• Rare survivor of a short-lived British make
• Purchased by Brown Brothers in 1977
• Expertly restored in the 1990s
• Direct belt drive

Founded in 1888, the well-known London-based motor factors Brown Brothers Ltd supplied a wide variety of components and accessories for cars, motorcycles and bicycles. In 1899 the company diversified it activities, offering motor tricycles and the American Whitney light steam car, which was marketed as the Brown-Whitney. Between 1901 and 1911, Brown offered a variety of cars under its own name, some of which were made for them by Star of Wolverhampton (Brown had no manufacturing facilities of its own).

In 1902 the firm offered its first motorcycle; Minerva vertical single-cylinder engines of 2, 2.75 and 3.5hp were available, which were carried in a bicycle-type frame with braced front fork. A 5hp v-twin was added to the range, and a two-speed gearbox and all-chain drive were options by 1908. Circa 1910 the unsprung front fork gave way to Druid girders and Brown continued to offer singles and v-twins with various power outputs and types of transmission. Single-cylinder Precision engines and Brown's own were standardised by 1915. Brown Brothers ceased motorcar manufacturing in 1913 when the company decided to concentrate on it core business, though production of motorcycles continued under the Vindec name until 1929.

This ultra-rare survivor from Brown Brothers' short time as a motorcycle marque is powered by one of their own engines (a single-cylinder sidevalve of 490cc) and features direct belt drive, with 'pedal assistance', and the braced front fork. The accompanying old-style logbook lists a succession of private owners since 1947, the last of whom was a Mr Wanmer of Hailsham, East Sussex, who sold the motorcycle to Brown Brothers Ltd in October 1977 (note the original registration number was 'R 205'). The motorcycle was displayed in its unrestored state in the reception area at Brown Brothers' Swindon headquarters. Later, in the 1990s, enthusiastic and appropriately skilled members of the VMCC's Bedfordshire Section, led by Ivor Rhodes, undertook the Brown's restoration, while Nick Farthing carried out much of the engine rebuild. Offered with a V5C document.

Please note that this lot is subject to VAT on the Hammer Price.