Grips with jewels/ reflectors on the ends

[Grey Ghost]

I have seen some vintage 50’s Columbia bikes with either jewels or reflectors in the grip ends. Some are flat ends, which basically look like bar end plugs, and some look like torpedo ends, maybe an extension of the grip itself.

Colors vary from blue, to green on one side and red on the other.

Were these stock on bikes or were they aftermarket?
I don’t even know what these are called. I’ve searched the usual suspects using various terms and am coming up with nothing.

Anybody familiar with these?

Thanks in advance for any information.

 

[catfish]

There are a few different styles. I think most were sold as after market add ons.

 

[Grey Ghost]

Do you know what they were called?

 

[juvela]

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there were some drop bar Zeus brand cycles from Spain imported around 1970 where the handlebar end plugs exhibited reflectors

unfortunately the plugs have no markings; never learned who the maker was


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[Freqman1]

Coke bottle jewel grips. They’ve been reproduced over the years.

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

did they look like these?

 

[Grey Ghost]

No.
They were either coke bottle shaped or rocket shaped with a pointy reflector or jewel.

Not sure of the dates when these were primarily used. I’m wondering if they were earlier than the model date of the bike, 1952, that I was thinking of putting them on. If they predate that year by a lot I don’t want to put them on my bike.

 

[Grey Ghost]

Coke bottle jewel grips. They’ve been reproduced over the years.

Were these popular/available in 1952 or were they mostly used on earlier bikes?

 

[Freqman1]

Mostly prewar

 

[vincev]

Maybe pictures would help some.