This ordinary is part of the collection of the Velorama museum. I would like to know more about it. The signboard tells us it is a Hirondelle St. Etienne 1885. This could be possible, since the company Manufacture d' Armes et Cycles (Manufrance) was established in november 1885. The 'Encyclopaedia of Cycle Manufacturers' (VCC, Ray Miller) tells us that Hirondelle was one of the two brands of Manufrance, but own production of bicycles didn't begin until march 1888. In the period 1886-1887 it seems that Manufrance bought British bikes and sold them under the names Hirondelle or Swallow (which actually means the same in French and English!).
As Ray Miller in his Encyclopaedia doesn't speak about Hirondelle ordinaries, it seems logical that this bike is a British product, sold under the Hirondelle name. So the question is: who produced this bike? Please send me an e-mail if you have any ideas aboiut this case.
More about Manufrance on the 'Hirondelle Superbe' page.
As Ray Miller in his Encyclopaedia doesn't speak about Hirondelle ordinaries, it seems logical that this bike is a British product, sold under the Hirondelle name. So the question is: who produced this bike? Please send me an e-mail if you have any ideas aboiut this case.
More about Manufrance on the 'Hirondelle Superbe' page.
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