Factors Catalogues.... gold mines for information on accessories available in another era......

When we look at motorcycles and cars to restore, we can view the restoration from two aspects....
Originality...and here we usually "open a can of worms", for it really is difficult to state catagorically what was original for a model in a year of manufacture and what was not....
Let me explain....
Manufacturers, especially British motorcycle manufacturers generally had the works holidays in the August period of the year and took advantage of this time to introduce modifications, the production lines for new models etc, with the idea they would be available for their first public introduction at the November Earles Court Motorcycle Show, the model being destined to be available to the public in the following year.
Sales of course dropped off in the autumn( fall) months into winter, so it was a suitable time.
So often some of these new additions to a range found their way into showrooms earlier than catalogued and the general perception of the public.
These models were almost transition models, although never called as such by the Sales departments of the motorcycle manufacturers.
Back to our restoration comment above...
The other way to view a restoration is that it is period...that is, it had items on it that fit what was available to the public at the time.
Lots of people on purchasing a new or used machine alter it to their taste...it could be the fitments in your current new car of interior carpets, a mobile/cell phone etc... and in years to come, these would be viewed as not original, but they were period.
Factors catalogues....
These little gems, and I've a few to share with you, were produced as the catalogue of Motor and Motorcycle Accessory shops of the day....
Many were mail order oriented...
The UK, USA and where I live, Australia, all had them....
They pop up in secondhand stores, flea markets/auto jumbles, auctions etc and make a useful addition to your motorcycling libraries as a reference tool...and perhaps to convince a concours judge....
Left click on the images to enlarge....
The following is a 1924 catalogue for the Economy Auto Supply Co in the USA





































































J.T.Hampton & Co in the UK produced catalogues, small but thick!
This is a 1920 one.





























































Halfords, Pride and Clarke and Marble Arch Motor supplies were all UK suppliers....






























































































































































































































I've taken you through the period 1920 into the 1950's...but we shouldn't forget the arch, current mail order firm from motorcycling today....
You betcha...Domiracer Distributors Inc, also trading as Accessory Mart, from Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. They cover motorcycling stuff from all over the world and most eras...