins/outs and what's/wherefores? Have we gotten so proprietary with information we'll only give it out if a particular set of parameters is met? That smacks of snobbery of the highest order.

OP: I hope your research yields results. I wish I could help, but this subject is outside my area of expertise. I was hoping to gain some knowledge along with you, but I'm not very confident at this point

DD

It would be to me.

If CdM is unwilling to cough up any info, and I was the OP, I'd just buy the dang thing.

Some people think that their sometimes hazy recollections are the final word. There are no gods here, and a good deal of the information given as fact is erroneous.

Legit question with illegitimate responses, is my take.

The one bike shown belongs to a friend of mine and I believe I also know the owner of the second bike shown. The first is definitely not for sale and if the second one is the bike that I think, it is also not for sale, so this means that the OP is looking for information about a bike that they either do not own or whose provenance is perhaps somewhat murky. I know of at least two people who have attempted to recreate/sell bikes as being 50's De Rosa bikes, so when somebody asks a question like the OP, I become very leery. I did provide the information that the decals on the two bikes shown do not coincide with one another. I can also state that some of the information included in the OP's post is simply incorrect. Ugo claims he left premises in Niguarda much earlier than 1957. I take it that the OP is basing his 1957 date on the replica paint job frames built by De Rosa. The decals for the 1957 replica paint job were based upon a frame that De Rosa had in their factory (it was still there the last time that I was there). The dates of the replica paint jobs were not based upon the dates in which the decal changes took place but rather showed the decals as they were at that particular date. For example, I have a bike that has the same head badge as the 57 replica paint job but a different down tube decal, but teh down tube decal is not the same as the one on the '65 replica paint job.

I am somewhat confused as to how being straighforward and clear about what your intentions are for the use of the information could jeopardize one's chances of purchasing a bike.

Rode my 1953 Marastoni (with original paint, decals and components) on a 40 mile club ride today, will likely ride my 1963 De Rosa (with original paint, decals and components) on another club ride on Tuesday...

I, for one, throw out information that I know is incorrect just to keep people on their toes.
Just kidding.

Agent saboteur.


And thanks CdM for describing what you did.
Definitely not many of these around, and probably even fewer with original paint.

Thank you all for your interest in this item. I asked simple questions and they have not been answered.
I am not about to buy such a frame but I would probably like to find one for myself. The suggestion / inference of murky provenance is not to my liking and is uncalled for.
The reason that I asked this question is that a friend of mine in Italy is gathering material to eventually publish a book on the Italian racing bicycle, a definitive work if you like.
He has a vast knowledge of the subject and a huge amount of information in various forms which he has gathered over many years. He also has personal contact with current and retired frame builders etc. I have limited similar contact but I do not live in Italy.
I do however assist my friend in identifying frames and help him in any way that I can, so that the content of his proposed book will be as accurate as possible.
My friend has a rough but straight 1956 De Rosa frame and fork and it is likely that he will restore it to it's former glory.
In this context, it is essential that the correct decals are used. I do the artwork for unobtainable decals as a hobby and another friend produces these professionally for me.
As far as I'm aware, decals for a 1956 De Rosa frame are not currently available to purchase.
In case you think that I'm "some jerk out to con folks and make a quick quid", you are sadly mistaken.
I have been restoring / rebuilding frames etc. for well over sixty years, including those from the UK, France, USA and Italy, so I do have some knowledge of this subject and in my opinion, I also have decent moral standards.
I know that there were several different De Rosa decals used during the 1950's. and I now know the answers to the questions posed.
I wish you all well; my friend and myself will help you in any we can with your Italian bicycle identification problem.

Oddest thread of the year.

I concur rootboy...feels like a TON of mistrust going on in this thread...interesting...

An inquiry with some of the info above would have been well received I think.
Too bad possibly on the '56 DeRosa though, if it had its original paint, it would be a better route to leave it.

I repeat; I asked simple questions and I haven't received answers. I have received several encouraging and sensitive replies and also, several replies not particularly to my liking, to put it mildly.
As a result of this situation, I have now decided to leave Bike Forums, so any further correspondence won't be read by myself.
I wish you all good luck with your project, quest or whatever.
Good-bye.

Agreed. Lots of mistrust going on...

Given post 18, I guess not...

Anyone care to analyze this one? Not me.

Only to say that is it kind of sad a new member with some questions about a very interesting bike/project, has bailed.

The "brain" drain out of this forum over the last five years has been spectacular. imho

The thread imploded here in post #3 . Yes, I can see plenty of reasons why someone may not want to explain every last detail of their search for information. But nobody was asking for that. Just a little added context (even less than the OP provided later) would have been sufficient to make anyone willing to share information. But this rude reply isn't going to make anyone want to help. It was so prickly that I thought maybe it was a non-native language issue, but later posts make me doubt that.

Yet....we are both still here. Not sure I like what that implies....

I am not a regular poster or all that informed on vintage lightweights. I have come here a couple of times for information. When I do so I realize no one is required to share their time and knowledge with me. I am grateful for any help I receive. I try to make replying easy by supplying pictures and whatever else I know about the bike. I do what I can to ad some content to the forum posting when I think I can ad something to the discussion. I do not say things like "I repeat; I asked simple questions and I haven't received answers."

Could you please let us know what decal service you provide? I want to make certain that I don't mistakenly use it.