[CR]Re: Dating Brooks saddles

(Example: Racing)

Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2005 10:35:17 -0500
From: "Edward Albert" <ealbert@bellatlantic.net>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Re: Dating Brooks saddles

I was hoping to get some help from the list on pinning down the dates for several Brooks saddles. I have checked the archives and all the catalogs that Brooks has posted on their web site but am still a bit at a loss. The first question has to do with what is I think (especially given Chuck Schmidt's comments in the archives) is a pre W.W.II B17 narrow. It has all the hallmarks of a prewar B17 except it has saddle bag rings on the cantle plate and not cut into the leather surrounded by brass grommets. When I look at all the catalogs Brooks has posted it appears that this should have bag rings in the leather although I see in, I think the '35 catalog, at least one saddle that looks like it has rings on the plate itself. Could this be a B17 narrow pre war?
      The second question I have not seen discussed and the Brooks catalog pics only confuse me more. I have a clearly pre W.W.II saddle that I think is a B17 -- the side panels are so rubbed out that I cannot be sure. However, unlike any other Brooks I have, it has two rather irregular elongated openings (almost with diamonds cut in) where one usually would see the round three hole pattern. I was under the impression that this would date the saddle to the '30's but when I look at the Brooks catalogs they all seem to have a 3 hole pattern and I see no racing saddles (which this clearly it) in any dated catalog with the elongated openings. Any ideas?
     Thanks for any thoughts on these conundrums. Edward Albert -- trying to place the correct saddle on the right bike while the temperature remains below 20F -- in Chappaqua, NY