Bown Manufacturing Company Double-Sided Keychain Charm
3.15" x 1.57"
$4.99
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Bown Manufacturing Company Double-Sided Keychain Charm
$4.99
Product Details & Size Guide
GhostCorp Apparel - resurrecting iconic corporate ghosts.
Keep Bown Manufacturing Company’s transport story close with this double-sided keychain charm. Founded in Birmingham in 1862, Bown patented the Aeolus ball-race bearing in 1877 as its work increasingly turned toward bicycle parts. The company later made a small number of Aeolus motorcycles, then sold machines under the Bownian name before returning to unpowered bicycles. It’s a thoughtful everyday keepsake for cycle-history fans and collectors of Britain’s early mechanical ingenuity.
Founded in Birmingham in 1862 by machinist William Bown, Bown Manufacturing made varied mechanical goods, including sewing-machine parts, horse clippers and roller-skate wheels. The company patented numerous designs. Its Aeolus ball-race bearings, patented in 1877, became an important product as production increasingly focused on bicycle parts. In 1893, Bown converted the business to a limited company. After William’s death in 1900, his second cousin William A.R. Bown took over. The company added engines to bicycles and produced a small number of Aeolus motorcycles from 1903 to 1905. Motorcycle production resumed in Birmingham in 1914, then stopped during the First World War. From 1919, motorcycles were sold under the Bownian or Bown Villiers names; production ended in 1924, when the factory moved to Chadwell Heath, Essex, and the company returned to unpowered bicycles. Aberdale Cycle Company acquired Bown in the mid-1930s. William A.R. Bown remained on its board in a technical role, and Aberdale continued using the Bown name, including for motorcycles into the 1950s.
Keep Bown Manufacturing Company’s transport story close with this double-sided keychain charm. Founded in Birmingham in 1862, Bown patented the Aeolus ball-race bearing in 1877 as its work increasingly turned toward bicycle parts. The company later made a small number of Aeolus motorcycles, then sold machines under the Bownian name before returning to unpowered bicycles. It’s a thoughtful everyday keepsake for cycle-history fans and collectors of Britain’s early mechanical ingenuity.
Founded in Birmingham in 1862 by machinist William Bown, Bown Manufacturing made varied mechanical goods, including sewing-machine parts, horse clippers and roller-skate wheels. The company patented numerous designs. Its Aeolus ball-race bearings, patented in 1877, became an important product as production increasingly focused on bicycle parts. In 1893, Bown converted the business to a limited company. After William’s death in 1900, his second cousin William A.R. Bown took over. The company added engines to bicycles and produced a small number of Aeolus motorcycles from 1903 to 1905. Motorcycle production resumed in Birmingham in 1914, then stopped during the First World War. From 1919, motorcycles were sold under the Bownian or Bown Villiers names; production ended in 1924, when the factory moved to Chadwell Heath, Essex, and the company returned to unpowered bicycles. Aberdale Cycle Company acquired Bown in the mid-1930s. William A.R. Bown remained on its board in a technical role, and Aberdale continued using the Bown name, including for motorcycles into the 1950s.
Product features
- Acrylic construction with white base and double-sided print
- Compact size ~3.15" x 1.57" (8 x 4 cm); measurements may vary up to 1"
- Includes metal ring and short chain for secure attachment
- Durable, lightweight—made for everyday carry
- Manufactured product sourced from China; intended for adult use
Care instructions
- Clean with a soft, damp cloth. Avoid any chemicals.
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, two year warranty in the EU and Northern Ireland
Warnings, Hazard: For adults
Care instructions: Clean with a soft, damp cloth. Avoid any chemicals.