B.A. Jansen (1861-1932)

At the age of 20 Bernard Jansen started in 1881 in Den Bosch (Netherlands) a store in Vélocipèdes. When there was a decline in the bicycle industry in 1898, especially amongst the first class quality brands, he added the recently developed motorcycle to his product portfolio. With his broad interest for the modern transport means he also started selling cars in the beginning of the 20st century.
In 1929 Bernard transferred the business to his son Theo, who transformed it into the N.V. B.A. Jansen's Trading Company.
Bernard Antonius Jansen passed away in 1932. His son Theo continued the business as bicycle, motorcycle and car company until 1967. Just like his father had been enthusiast for the bicycle sports, Theo was a passionate motorcycle rider. He won 2 Dutch championships, in 1923 and 1924.
After the 2nd World War BAJ Bicycles even became a motorcycle producer, when they started to install Victoria sideboard engines on bicycle frames. This was a clip-on engine that was easy to install, and quickly gained popularity. In fact this kind of "bicycles with auxiliary engine" laid the foundation for the later mopeds.
In 1898 B. Jansen already imported the motortricycle of De Dion-Bouton into the Netherlands. He did the import himself. He travelled to France and rode with the tricycle back to Den Bosch.
In the beginning of 1910 Jansen sold various motorcycle brands, amongst which Ariel, Sparkbrook, Minerva, Endurance and Omega.
After the decease of son Theo Jansen, who died without children, the company came to an end. The almost complete archive that was maintained from the early years was handed over to the Den Bosch city archive. There one can see many postcards and letters that have been sent between the motorcycle manufacturers and de Jansen company. Also a lot of brochures from the beginning of the motorcycle industry are present in this archive.
But a small part of this archive has landed in the hands of collectors, and I have also acquired in an indirect way a few postcards from the Jansen company.
This gives a nice overview how people communicated in that era. No internet, but a lot by postcards and letters.

Postcard with image of a Minerva engine:

With on it the text (free translation):

I am riding a Minerva 300 motorcycle, like on the picture above, but have a lot of troubles with oil that is constantly pressed out of the air valve. When I turn off the valve nut and blow in it with force from below, the ball does not properly close the hole. I have already tried it with 2 different valves but it does not succeed, and mr. de Jong in Amsterdam appears unable to deliver a good valve. Do you have good advice? Shall I send you such a valve so you can see yourself?

I would be glad to receive an answer on my letter regarding the saddle Heela Tangent.

Awaiting, Yours sincerely
L. Arends

The cards was sent on March 26th from Deventer and was delivered on March 27th in Den Bosch.

Postcard from the firm Mestre & Blatgé:

Sent from Paris to B.A. Jansen on 28‑9‑1911, and arrived in Den Bosch on 29‑9‑1911.

The firm Mestre & Blatgé was a wholesaler in, amongst others, bicycle and motorcycle parts. They also produced (from 1928 until 1956) 2-stroke motorcycles under the name Génial-Lucifer with 98 and 246 cc engines from Aubier Dunne, Train, Chaise, MAG and Sabb.

Postcard from motorcycle manufacturer Sparkbrook:

Once a large English manufacturer that was established in 1883 to produce bicycles. Short before the 1st World War they decided to build also motorcycles. First they built in 746 and 996 JAP V-Twin sidevalve engines, but without success. In 1914 the Sparkbrook Light Motorcycle appeared with a Villiers Mark I 2-stroke, that sold well. After 1919 they built mainly 247, 269 and 347 cc models with Villiers engines, although also 348 cc single cyclinders from Bradshaw, JAP and Barr & Stroud were used. From 1921 on 269 cc models with Villiers 2-stroke engines were sold under the name Spark. In 1925 the production was terminated.

Motorized tricycle with De Dion-Bouton 1¾ pk engine, built around 1890 by B.A. Jansen in Den Bosch, Zuid-Willemsvaart c 376-380:

Picture made by city photographer Pierre Weijnen in 1890.

Postcard from 1923 with amongst others 2 motorcycles:

Bicycle and Automobile Company B.A. Jansen. Presentation of cars along the Zuid Willemsvaart. In the car left B.A. Jansen. On the motorcycle Theo Jansen, Dutch champion motorcycling.

Theo Jansen was a talented motorcycle driver as can be read in the following article from the Dutch magazine "Het motorrijwiel en de kleine auto" ("The motorcycle and the small car"), official magazine of the Royal Dutch Motorcyclists Organization KNMV from 1923:

A few other postcards:

From Austria:

From the English company Harpur Bros. & Mason Ltd.:

And finally 2 Dutch:

Ad van Tiel

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