A highly original and unrestored example of the earlier and rarer “upright cylinder” version
A thoroughly useable example having covered the Banbury Run on a number of occasions
Complete with a fascinating paperwork trail and archive
The Appeal
It is surely the rarity value of the Calthorpe Ivory that sets it apart. Calthorpe was a Birmingham based motorcycle manufacturer that had evolved from both bicycle and early car production. By the mid 1920’s, however, they had carved a niche in motorcycle production and even introduced their own proprietary 350cc engine in 1925.
In 1929, the year of this example, the Ivory was launched as a range topping sports model with a “domed racing piston” and a twin port head. The upright engine configuration of this model was produced just for 1929 with a “sloper” engine being introduced for 1930. That can only add to the rarity value of this charming example.
The riding environment of the Calthorpe Ivory is in charming, original condition throughout
Providing a low and comfortable riding position with a saddle height of around 26 inches
Controlled by a period-correct hand throttle and tank mounted, hand gear-selector
By today’s standards the Calthorpe Ivory is a diminutive motorcycle rendering it pleasingly manageable and suitable for riders of all statures and builds. Seating is courtesy of a saddle type perch with a double spring mounting to help absorb the bumps. A non-standard oblong pillion seat was removed by the current owner in the name of originality, but the mounting holes are still present in the mudguard.
The rider’s eye will immediately fall on the single piece of instrumentation which is the original ammeter set into the rear of the black headlamp bowl. An original Bakelite Lucas ignition switch is fitted to the top of the lamp.
Numerous hand controls are affixed to the upright handlebars including the hand throttle which apparently, once mastered, is a real boon to smooth progress. A button operates the original Bosch horn and makes a delightfully quirky noise. The handlebar rubbers appear to be original and are in a good used condition.
An impressive knurled steering damper knob sits at the centre of the bars and is deeply engraved with the sweeping “Calthorpe” name. The overall impression given is one of compete originality giving a fascinating insight into a bygone age of motorcycling.
The Calthorpe Ivory was named for its original off-white colour
Some of this original paint is retained together with later painted red wheels
This non-restored example provides a fascinating insight into its history
To our eyes this unrestored 93-year-old motorcycle is all the better for that. In its fundamental originality lays a large part of its charm. The visible repairs and mixes of paintwork and heavily patinaed tank lend an almost archaeological dimension to the motorcycle’s history.
Elements of the mudguards and oil tank retain the eponymous Ivory hues. The spoked wheels have at some point been painted red with the frame and structure of the machine being finished in black. None of the paintwork is pristine but it all helps tell the story of this aged machine.
The teardrop petrol tank is finished in chrome which exhibits heavy surface corrosion in places but does not affect the integrity or structure of the tank. The original rubber knee pads are inscribed with the Calthorpe name, and the hand operated gear selector is cleverly integrated into the offside knee pad. The nearside of the tank exhibits the “ghost” of the Calthorpe logo where the paint, now long gone, has protected the chrome below from the surface deterioration. A fascinating feature.
This Calthorpe Ivory is fitted with Calthorpe’s own 348cc single cylinder “Super Sports” engine
Originally rated at 3.5hp and boasting enclosed overhead valve gear
This example is the rarer upright cylinder model which was only produced in 1929
The current owner, previous owners, period and more recent road tests all attest to the sporty nature of the Calthorpe Ivory. It is a light machine by any comparison, with the original literature estimating the weight at around 320lbs or around 145kgs. This not only helps explain the sprightly demeanour of the Ivory but also its reported agility and lightness of the controls.
At launch it would be usual for a Calthorpe Ivory owner to maintain and repair his or her own steed and this is likely what most of the owners have done. The mechanical simplicity of machines of this period certainly made that much easier and quite acceptable. What we do know is that this example is regularly used and enjoyed and, pre-covid 2018, completed the annual Banbury Run with no issues or concerns.
There are a couple of known mechanical replacements which are alluded to in the letter provided by a previous owner. During his stewardship he replaced the exhausts with the fishtail examples now fitted which he fashioned from AJS parts. He also replaced the original Burman gearbox with another Burman three speed box from another model.
