A superb
and rare photo of a BSA 500cc
motorcycle and the legendary John Cooper. Also seen racing is Kel Carruthers
and Joy Dunphy.
The Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) was a British manufacturer of vehicles, firearms, and
military equipment, and still exists as an airgun sport manufacturer and
distributor. At its peak, BSA was the largest motorcycle producer in the world.
Loss of sales and poor investments in new products in the motorcycle division,
which included Triumph Motorcycles, led to problems for the whole group.
BSA was
founded in 1861 in the Gun Quarter, Birmingham,
England by fourteen gunsmiths of the Birmingham Small Arms Trade
Association, who had together supplied arms to the British government during
the Crimean War. The company branched out as the gun trade declined; in the
1870s they manufactured the Otto Dicycle, in the 1880s the company began to
manufacture bicycles and in 1903 the company's first experimental motorcycle
was constructed. Their first prototype automobile was produced in 1907 and the
next year the company sold 150 automobiles. By 1909 they were offering a number
of motorcycles for sale and in 1910 BSA purchased the British Daimler Company
for its automobile engines. During World War I, the company returned to arms
manufacture and greatly expanded its operations. BSA produced rifles, Lewis
guns, shells, motorcycles and other vehicles for the war effort. In 1920, it
bought some of the assets of the Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Airco), which
had built many important aircraft during the war but had become bankrupt due to
the falloff in orders once hostilities ceased. BSA did not go into aviation;
the chief designer Geoffrey de Havilland of Airco founded the de Havilland company.
As well as the Daimler car range, BSA re-entered the car market under their own
name in 1921 with a V-twin engined light car followed by four-cylinder models
up to 1926 when the name was temporarily dropped. In 1929 a new range of 3 and
4 wheel cars appeared and production of these continued until 1936. In the
1930s the board of directors authorised expenditure on bringing their
arms-making equipment back to use - it had been stored at company expense since
the end of the Great War in the belief that BSA might again be called upon to
perform its patriotic duty. In 1931 the Lanchester Motor Company was acquired
and production of their cars transferred to Daimler's Coventry works. By World War II, BSA had 67 factories and was well
positioned to meet the demand for guns and ammunition. BSA operations were also
dispersed to other companies under licence. During the war it produced over a
million Lee-Enfield rifles, Sten sub machine guns and half a million Browning
machine guns. Wartime demands included motorcycle production. 126,000 BSA M20
motorcycles were supplied to the armed forces, from 1937 (and later until 1950)
plus military bicycles including the folding paratrooper bicycle. At the same
time, the Daimler concern was producing armoured cars. Sir Bernard Docker was
chairman of BSA until 1951 with James Leek CBE
Managing Director from 1939, after which Jack Sangster became Managing
Director. Post-war, BSA continued to expand the range of metal goods it
produced. The BSA Group bought Triumph Motorcycles in 1951, making them the
largest producer of motorcycles in the world. The cycle and motor cycle
interests of Ariel, Sunbeam and New Hudson were also acquired. Most of these
had belonged to Sangster.
This is
your rare chance to own this non period photo that reflects the BSA
history. Therefore it is printed in a nice large format of ca. 8 x 10” (20
x 26 cm).
We have
more photos listed on Ebay of BSA and other motorcycle photos! Check them out
and use the shipping discount! You can always contact us for any requests.
Shipping costs will only be $ 7.00 regardless of how many photos you buy. For 5 or more photos, shipping is free!
(Note: A. Herl, Inc. does not appear on photo, for ebay purposes only)
No copyright expressed or implied. Sold as collectable item only. We are clearing out our archives that we have gathered from various sources.
All items always sent well protected in PVC clear files and board backed envelopes.
We have photographs that came from professional collections and/or were bought from the original photographer or press studio! They are all of professional and excellent quality.
After many decades of professionally collecting photographs and posters we are clearing out our archives. They make the perfect gift and are perfectly suited for framing. They will look gorgeous unframed and will be a true asset nicely framed with a border. They are a gorgeous and great asset in every home, workshop, workplace, restaurant, bar or club!
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