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Hopper Cycles 'The Reliability Cycle' c1920s

This vintage salesperson's lapel badge promotes 'Hopper Cycles', a well known early 20th Century British bicycle manufacturer that began trading in the late 19th Century. As with many companies from this era, the logotype form often drew from cursive handwritten styles of the day. In contrast to the many bland and superficial trademarks of today, the Hopper signature conveys a strong sense of reliability, trustworthiness and sincerity. The repetition and stylistic rendition of the letter 'p' gives the signature added visual appeal and likeability.

 

The Hopper story began in 1880 through its founder Frank Hopper and his bicycle repair business based in Barton-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire, England. It wasn't long before F. Hopper & Co Ltd started to make bicycles with a workforce of 400 employees and by 1910, bicycle exports, particularly to the former British Empire, as well as the home market, were buoyant.

 

In 1913, Hopper Cycles acquired the bankrupt Elswick Cycle Company along with their patents and trademarks. This gave way to the formation of the Elswick Hopper Cycle & Motor Co (1914) with a key decision taken to manufacture and market Elswick and Hopper under separate brands, using different dealerships to maximise market breadth and penetration. This badge exemplifies this marketing strategy as it highlights the Hopper brand of cycles within the Elswick Hopper Company. Elswick & Hopper bicycles flourished during the 1920s and 1930s, building up a loyal customer base. The 'Hopper Cycle' was promoted as 'The Reliability Cycle' and early advertising focused on quality of materials and manufacture e.g. bearings were made from best quality Sheffield steel and characterised by high class plating and non-rusting enamel. Hopper Cycles also came with Dunlop tyres, large saddles, Bluemels reflectors and inflators.

 

In the 1970s, Elswick Hopper plc began a period of expansion by acquiring both Wearwell Cycles and Falcon Cycles. By the 1980s, the company reorganised under its new name Elswick plc and the bicycle division was renamed as Falcon Cycles after its best selling sports model.

 

During the 1980s/90s the few remaining, well known British bicycle brands suffered as a result of cheaper imports from the Far East. Elswick plc was no exception to this trend and was sold to Ferguson International in 2000.

 

Photography, layout and design: Argy58

 

(This image also exists as a high resolution jpeg and tiff - ideal for a

variety of print sizes e.g. A4, A3, A2 and A1. The current uploaded

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Uploaded on December 27, 2013
Taken on December 27, 2013