AJAX, not the cleaning powder.

[Balloontyre]

Hi all, I'm researching this bike.
Looks European maybe. Waterslide decal for badge, decal on seat tube and back fender, all 3 look similar with same profile of militant dude.
28" wheel, has a New Departure mod D rear (not sure if OG). Most things i find are 1890s USA but not matching this bike, found some 1910-13 French ads that are close, and a 1920 French ad close too.
Any help would be great, thanks.

 

[Wing Your Heel]

Are the nuts metric or whitworth? Do british pedals fit?

Chainwheel looks french style but could also be british. The transfers (decals in your lingo) look british. The mudguards and box lining (pin striping) look british. I'd plump for british. You didn't say if the brightwork is nickel or chrome, i.e. pre or post 1930. Front fork looks like it once had a brake (scuffing and break in the box lining where the brake fitting would go), which was a british thing.

1920s if nickel not chrome. No earlier, as earlier were generally better quality bikes; in the 1920s there were thousands of models, as the prices had gone down from before WW1. The majority are now unknown, and there was also a big export business.

Wide mudguard suggests 30s.

But could also be a post-ww2 malaysian bike. They were prolific, making bikes that looked british and had british looking names and transfers.

 

[Balloontyre]

Nickle bright work, and both hubs are nickle, front hub is also marked AJAX and has external oil port with cover.
9/16 inch pedal, agreed scuffing on fork clue.
I found this ad, 1920 was captioned.

 

[dnc1]

There are some adverts for more children's bicycles from " Ajax" online, from a 'TinTin' comic. There were 3 addresses given, all in Belgium.
Search for" le velo Ajax histoire " if you haven't seen them.

 

[shoe3]

I would like have tires on it and take it a 30 mile ride

 

[dnc1]

On those 1910/13 catalogues on the tontonvelo website it states that their factory (usines) and offices (bureaux) are in the town of Albert, in the Somme region of France. Part of Picardie.
This places them right in the heart of one of the bloodiest battles of WW1.

 

[dnc1]

The 1913 catalogue lists various rear hub options, including a New Departure model for an extra 31 francs.
It also lists decoration on the frame and forks for a further 5 francs, hope this helps.

 

[dnc1]

Although your bicycle is probably a little later, as all of the 1913 models listed have 'dents sautees' (ie. skiptooth) chainwheels.
Nice looking bicycle!

 

[Balloontyre]

Thank you DNC1, great discovery on New Departure hub option, it certainly leaves the possibility open the ND hub on my bike could be orig.
I found a 1910 catalog of Ajax offering the sturmey 3 speed as an option. A discovery new to me, I thought the 3 speed sturmey was introduced in 1914, maybe for U.S. market?

Love the reasearching!

 

[dnc1]

You're welcome@Balloontyre. The ND hubs exported to France usually have some French wording on them, sometimes ' brevete S.G.D.G', which is part of their old patent system.
Do you have any clear photos of the brake arm?