1940s Genial-Lucifer

1940s Genial-Lucifer

I found this 40’s Lucifer near Paris. It’s just how I like bicycles – original and unrestored. This one was apparently stored in the loft of a house for many years.

Being well-represented in national cycle events from the 1920’s onwards, the Genial-Lucifer marque was well respected in its day.

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GENIAL-LUCIFER

Mestre & Blatge, 46-48 av de la Grande-Armee, Paris

Mestre & Blatge had a department store selling, among other things, furniture, cars, motorcycles, bicycles and every kind of motoring accessory, including equipment for airplanes.

They also had branches abroad. The article below, from ‘Flight’ magazine of 2nd December 1920, mentions a shop at 20 Store St, Tottenham Court Rd, London, as well as ‘continental and South American’ branches. Their shop in Rio de Janeiro was opened in 1912 and subsequently became the well-known Brazilian chain of department stores called Mesbla SA.

Lucifer and, later, Genial Lucifer, were the brand names of their vehicles.

This early 1920s Mestre & Blatge ‘voiture de course’ was sold at Christie’s for €1058 in February 2007.

Here’s a picture of Avenue de la Grande-Armee from the 1920’s, showing Mestre & Blatge’s store.

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Here are some early Lucifer models: 1913 above and 1914 below.

The ad below is from 1920.

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Some years ago Patrick restored for me the BMA pictured here. It’s a 1935 Genial-Lucifer Type GZ12 ‘La Motoreinette’ with 100cc engine and 2-speed gearbox.

I sold the BMA in March, 2008. So when I recently spotted this Genial-Lucifer bicycle advertised cheaply near Paris, I bought it and Pat collected it for me.

Having researched the marque previously, I already had a considerable amount of information to hand. (It does take a lot of time to research and find the stuff on these pages you know!)

I couldn’t help noticing that they provide a different model for ‘women and priests,’ which costs an extra 55 francs. Here’s the complete brochure for 1935. See section GZ11 in the above advert, which states: ‘La meme, cadre ouvert, pour dame ou ecclesiastique’ –

‘the same with open frame for women or priests.’

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