Brooks 1905 Catalog — Cycle and Motor Saddles, Seats and Accoutrements

Brooks Cycle and Motor Saddles, Seats and Accoutrements for 1905, from J. B. Brooks & Co. Ld. of Birmingham. Seventy-seven printed pages in green Art Nouveau printed card covers, the year on the cover and again on the title page. Printed by Cond Bros., Birmingham.

This book matters chiefly for what it does not say, and it is best read beside the 1907 catalog.

The B 28 is here, on printed page 25, headed “Patent Road Saddle B 28” and made in two sizes. Its description credits the framing and then adds: “our patented arrangement at back obtains a freedom from sagging not otherwise obtained in this kind of saddle.” That is all. There is no rubber, no buffer and no shock absorber. Two years later the same model, on printed page 17 of the 1907 catalog, is headed “New Patent Road Saddle”, is said to have been “greatly improved for 1907”, and carries the sentence “At the rear, our patent system of rubber buffers is fitted.” So 1905 and 1907 bracket the point at which Brooks began naming the rubber buffer, and the 1905 wording suggests what the buffer replaced: an unnamed rear arrangement whose stated purpose was resisting sag rather than absorbing shock.

The second thing this book supplies is the ancestry of Brooks anti-vibration engineering, and it runs the opposite way from the rubber buffer. Printed page 27 introduces the B 120 Patent Road Saddle “With our Patent Compound Anti-Vibratory Springs” and explains where it came from: “The great success with which our compound spring motor saddle B 100 has met has decided us to produce a similar saddle on lighter lines for ordinary cycling.” That is a suspension idea proved on a motor saddle and then brought across to the bicycle, printed in Brooks’ own words in 1905. The B 100 itself is on printed page 45 of the 1907 catalog. Post 1111 claims that pattern for the rubber buffer and the B 185 motor saddle; the catalogs show the pattern is real but attach it to the compound spring, twenty years earlier, and show the rubber buffer running the other way.

Third, the military range on printed page 56 is headed “Patent Military Saddle” and subtitled “AS ADOPTED BY HIS MAJESTY’S WAR OFFICE.” There are two models and only two, the No. 1 at 14 shillings and the No. 2 at 11 shillings. There is no No. 3, exactly as in 1907. The nameplate on the No. 2 illustration reads B 10, which supports the account that the service models were built on civilian patterns. The facing page carries the Registered Rifle Clips in two service patterns, the No. 1 “Adopted by the War Office, and supplied to many Volunteer Corps.”

Fourth, the index on printed page 3 is a full concordance of subjects and model numbers with their pages, the same kind of page the 1906 and 1907 books carry and nothing later in the run repeats.

Two smaller points. The title page gives the telephone as a single number, 1213, where the 1907 title page gives “Nos. 1213 & 5174. Use either number”, so the second line was added between those years. And printed page 25 records a renumbering: the Patent Light Road Saddle B 90 Size 1 is annotated “(Formerly B 92)”.

This record reproduces six leaves: the cover, the title page, the index, the B 28, the B 120 and the military saddles. The remaining pages, covering the path and racing saddles, the roadster spring saddles, the hygienic saddles, the saddle leather and saddle clip essays, the motor seats and tri-car seats, the non-skid bands and gaiters, the tool and luggage bags, the gear cases and the dress guards, are held in the Ebykr collection but are not reproduced here.

The scan runs about 915 pixels across per two-page spread, roughly 455 pixels per printed page, and the images are presented at twice that, the house ratio for this run. Headings, model numbers, prices and body text read cleanly; the smallest specification type sits near the floor of legibility. The sheet sequence is continuous from the cover to printed page 77, with no missing leaves. Shipped as scanned, with no white point normalization.

— Front cover —

[Front cover. Green printed card in an Art Nouveau design, lettered dark green on pale green.]

BROOKS

REGISTERED TRADE MARK.

Cycle AND Motor

SADDLES & SEATS

& Accoutrements For

1905

BROOKS

REGISTERED TRADE MARK.

COPYRIGHT ENT. STA. HALL

— Title page —

[Inside front cover, blank green card, facing the title page.]

For over 20 years the Recognised Standard of Perfection.

BROOKS

(REGISTERED TRADE MARK)

CYCLE SADDLES

and Accoutrements

for 1905

WARNING!!

