Penulis
VESPA DALI
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| VespaDali |
In the summer of 1962, the vehicle that has since become probably the world’s most valuable Vespa carried two Madrid University students, Santiago Guillen and Antonio Veciana, on a tour of Europe.
Probably the 1962 150S that was modified by surrealist artist Salvador Dali. The bike belonged to a student but Dali painted it up with the name of his muse and partner, Gala, Hence this scooter entered the annals of history, becoming a true myth for Vespa fans.
Found and restored (without however touching the parts decorated by Dalì), the Vespa quickly drew interest from several museums. After a first outing in the summer of 1999 to the annual Eurovespa rally, held that year in Girona, Spain. The scooter was on display at “The Art of Motorcycle” exhibition with which the Guggenheim Museum of New York inaugurated its Bilbao museum. The Vespa Dalì’s last international outing took place in 2000 at VespArt, a London exhibition. Subsequently, the exhibition’s eight Vespas decorated by eight British celebrities including Duran Duran lead singer Simon Le Bon were auctioned for charity at Sotheby’s.
It’s on display in the Vespa museum in Pontedera and is considered to be the most valuable Vespa in the world. Although Vespa were selling 60,000 scooters a year by 1950, they only really started being viewed as cool in 1953 when Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn zipped around on a Vespa in Roman Holiday. The movie led to 100,000 units being sold the following year and when James Dean, John Wayne, Marlon Brando and Charlton Heston were pictured on Vespas, there was no turning back.
In the summer of 1962, the Vespa Dali, which is now perhaps the most valuable Vespa in the world, was used by two schoolchildren: Santiago Guillen and Antonio Veciana. They then met the surrealist, Salvador Dali. Dali, at that time was writing a contemporary history, but he did not want to deny his reputation and oddly enough he decided to decorate the Vespa body and complete it with his signature and the name of his wife.
