2018 Photos & Captions: Johnny Berry, Manchester Frame Maker

Above: Figure 1. Johnny Berry delivering frame #721891 in May, 1972 in front of his 193 Wilmslow Road shop (photo by Alan Woods).

Above: Figure 2. TOP PHOTO: General view of the east side of Wilmslow Road and Berry's shop in April, 1958 (photo: Manchester City Council (28)). MIDDLE PHOTO: In 1960, a gold Legnano frameset hung in a display window and the shop was an agent for Claud Butler, Raleigh, & Triumph bicycles, and stockist of GB components & John Bull tyres. BOTTOM PHOTO: In 1971, display windows featured an orange Bob Jackson frame and ads for Ron Kitching's "Everything Cycling", Michelin tyres, & Clément tyres; note blue Johnny Berry bicycle parked outside (photo by Alan Woods).

Above: Figure 3. Johnny Berry framesets were stamped with matching serial numbers on the fork and frame. LEFT: From 1946 to early 1953, frames were stamped somewhere on the outside of the left dropout. RIGHT: From early 1953 to the end of production in 1974, the serial number was stamped under the bottom bracket shell of the frame on the drive side (photo by Alan Woods).

Above: Figure 4. Receipt for Berry road frame #721891. Ordered in early September, 1971, it was delivered 8.5 months later on May 20, 1972 at Berry's Wilmslow Road shop (photo by Alan Woods).

Above: Figure 5. LEFT: Berry's "V"-groove clamp stop secured pointed, gear lever and cable housing clamps, including those made by Campagnolo (photo by Rick Hart). RIGHT: Lovely brush work by Berry's longtime painter, C & G Finishes, Liverpool decorated the top eyes of wrap-over seat stays beginning in about 1957 (photo by Alan Woods).

Above: Figure 6. TOP ROW: Only 3 lug sets were widely used by Berry from 1950 until the end of production in 1974: (A1) Oscar Egg Super Champion lugs (photo by Rick Hart). (A2) Nervex Professional lugs (photo by Toni Theilmeier). (A3) Prugnat Type-S lugs (photo by Guy Taylor). BOTTOM ROW: Not all frames were built with the 3 common lug sets pictured in the top row. Pictured in the bottom row are two examples of atypical lugs: (B1) Berry’s 1953 display frame featured delicate, hand-cut, symmetrical fleurs-des-lis and fretwork (photo by Bob Hovey). (B2) Berry used Prugnat 62/S lug sets to build a few frames, including this 1969 road frame (Photo by Colin Petty).

Above: Figure 7. TOP and MIDDLE ROWS: Typical fork crowns of Johnny Berry framesets: (A1) Twin plate crown on a 1951 child's single speed frameset with round fork blades (photo: MOSI). (A2) Chromed twin plate crown on a 1954 road/path fork with round blades (photo by Rick Hart). (B1) Ekla crown on a 1954 road fork with oval blades. Windows in the crown's side decorations compliment those in the Oscar Egg SC lower head lug (photo by Chris Crocoll). (C1) Vagner crown with fish mouth side decorations mimic the swirls of the Oscar Egg SC head lugs on a 1958 road fork with oval blades (photo by Alan Woods). (C2) Chromed Vagner DP crown on a 1967 road fork with oval blades and a chevron on both shoulders (photo by Rick Hart). (C3) Vagner crown with spearpoint side decorations on a 1973 road fork with oval blades. BOTTOM ROW: Examples of atypical and special fork crowns used on Johnny Berry framesets: (D1) Vagner crown with very long spearpoint side decorations on a 1965 road fork with oval blades. (D2) Ekla crown featuring fleurs-des-lis on Johnny Berry 's 1953 show bicycle (photo by Bob Hovey).

Above: Figure 8. LEFT: Berry's arched, tubular, rear cable housing stop was brazed onto both seat stays of frames built for center pull brakes, including this 1970 road frame (photo by Guy Taylor). RIGHT: The Berry maker's mark appeared on a few frames, including this 1956 road frame (photo by Rick Hart).

Above: Figure 9. Only one type of down tube lettering, Style 1, was used on Berry & Bentley frames, appearing in 1937, if not before (9) (photo by Rick Hart).