1898 Cudell De Dion 2¼hp Tricycle with 'Lady's Attachment' Trailer

Frame no. 532 Engine no. 532

Footnotes

• Rare Veteran-era tricycle

• Purchased in 1992

• VCC Certificate of Dating

• Eligible for The Pioneer Run and Banbury Run

One of the earliest forms of motor transport, the rare Veteran-era tricycle offered here was built by Cudell & Co Motorenfahrzeug-Fabrik of Aachen, Germany to a licensed De Dion Bouton design. The names of De Dion and Bouton are inextricably linked with the pioneer years of the motor car, initially in company with Trépardoux in the building of light steam carriages, the first of which appeared in 1883. In the early 1890s De Dion and Bouton turned their attention to the internal combustion engine, much to the annoyance of Trépardoux who quit in 1894, leaving his erstwhile partners to develop what was, in effect, the first high-speed internal combustion engine.

Engineer Bouton's power units developed significantly greater output than their contemporaries from Daimler and Benz, yet matched them for reliability. Small wonder then that De Dion Bouton engines were adopted by many other manufacturers of tricycles, quadricycles and light cars, both in Europe and the United States, influenced no doubt by the success of the flying tricycles in such events as the Paris-Bordeaux and other endurance races. Early 137cc engines ran at speeds of up to 1,500rpm, and the first internal combustion-engined tricycles were built in 1895. The 250cc engine of 1896 developed approximately 1.75hp and made the contemporary Benz engines seem positively antiquated. De Dion Bouton was never a motorcycle manufacturer, although it seems that a few experimental models were made. The company's main contribution to the development of two-wheeled transportation was as an engine supplier.

Having started off in 1898 by building De Dion engines and tricycles, Cudell took up production of the De Dion-Bouton 3.5hp voiturette, and in 1904 introduced the first completely new car of its own, designed by engineer Karl Slevogt. Production shifted from Aachen to Berlin in 1905 and the company ceased trading a few years later.

Formerly belonging to the Shoosmith family in the UK (where it was registered 'FJT 1') this Cudell tricycle was purchased at a UK auction in November 1992 (catalogue entry on file). Believed to be one of only seven in existence, the machine features a 'ladies attachment': a wicker trailer capable of accommodating a single passenger. In the 1992 auction catalogue it was stated that the then owner's father had purchased the machine in the 1950s and that it participated in the London-Brighton Run up to the 1980s. The vehicle had also been displayed in the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. Engineer Gary Woodhead had maintained the Cudell, which was described as in 'truly excellent condition' having recently benefited from a complete rebuild of the engine and transmission.

An older restoration, the Cudell is fitted with a Deutschland Fahrradwerke lamp and an Ideal Motorrad pump and horn, and carries a VCC dating plaque for 1898. Accompanying documentation includes a selection of photographs; assorted correspondence; photocopied historical and technical literature; an old-style UK buff logbook and V5 registration document; and a VCC Certificate of Dating (issued in 1961) which notes that the original 1¾hp engine had been replaced with a later 2¼hp unit. Remnants of the restored trailer's original wicker body come with the machine.


• Rare tricycle de la période Vétérans

• Acquis en 1992

• Certificat de datation du VCC

• Éligible aussi aux Pioneer et au Banbury Runs

Anciennement propriété de la famille Shoosmith au Royaume-Uni (sous l'immatriculation FJT 1) ce tricycle Cudell a été acquis dans une vente aux enchères britannique en novembre 1992 (mention du catalogue dans le dossier). Considéré comme un des sept exemplaires existants de nos jours, l'engin est complété d'une remorque carrossée en osier pouvant accueillir un seul passager. Le catalogue de la vente de 1992 précisait que le père du vendeur avait acheté cet ensemble dans les années 1950 et qu'il avait participé au London-Brighton Run jusque dans les années 1980. Le véhicule avait aussi été exposé au National Motor Museum à Beaulieu. L'ingénieur Gary Woodhead avait assuré l'entretien du Cudell décrit alors comme étant en « état vraiment excellent » après avoir récemment bénéficié d'une reconstruction totale du moteur et de la transmission.

Anciennement restauré, le Cudell est équipé d'un éclairage Deutschland Fahrradwerke et d'une trompe Ideal Motorrad et porte une plaque de datation du VCC indiquant l'année 1898. La documentation jointe comprend une sélection de photos, diverses correspondances, des documents historiques et techniques en photocopie, un ancien log book délivré au Royaume-Uni et un document d'immatriculation V5 ainsi qu'un certificat de datation du VCC (émis en 1961) qui précise que le moteur 1 ¾ HP d'origine a été remplacé par un 2 ¼ HP plus récent. Des éléments de la caisse en osier originale de la remorque sont joints à la machine.


It should be noted that these vehicles have either been on display in the museum or kept in store since Peter and Ulrike passed away. Their present mechanical condition is not known; accordingly, perspective bidders must satisfy themselves with regards to their condition, completeness, correctness, or otherwise prior to bidding.

On notera que depuis le décès de Peter et d'Ulrike ces véhicules ont été maintenus en exposition dans le musée ou entreposés. L'état actuel réel des mécaniques est inconnu et les éventuels acquéreurs devront s'assurer par eux-mêmes de la condition, de l'intégrité, de l'authenticité et autres points relatifs à la qualité des machines avant de porter leurs enchères.