WE have received complaints that Saddles of various other makes, not bearing the name “Brooks,” have been passed off upon unsuspecting buyers as “Made by Brooks.”

WE wish to impress upon all Cyclists that

Every Saddle made by us

Bears our Name

on both Flaps, and has at the back the name-plate, “BROOKS,” so well known to all riders.

NO OTHER SADDLE IS MADE BY US.

ESTABLISHED 1866

J. B. Brooks & Co. Ld.

Birmingham

Telephone No. 1213

Telegrams: “Brooks, Birmingham”

COND BROS. BIRMINGHAM

— Pages 2 and 3 —

[Printed page 2]

BROOKS SADDLES

ARE THE RECOGNISED STANDARD OF PERFECTION

AND IN EVERY COUNTRY ARE ACKNOWLEDGED TO STAND

PRE-EMINENT

[Printed page 3]

Index

Pages
Army Tool Bags 58
” Cycle Saddles 56
Bags: Kit, Gladstone, Brief, &c. 65
” Luggage, for Cycles 71 to 73
Clip of Saddle 32 to 38
Cycle Saddles (see Saddles)
” Non-Skid Leather Bands 55
” Tool Bags 66 to 70
Dress Guards, etc. 74 to 76
Facts of Importance 4
Gear Cases 74 and 75
Hygienic Saddles 20, 31, 33, 45
Height of Saddles 6
Kit Bags, etc. 65
Leather of Saddles 38 to 44
Ladies’ Cycle Saddles (see Saddles)
Luggage Bags 71 to 73
Leggings, Motor 65
Motor Seats 52, 53, 54
” Saddles 47 to 51
” Tool Bags 59 to 64
” Leggings 65
Military Saddles 56
Non-Skid Leather Bands and Gaiters 55
Parcel Straps 76
Pump Clips 76
Repairs 7
Rifle Clips 57
Size of Saddles 6
Seats for Motors 52, 53, 54
Saddle Leather 38 to 44
” Clips 32 to 38

SADDLES FOR GENTLEMEN.

Page Page Page
B 10 9 B 20 15 B 85 23
B 11 13 B 24 19 B 90/1 25
B 11 Champion 13 B 25 (Boys’) 17 B 90/2 29
B 13 11 B 28 25 B 90/3 29
B 15 11 B 33 31 B 90/4 47
B 17 17 B 35 31 B 95 21
B 17 Champion 17 B 40 33 B 100 49, 50
B 18 15 B 60 23 B 102 51
B 75 21 B 120/1 27
B 80 51 B 120/2 27
B 302 19

SADDLES FOR LADIES.

Page Page Page
B 10 L 35 B 24 L 37 B 60 L 43
B 13 L 37 B 25 (Girls’) 17 B 75 L 43
B 15 L 35 B 33 L 45 B 85 L 41
B 18 L 39 B 35 L 31 B 302 L 41
B 20 L 39 B 40 L 45

Pages
Tool Bags, Army 58
” Motor 59 to 64
” Cycle 66 to 70
Weight of Saddles 6
Warning 48

— Pages 24 and 25 —

[Printed page 24. The left-hand pages of this section carry a running essay with side-headings in the margin.]

[Side-heading: Adjustment of the Saddle (continued)] on the machine; and it is a surprise to many to find what a wonderful difference a slight alteration in any direction will make. To obtain comfort and immunity from injurious pressure, the weight must be carried by the broad part of the saddle. The peak should not carry weight; it is only intended to ensure a steady and secure seat, which a peakless saddle will not do. The following hints will help the general rider to obtain the correct position:—

[Side-heading: Position for Cycles] The saddle should be placed—

(1) Just sufficiently behind the crank axle to allow the rider to sit upon the broad part of the saddle, whilst riding, without being pulled forward on to the peak by the downward thrust of the leg.

(2) Just low enough to enable the rider to reach the pedals comfortably all round, without even a suspicion of stretching after them.

(3) With the peak raised just enough to prevent the rider from slipping forward.

There is a point at which a Brooks Saddle will fulfil all these conditions; but as it varies with each individual rider, each must find it for himself. Any necessary experimenting will be well

[Printed page 25]

BROOKS

(REGISTERED TRADE MARK)

BIRMINGHAM

Patent Light Road Saddle B 90 Size 1

(Formerly B 92)

ENAMEL, 11/6
NICKEL, 14/-

Size: 10 1/2 in. x 8 1/2 in. Weight: 2 lb. 9 oz.
Height: 3 1/2 in.

