Gold plated Italian vintage bicycle, called Tomassini goes under the hammer at world leading auctioneer Dreweatts’ sale of luxury accessories in London. Tomassini was crafted in 1994 which makes it vintage enough to enable it to fetch up to $3,160! According to Otto Hauser, a cycling enthusiast who bought bicycle 20 years ago, Tomassini is one of just two that exist in the world. He claims that the other is owned by Tunisia’s president for cycling around his garden.
This gold plated gentleman’s bicycle comes with a 35cc auxiliary petrol motor by Bernadi Mozzi Motor S.p.A., tagged RO1 16 X 2 and gold plated frame and fuel tank. Other features include: leather logos mounted to the frame (twice) and the bell, leather covered handles and brake levers, a leather saddle and two leather rear mounted panniers, a Universal front brake, two 26in wheels with Michelin tyres.
Hauser purchased Tomassini from Le Cadeau Impossible, Montreaux, Switzerland in 1995 for 1,800 pounds with a hand written receipt on a compliments slip along with the motor’s certificate from Italy’s Ministry of Transport. [Dreweatts]