If you ask even an informed audience who has heard of a Calthorpe Ivory, you will start to grasp the true rarity value of this unmolested example. To our eyes, and those of the current owner, the unrestored condition of this machine defines a big part of its appeal, personality and value.
It gives the new lucky owner a number of options. It can be left exactly as it is and used and enjoyed as the current owner has. It could be restored to its original factory condition should that route be favoured. Or various waypoints in between may be favoured by the new owner. Whatever the future holds for this Calthorpe we are confident it will continue to bring pleasure and enjoyment in spades.
Consulta le nostre FAQ
qui
e i nostri Termini e condizioni
qui
Il modo più sicuro per acquistare un'auto d'epoca online
Il sistema di pagamento sicuro di Car & Classic protegge acquirenti e venditori. Al termine dell'asta, l'offerente vincente trasferisce il pagamento su un conto vincolato di terzi. Una volta completato il trasferimento del veicolo, entrambe le parti confermano di essere soddisfatte della vendita e il denaro viene rilasciato al venditore.
Maggiori informazioni su come acquistare con noi
1929 Calthorpe Ivory 350cc
Come funzionano le offerte massime
Il processo di offerta massima ti permette di fare offerte senza preoccupazioni.
Inserisci la tua offerta massima e il sistema farà offerte automaticamente per assicurarsi che tu sia il miglior offerente - fino all'ammontare da te stabilito come tetto massimo.
Anti-sniping
Car & Classic contrasta il fenomeno dello “sniping”, ovvero il fenomeno dei rilanci all'ultimo secondo per vincere l'asta.
Se viene fatta un'offerta nei 3 minuti prima della chiusura dell'asta, la scadenza di questa viene automaticamente estesa di 2 minuti per permettere agli altri offerenti di reagire e, se lo desiderano, di rilanciare.
Incrementi di offerta automatica
Se la sua offerta massima è uguale o inferiore al prezzo di riserva, la sua offerta massima sarà applicata per intero se lei è il miglior offerente.
Se siete il miglior offerente e fate un'offerta massima superiore a quella di riserva, la riserva verrà automaticamente inserita come prima offerta.
Una volta raggiunta la riserva, Car & Classic si assicurerà che tu sia il miglior offerente utilizzando solo gli incrementi di offerta indicati di seguito.
Vi terremo in testa fino alla vostra offerta massima O all'incremento più vicino alla vostra offerta massima, a condizione che la vostra offerta massima sia sufficiente a coprire il valore dell'incremento.
Ammontare dell'offerta
Incremento
Da £0 a £9,999
£100.00
Da £10,000 a £49,999
£250.00
Da £50,000 a £99,999
£500.00
£100,000 +
£1,000.00
Superamento immediato dell'offerta
Quando piazzi un'offerta massima e questa viene immediatamente superata, questo significa che un altro offerente ha impostato una soglia di offerta massima superiore alla tua.
Puoi fare nuovamente un'offerta o impostare una soglia più alta di offerta massima e il nostro sistema rilancerà fino alla nuova soglia, cercando di portarti a essere il miglior offerente.
Offerte massime di pari ammontare
Quando ci sono due offerte massime di pari ammontare, quella impostata per prima è quella che viene considerata “migliore offerta”.
Pre-autorizzazione
Potremmo trattenere un piccolo importo di pre-autorizzazione sulla tua carta fino alla fine dell'asta, quando quest'ultimo verrà poi stornato. Se vinci, verrà prelevata una caparra che verrà detratta dal pagamento del prezzo di vendita per il veicolo e non comporta costi aggiuntivi per te.
Cosa sono le Offerte pre-asta?
Offerte pre-asta significa che avete la possibilità di fare offerte prima dell'inizio ufficiale dell'asta.
Verrà comunicato se si è il miglior offerente o meno all'inizio dell'asta.
Problema con l'offerta
Le offerte sono contrattualmente vincolanti. Per tutelare l'utente, sono previste alcune regole nel caso in cui si ritenga che sia stato digitato in modo errato. Si prega di controllare e modificare quanto inserito.