Unexcelled for perfect ease and comfort.

Superfine leather top, perfectly shaped; patent stranded-wire spiral springs, patent laminar front spring, new registered steel girder bracket and patent clip, providing fine adjustment and absolute security. Best workmanship and fine finish.

Patent Road Saddle B 28

Made in Two Sizes.

Size 2—ENAMEL, 10/6
NICKEL, 12/-
Size: 10 1/2 in. x 8 1/2 in.
Weight: 2 lb. 4 oz.
Height: 2 3/8 in.

Size 3—ENAMEL, 12/-
NICKEL, 13/6
Size 12 in. x 9 1/2 in.
Weight 2 lb. 8 oz.
Height: 2 3/8 in.

Superfine leather top, perfectly blocked to shape, patent clip providing fine adjustment and absolute rigidity, best workmanship and finish throughout. Our patent stranded framing gives additional elasticity, whilst our patented arrangement at back obtains a freedom from sagging not otherwise obtained in this kind of saddle.

— Pages 26 and 27 —

[Printed page 26]

[Side-heading: Position for Cycles (continued)] worth its trouble, as comfort in this respect means also extra power, and endurance, too—to say nothing of freedom from injury.

With motor cycles, tricars, etc., the conditions become very varied, and no particular position has yet been defined as the correct one.

[Side-heading: Motor Cycle Position] It is nevertheless pretty generally accepted that the saddle should be fixed low enough to allow the ground to be readily reached by both feet, and forward enough for the handles to be held without quite straightening out the arms, whilst it is perhaps desirable to tilt back the saddle rather more than would be done on an ordinary cycle. However, [Side-heading: Seats for Motor Cycles] in many cases a seat of some sort is more suitable, and we are this season introducing a patented spring-supported seat of novel design and construction. We feel confident that its ease and comfort, general design and construction, together with its sterling quality, will win for it universal favour. There is no doubt that the larger area to sit upon

[Printed page 27]

BROOKS

(REGISTERED TRADE MARK)

BIRMINGHAM

Patent Road Saddle B 120

With our Patent Compound Anti-Vibratory Springs.

Size 1

ENAMEL, 14/6
NICKEL, 17/6

Height: 3 1/2 in. Weight: 3 1/2 lb. Size: 10 1/2 in. x 8 1/2 in.

The great success with which our compound spring motor saddle B 100 has met has decided us to produce a similar saddle on lighter lines for ordinary cycling; and the two sizes of B 120 here shown will be found to possess a wonderful resiliency and smoothness of suspension. The leather is of finest quality, stout and supple, whilst the workmanship and materials are the best obtainable.

Size 2

ENAMEL, 15/6
NICKEL, 18/6

Size: 11 in. x 9 in. Height: 3 1/2 in. Weight: 3 lb. 13 oz.

— Pages 56 and 57 —

[Printed page 56]

BROOKS

(REGISTERED TRADE MARK)

BIRMINGHAM

Patent Military Saddle.

AS ADOPTED BY HIS MAJESTY’S WAR OFFICE.

No. 1—Military.

14/-

Size: 11 1/2 in. x 8 3/4 in. Weight: 2 lb. 9 oz.

A large firm seat, with comfortable springs, and having the low build of a racing saddle. Finest quality and finish throughout.

Both these saddles are thoroughly well and strongly made, to stand military work.

No. 2—Military.

11/-

Size: 11 1/2 in. x 8 3/4 in. Weight: 1 lb. 12 oz.

A large firm seat, somewhat lighter in construction, and fitted with our well-known patent four-wire framing. Finest quality and finish throughout.

[The nameplate on the No. 2 illustration reads B 10.]

[Printed page 57]

BROOKS

(REGISTERED TRADE MARK)

BIRMINGHAM

Registered Rifle Clips.

No. 1—SERVICE PATTERN.

ADOPTED BY THE WAR OFFICE, AND SUPPLIED TO MANY VOLUNTEER CORPS.

10/6 per set.

BUTT SOCKET. HEAD CLIP.

A thoroughly well made article, and absolutely reliable.

No. 2—SERVICE PATTERN.

ADOPTED BY THE WAR OFFICE.

Well made and finished, 13/6 per set.

BUTT SOCKET. HEAD CLIP.

Our patent butt socket firmly grips the heel of the rifle.