Nahum Salamon
c1830 Born in Nottingham
1870s Nahum Salamon was manager of the Coventry Machinists Co
1880 He left CMC to start the Bicycle and Tricycle Supply Association in Holborn, London.
1881 Living at Thornton House, Atkins Road, Clapham (age 51 born Nottingham), Machine Factor. With his wife Amelia (age 53 born London) and their children David A. (age 26 born Australia), Manager of above business; Alfred S. (age 22 born London), Royal School of Mines; Isador (age 21 born London), Clerk to Factor; Constance M. (age 19 born London); Edith G. (age 17 born London) and Lilian M (age 14 born London). Plus two visitors and two servants. [1]
His best known bicycle is the Matchless, that used the Salamon/CMC patents for guttapercha suspension in the spring, handlebars, and front and rear wheel bearings. Guttapercha is a kind of natural rubber.
Salamon didn’t make his own bicycles. They were produced by Singer and carry Singer serial numbers. In a lot of details you recognise the hands of Singer, like the brake lever, brake spoon, front wheel bearing, step. The rubber mounted spring had already been made by CMC in 1880, but they were forced to stop this as Salamon carried the patent. CMC introduced another rubber suspension spring in 1881.
Singer made the Matchless for Salamon until April 1886, and they continued building it as a Singer for a short period after that. The name 'Matchless' has nothing to do with the later motorcycle manufacturer.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 1881 Census
- [1] Antique bicycles web site