Brooks 1950 Leaflet — The Finest Saddle in the World, with Proofide and the Lightweight Champions

A folded range leaflet issued by J. B. Brooks and Co., Ltd. from Great Charles Street, Birmingham, and dated by its own printer code: J.B.B./S/1/6/50, the last figures giving June 1950. It carries a dealer’s rubber stamp in purple ink on the front panel, an agent at West End, Witney.

Three things make it worth holding. It is the collection’s clearest statement of the Lightweight Champion range, the B. 27, B. 37, B. 47 and B. 57, and it describes their construction in the words later accounts quote: stainless steel wires for strength and controlled resilience, with other parts in heat treated light alloy. Note that the leaflet says wires rather than rails, and that the models are sold as two-wire patterns.

It is also the collection’s only source on Proofide. The panel gives the dressing’s purpose, its use beyond saddles and its price of one shilling per tin, which is the sort of detail no secondary account carries.

And it prints the whole 1950 range on one panel with weights, sizes and both enamel and chrome prices, including the B. 66 Tourist as an established two-coil model rather than a novelty.

The leaflet reached the Ebykr collection through the National Cycle Archive in partnership with the Veteran-Cycle Club, whose courtesy card is the first page of the source file. That card is not reproduced here.

— Page 1 —

[The outer spread, Proofide panel at left and front cover at right.]

PROOFIDE Leather Dressing

Produced from a special formula, an occasional application of this dressing will keep the leather saddle tops supple and well preserved. Also useful for all leather straps, shoes and items of leather equipment. Priced at 1/- per tin.

[On the tin:] MADE BY THE MAKERS OF THE FAMOUS BROOKS SADDLES · BROOKS LEATHER DRESSING · PROOFIDE · for CONDITIONING, PRESERVING and WATERPROOFING Saddles and Sporting Shoes, Footwear and all Leatherwear exposed to the weather.

J. B. BROOKS & CO., LTD., GREAT CHARLES STREET, BIRMINGHAM, 3.
Telephone: CENtral 3671. Telegrams & Cables: BROOKS, BIRMINGHAM. BENTLY’S CODE.
Printed in England. J.B.B./S/1/6/50

BROOKS — The Finest Saddle in the World

J. B. BROOKS & CO. LTD., BIRMINGHAM, 3

[The front panel carries a line drawing of a group of club cyclists riding past a half-timbered inn, a photograph of a sprung saddle beneath, and a dealer’s purple rubber stamp reading Agent, West End, Witney.]

— Page 2 —

BROOKS — The Finest Saddle in the World

Lightweight CHAMPIONS

A Range of Saddles for the sportsman, possessing lightweight non-corrosive properties of outstanding merit. Made only from selected best Butt Leather with solid copper rivets.

The FRAME — Stainless Steel wires for strength and controlled resilience, with other parts in heat treated light alloy.

B. 27 Lightweight Champion — Standard Sports Two-wire — Weight: 1 lb. 4 ozs. — Size: 11″ x 6½” x 3½” — Price: 40/-

B. 37 Lightweight Champion — Narrow Sports Two-wire — Weight: 1 lb. 3 ozs. — Size: 11″ x 6″ x 3½” — Price: 40/-

B. 47 Lightweight Champion — Two-wire Sprinter — Weight: 1 lb. 2 ozs. — Size: 11″ x 4½” x 2½” — Price: 40/-

B. 57 Lightweight Champion — Two-wire Super Sports — Weight: 1 lb. 3 ozs. — Size: 11″ x 6″ x 3½” — Price: 56/6

[A cutaway drawing of the light alloy frame sits at the left of the panel, with each of the four models photographed beside its specification.]

— Page 3 —

BROOKS — The Finest Saddle in the World

In choosing a BROOKS “Butt Leather” Saddle you may be sure that no saddle exists which will give equivalent comfort and reliability.

Despite the difficult years through which we have been passing the supreme quality of BROOKS products has remained unchallenged. This is the result of relentless attention to design, careful selection of materials, and, what is all-important, the constant refusal to accept a lower quality standard as a means of meeting the unsatisfied demand.

The BROOKS reputation for making “The Finest Saddle in the World” was gained and will be retained by adhering to these principles.

A BROOKS Saddle may cost you a little more but it is an extravagance which is, in effect, an economy.

B. 17 Champion Standard — Sports Two-wire — Weight: 1 lb. 12 ozs. — Price: 33/6 Enamel, 36/- Chrome

B. 17N Champion Narrow — Sports Two-wire — Weight: 1 lb. 10 ozs. — Size: 11″ x 6″ x 3½” — Price: 33/6 Enamel, 36/- Chrome

B. 17S Champion Sprinter — Sports Two-wire — Weight: 1 lb. 7 ozs. — Size: 11″ x 4½” x 2½” — Price: 33/6 Enamel

B. 15 Sports — Two-wire — Weight: 1 lb. 11 ozs. — Size: 11″ x 6½” x 3½” — Price: 24/6 Enamel, 27/- Chrome

B. 10/2 Tourist — Four-wire — Weight: 2 lbs. — Size: 11½” x 9½” x 2½” — Price: 25/6 Enamel

B. 72 Tourist — Four-wire — Weight: 1 lb. 11 ozs. — Size: 10½” x 8½” x 2½” — Price: 25/6 Enamel, 28/6 Chrome — Ladies Model B. 72L

B. 66 Tourist — Two-coil — Weight: 2 lbs. 5 ozs. — Price: 25/6 Enamel, 28/6 Chrome — Ladies Model B. 66L

B. 73 Tourist — Three-coil — Weight: 2 lbs. 6 ozs. — Size: 10½” x 8½” x 3½” — Price: 25/6 Enamel, 28/6 Chrome — Ladies Model B. 73L

B. 90/2 Heavy Duty — Loop-front — Weight: 3 lbs. 12 ozs. — Size: 11½” x 9½” x 4½” — Price: 44/- Enamel

B. 90/3 Heavy Duty — Loop-front — Weight: 4 lbs. 8 ozs. — Size: 12″ x 9½” x 4½” — Price: 48/- Enamel

J. 3 Juvenile — Three-coil, with clip — Weight: 1 lb. 10 ozs. — Size: 9″ x 6½” x 3½” — Price: 10/6 Enamel

J. 5 Juvenile — Four-wire — Weight: 1 lb. 7 ozs. — Size: 10½” x 6½” x 2″ — Price: 14/3 Enamel

[Twelve models are photographed in a two-column grid, each beside its weight, size and price. Some figures sit at the floor of legibility on this scan; the few that are not recoverable with confidence are omitted above rather than guessed.]