Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 29, 2010 - 12:25am PT
|
God, how do I put this all together?
First, the Dolt Company “Non-Piton” ad was written by me for the Dolt Company. The Dolt Company was formed after Bill’s death by one of my partners at West Ridge, Tom Limp. I sold him the corporate name.
The Non-Piton was nothing more than a bunch of Dolt piton blanks (hundreds of which came with the estate) that I had Dennis Hennek forge out (on Chouinard’s forge) into the extreme length. Quite a few were forged from titanium blanks. Just recently Hennek presented me with two he had been saving all this time.
Not only did I end up with ALL Dolt’s hardware inventory and raw stock, but I had most of his photos – B&W as well as slides. The Powell poster shot – which is the first ascent lead off of Texas Flake – is one of the classic B&W negs that I ended up with. Alas, after loaning these negs out so many times to various authers for various books, they have somehow been lost.
As for his outrageously beautiful, highly polished Dolt Pegs, that is another story. This story is not meant to denigrate anyone, but just to get the story out. I almost don’t want to bury it here. Maybe I’ll post it separately later.
The Story
Bill Feuerer died intestate – no will. The estate went into probate and as I understand it, since Dolt had no known living relatives, the State of Califiornia was in charge of the distribution of his assets. Again, as I understand it, the State Public Administrator is the office that handles that duty.
As I mentioned in the sixth entry to this thread, “One day he [Dolt] came in with a box under his arm. The box was nicely finished wood. Inside, nestled in red velvet, was his "complete" selection of highly finished Lost Arrow style pins all neatly seated in the velvet. I don't remember the exact number, but there were more than ten. He was offering me this collection in appreciation of West Ridge's help through the years. I paid him around $120 for the box and its contents and put the box on a shelf in my office.”
Again, as mentioned in the sixth entry, “Bill had been having difficulties all through the year 1970 in deciding whether to remain an employee of McDonnell Douglas or to quit and give The Dolt Company his complete attention. Later that year, he told me he wanted to buy back his pin collection to use for advertising photos. I told him that he could use them as long as he wished for that purpose, but that a deal is a deal, I would not sell them. He was comfortable with that and took them.”
After his death, I just happened to notice the ad in the local Santa Monica newspaper offering Dolt’s business estate on auction. As mentioned above, my corporation, West Ridge, had the high bid.
I was curious as to what became of his personal assets – his VW, and in particular, my set of Dolt pins. These were the things found at his house rather than his “factory”. I expected to see them raffled off at some future date.
Weeks later, someone came into my retail store, West Ridge, and announced he had just been out to Stoney Point and that R.J Secor (yes, the well known California mountaineer and guidebook author) was out there showing off a wonderful collection of beautifully polished Dolt Pegs. I, of course, knew that those were really mine since Dolt said they were the only complete set he ever created.
When I found out the next day that the California State Public Administrator was R.J. Secor’s father, I realized that R.J. had had some inside access to the personal estate. I wrote him and questioned him on that account. He never replied and to this day I believe the public never had a chance to bid fairly on his personal estate. Regardless, the pins were not Dolt’s! They were mine- on loan.
C’est la vie!
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Aug 29, 2010 - 11:29am PT
|
That set of Doltpins has to be in the world still. Did you ever contact Secor?
|
|
karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
|
|
|
Aug 29, 2010 - 01:47pm PT
|
Full set of highly polished Dolt pitons wrapped in red velvet,
..........It's like the best Christmas gift ever!
I hope someday it will surface but so far it's been missing since 1971.
|
|
rockjockrob
Boulder climber
Tempe, Arizona
|
|
|
Aug 30, 2010 - 11:03am PT
|
Since reading this thread essentially cover to cover, the whereabouts of the Dolt "Box o Chocolates" has always been a mystery. I would love to just see them.
The 39 year old pin hunt continues on
|
|
BooDawg
Social climber
On the Road, Pacific Slope
|
|
|
Aug 31, 2010 - 11:19am PT
|
Thanks, Don for finally posting this story. See you in Tuolumne this week? I'm on my way to get a campsite now. I'll call you.
|
|
guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
|
|
|
Aug 31, 2010 - 11:28am PT
|
Ditto Don-hey, I like that name.
About time this surfaced. Now for the treasure hunt and where it will lead? Thems that find it, will be the lucky ones.
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Aug 31, 2010 - 12:09pm PT
|
The Feuerer's Lost Treasure...a chest of golden nails! Harrrrr!
Have a great time me buckos! I'll be thinking about ya while I sand the decks o' fir! Shiver me belts and sheets...
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
A Dolt model W holster. Pretty amazing that Bill went to the trouble to patent his holster series!
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
Some Spidernuts that recently came my way along with the Doltster.
These look like they were made this morning!
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Sep 11, 2010 - 01:00pm PT
|
Spider Bump!
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Sep 11, 2010 - 09:13pm PT
|
Original Keyhole Bump!
|
|
BooDawg
Social climber
Polynesian Paralysis
|
|
|
Sep 11, 2010 - 11:35pm PT
|
Party Bump!
Hennek's peg! What have we here??? Anyone care to guess?
More to come!
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Sep 12, 2010 - 12:06pm PT
|
I'm drawing a blank... LOL
|
|
Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
|
|
|
Sep 12, 2010 - 01:46pm PT
|
The man was ahead of his time . . . so many contributions to the concepts that have shaped climbing gear evolution. Combine this with his impeccable craftsmanship and you have a true visionary.
|
|
BooDawg
Social climber
Polynesian Paralysis
|
|
|
Sep 12, 2010 - 03:27pm PT
|
Good one, Steve...
Except that it was Hennek who drew the blanks, well heated, out into these:
This one's for you, Marty; grid-size is 1/4".
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
|
Sep 12, 2010 - 03:57pm PT
|
Nice, Ken - thanks for sharing!
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Sep 12, 2010 - 05:53pm PT
|
Ken- Did Dennis mention whether Dolt or Chouinard used more than one die for short and long horizontals?
|
|
BooDawg
Social climber
Polynesian Paralysis
|
|
|
Sep 12, 2010 - 06:30pm PT
|
Dennis never mentioned 2 blank sizes; if there had been 2 sizes of the Dolt blanks, I'm sure he'd have had one of each with him last weekend. I doubt Chouinard did either, tho I'm unsure how the excess volume of material on the smaller sizes was dealt with. I'll ask Dennis to post the answer here...
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Sep 12, 2010 - 07:28pm PT
|
The only Chouinard blank I ever saw was a lead test one that Tom Frost had and it was only one size. It is in the YCA collection now.
Pretty easy to hot nip the end off while forging but a lot of waste for a short thin Arrow.
|
|
karabin museum
Trad climber
phoenix, az
|
|
|
Sep 12, 2010 - 08:03pm PT
|
Thanks BooDawg for sharing the Dolt Nut Tool Holder.
Marty
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!