Record sleeves
(Above scan supplied by Daniel
Beller of Israel)
(Above scan supplied by Daniel
Beller of Israel)
(Above scan supplied by Daniel
Beller of Israel)
(Above sleeve courtesy of Alec
Flexer of Montreal)
(Above scan supplied by Daniel
Beller of Israel)
The above pair of images kindly
supplied by Mr. Len Ingram of Chippenham, Wiltshire, England.
The record dealer shown, Hyman ('Harry') Hetchin, was a Russian
Jew who emigrated to England around 1917, at the time of the Russian
Revolution. He set up his music shop around 1922, with bicycles
as a sideline. In 1934 he began to produce his own distinctive-looking
frame, featuring curly rear seat stays and highly decorative lugwork,
which attracted a cult-like following among cycling enthusiasts
(see www.hetchins.org).
The bicycle part of Hetchin's business soon became so successful
that by 1936 the music side was dropped. Often described as the
'Rolls Royce' of English bicycles, the firm of Hetchins Lightweights
continues today (see www.hetchins.com).
As a racing cyclist in the 1960s, I too acquired a Hetchins, which
is still in my possession.
Press advertisements
(Images courtesy of Daniel
Beller of Israel)
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