Description
National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
Viewing: Tuesday 25th March from 1pm
Auction: Wednesday 26th March from 9am
Location: National Motorcycle Museum, Coventry Road, Bickenhill, Solihull B92 0EJ
1959 Piatti ‘Waterloo Scooter Caffe’
No reserve
Registration No: Unregistered
Frame No: unseen
MOT: Exempt
Famous as the London ‘Scooter Caffe’ Piatti
Very original and almost complete
Rarely to see a Piatti on on the market
The Piatti scooter was designed by London based Italian engineer Vincenzo Piatti and first appeared at the Brussells Salon in 1952. It was initially produced in small quantities by the Belgian firm Les Anciens Establissements D'leteren who had a long history of building elegant coachwork on chassis from manufacturers such as Duesenburg, Hispano Suiza and Rolls Royce. In the UK, Cyclemaster, already famous for its engines to attach to bicycles took up the design and began production in 1956, contemporary adverts claiming the scooter to have 'the heart of a young lion and light as a feather' as well as being 'the scooter for tomorrow'. The design had a few unique features such as the adjustable seat and handlebar height as well as its distinctive cigar shape with a toolbox cleverly concealed in the seat base.
This example is famous among tourists visiting London and London scooter enthusiasts. It was the window display of the cool and hip ‘Scooter Caffe’ in Lower Marsh Waterloo, London run by Craig now for over 20 years who also had a scooter repair business throughout the 1990’s. The cafe is still open now and continues to display vintage and quirky objects to discerning coffee enthusiasts. I once met Craig and he flatly refused to sell it stating that he’d been asked thousands of times the same question. Our vendor must have somehow changed his mind as it is now available. The registration number 631 ABB is still on the DVLA system and in our opinion could be regained with assistance. A landmark historic machine and what a Jetson design!
** Bidding will take place live at the venue, online via our H&H website, by telephone and commission - T&Cs apply**
Parking and entry into the auction is free for auction attendees with a catalogue, available at the door.
