In discussions preceding the publication about perfins in Newsletter 100 some perfins have been mentioned that are finally not included in the list.
Further the article itself has delivered a few reactions. Two reasons for a short continuation here, to answer some questions.

Motorcycle perfins that have not been included
When compiling the overview I have acted as follows. First I checked the directory of the library of the Dutch Philatelic Association for literature (catalogues) about perfins. Next I visited the association's library in Baarn to browse through these books. I made a copy of each perfin of which I suspected that it could be motorcycle related. It was a deliberate choice to select only manufacturers of motorcycles, tyres and other clearly related articles. After that I searched on the internet for more information about the user of each perfin, and checked whether the period of use of the perfin was the same as the period that the respective factory actually made motorcycle articles.
The last step made that the following perfins did not come in the list (given information in each case: perfin - name and place and between brackets the period that the perfin was used):

Germany:

WFF - Wanderer Fahrrad Fabrik, Berlin (1934) en Chemnitz (1933-1941).
Bicycle factory that had no relation with the motorcycle manufacturer Wanderer Werke.

PW - Premier Werke, Eger (Bohemia) (1938).
Did not build motorcycles in Germany anymore 1938.

S.&.Co - Simson & Co, Manufacturer of Cars, Bicycles and Guns.
The perfin on the left was used in Berlin (1923) and Suhl (1898-1926). The perfin on the right in Berlin (1919-1922). The first motorcycle of this company, the BWS, was not made before 1936. Thus after the period of use of the perfins.

Great Britain:

HCM - Hercules Cycle & Motor Co, Birmingham.
The first perfin, left, was used from 1929 to 1957 and the second, right, from 1945 to 1952. Around 1914 the factory was briefly involved in motorcycle production. After that they picked up the production of mopeds not earlier than late in the 50-ies.

Extension of the list with other industrial branches
In the last paragraph of the article I mentioned that it was not my intention to make a complete list. Apart from the perfins of manufacturers of motorcycles and motorcycle tyres there are other industrial branches that have a relation with our subject of collection. Think of fuel (Texaco, Shell, NV Acetyleno etc.) and oil suppliers (VOC - Vacuum Oil Company, POC - Pure Oil Company etc.), insurance companies, suppliers of parts like lamp bulbs (PhG - Philips Gloeilampen, PV - Popes Draadlampen Venlo etc.).
Joop Kits has send me a list with (sketched) examples that I will surely use in one of my next visits to the association's library. Thank you Joop.

One other thing on my list of research topics is a perfin from Minerva, Belgium. According to one of the reactions this Belgium company should also have used perfins, with the letters MM.
Completion of the list requires a lot of research, and if somebody knows another not mentioned factory that has used perfins, I would be very pleased to hear.

Nico Helling

Top   -   Back to former page   -   Home