BSA WORLD TOUR 1926-28, The archive of John Primrose Castley...

Hammer

£2,000

BSA WORLD TOUR 1926-28, The archive of John Primrose Castley, who in 1926, together with Betram H Cathrick embarked upon the BSA 'World Tour'. Both equipped with BSA G14 side value 1000cc, V twin motorcycle and side car combinations, they completed approximately 45,000 miles from August 1926 until March 1928. Travelling through France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Czech Slovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Serbia, Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Sinai, Egypt, India, Malaya, Malacca, Malaysia, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina. Whilst in Buenos Aires, so successful was the tour, they decided to add South Africa to the itinerary. Visiting all major towns and cities, giving lectures and attending dinners sponsored by local motor cycling clubs and BSA agents, they endured being arrested and shot at as spies in the Balkans, shot at by bandits and made the first ever crossing of the Andes by motorcycle. Their crossing of Australia and particularly New Zealand was well received and well documental. Castley was a journalist by profession and with the approval of Commander C. Herbert DSC Managing Director of BSA, he filed monthly reports of the tour for publication in the 'Motor Cycle'. The archive includes letters, itineraries, reception menus and guest lists, photographs, press cuttings and promotional literature, together with a 9ct gold medal awarded to J P Castley for the 1925 London-Exeter-London Final by the Motor Cycling Club, (Birmingham Mappin & Webb Ltd 1925, approximate 12g) a 9ct gold medal engraved J P Castley Esq, from the Indian and BSA MCC of SA (approximately 3g), nine silver and enamel lapel badges for Motor Cycle Clubs including Cootamundra, Tasmania, Nelson etc, sixteen base metal and enamel lapel badges and pins for motor cycle clubs including Bloemfontein, Auckland, Sydney and others, enameled tourning badges for Auto Klub Republiky Ceskoslovenske (2), Valparaiso Moto Club and the Royal Automobile Club Association, South Island (NZ) Motor Union and a press badge for 1925 Scottish Trials; press cuttings for all of Castley's 'The Motor Cycle' articles September 30th 1926 - November 29th 1928, an album of 'The BSA World Tour', a record of the publicity and photographs of the New Zealand section August 2nd-31st 1927. Eight contemporary textile riding pennants for 'The Motor Cycle', Moto-Club de Aragon and others. A Czechoslovakian .900 silver and enamel cigarette case engraved front and back detailing every town visited from Paris to Buenos Aires and inside John P Castley Dorset House Tudor Street London EC4 approximately 12.5cm x 8cm, 180g. An Austrian .900 silver cigarette case with a diagonal chased ivy leaf band and edges engraved to the inside Das Motorrad zur Erinnerung Wien 30 x 1926 approximately 10cm x 8cm no weight. Driving Licences, MCC and NUJ cards for New Zealand, South Africa and the Transvaal. Correspondence, gala menus, press cuttings and promotional literature. Following success of the tour, The BSA G14 10,00cc V twin motorcycle become known as the 'Colonial'. The items in this lot were kept by John Castley following the tour and passed on to his close family, now offered by direct descent. (Shipping category D)