geeteeiii

Hello

I got this fork from Ebay for my track bike. Was hoping to remove the paint and run it as fully chromed, but i guess the paint was there for a reason. Anyway, this poorly filled in pantograph is slightly still visible, anyone recognize it? I tried clearing the picture up in MS Paint and running a outline with a black line. It kinda looks like a butterfly. Overall the fork is pretty low quality. No markings on the steerer tube, dropouts are forged but dont have any markings visible, could have been filled/sanded also.
Any suggestions to make this look more presentable are also welcome, doesnt have to be perfect. Personally had a idea to figure out the logo and maybe paint it on?

Pictures:

randyjawa 

Mariposa?

Velo Mule

I'm not seeing the butterfly. Try sanding the paint with wooden or other stiff block behind the sandpaper. This should reveal the pantograph as you get down to metal.

unworthy1

I doubt anything by Mariposa would be "low quality", and frankly cannot make out any butterfly there, if this was a detail filled in then filled with what material? And should be an identical image on the opposite side, I don't think any major brands/builders ever did a forkcrown panto or casting on one side only.

geeteeiii

Its on both sides, its just more visible on one side. Ill remove the paint with paint stripper in the weekend, dont want to scratch it.
I also made some corrections to the outline, i got the lower part wrong in the first picture.

thook

jesus on morning toast?

canyoneagle 

Doubtful it’s a Mariposa, assuming the pic below is indicative

geeteeiii

I scraped some more paint off with a old plastic bank card. Its no bread jesus sadly. My phone camera simply wont photograph this propely, but it sure is a butterfly and it has NF letter in the middle.
Did not find anything on the web, guessing its nothing special and modern.

3speedslow

What’s up with the original fork? Curious from your first postings.

geeteeiii

Current non-original fork has some headset bearing race location issues, its just machined crooked. So it either the headset has play in it or it binds. Plus its raw steel that has been polished, always wanted a chrome fork on it since finding the original is basically impossible. This one is more closer in style to the original anyway altough original was externally lugged.

tyler_fred

Where’s Hermann Rorschach when you need a fork ID’d?

shelbyfv

From the rider position I think it resembles Casper the Friendly Ghost.

thook

ha!!! nice one! had to look him up, but now i recall

seypat

Are there letters/numbers stamped into the edge of the fork where the paint has been removed?

kraftwerk 

Obviously it is a rare Wu Tang Fork. Welcome to the Syndicate.

unworthy1

there was a thread maybe 4-5months back with a "mystery" pantograph that I called a "moth" but there was a load of speculation by many C&Vers and of course Mariposa was mentioned (but was rejected as the brand). I cannot recall how that ever did get resolved but I do think there was either a match or at least a lot of guesses you could compare with. Of course I don't recall any details that would help you find that thread. Maybe just plug in "butterfly" and "Mariposa" in the search field.

MauriceMoss

I've seen this panto before but, unfortunately, it was in an ID thread where the mystery was never solved. The best I can do is post a clearer pic and hope it jogs someone's memory.

This one was attached to a Benotto and was posted on a German forum:

geeteeiii

Yep, thats the same logo. It also had 54 stamped on the steerer and 27mm lower bearing.

Anyway, quite happy with it. Overall questionable looking brazing fits the theme and geometry wise its pretty much spot on what the original was.