IS THIS A GRANBY FRAME? IF NOT, WHAT IS IT?

chrisberty

Dirt Disciple
Hi all. Ive recently purchased this frameset and was just wondering if anyone could shed any light on what it might be.

Its a Reynolds 531 frame, in what appears to be original flamboyant blue. The fork is original to the frame, although has been overpainted in a slightly different shade (the original blue is beneath).

Now, there is no serial number on the frame whatsoever, however there is a 5 digit number stamped underneath the fork crown (leads me to believe Granby).

The dropouts are Benelux and it has a RGF bottom bracket shell. There is also the ghost outline of some old decals on either side of the down tube. These read "T(or J or P). W. RUSSELL" Although they don't appear to be original to the frame and are most likely just the previous owners name?

Looks late 40s, early 50s to me, what do you all think it might be?

20135290719


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Im not sure why the pictures aren't working, if you can't see them here are the links...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134767780@N03/20135290719
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134767780@N03/19699272584
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134767780@N03/20327939041
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134767780@N03/19699253824
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134767780@N03/20295632896
https://www.flickr.com/photos/134767780@N03/20313438482
 
Re:

Not sure I can really tell from the photo, but does the lettering look like this? F. R. Russell.

 
Re:

Thanks very much for that. The lettering is so hard to read I could only really make out Russell. But yes it's got a name to it now
 
Looks like its an F.R. Russell then :)

There is not a lot to tell, the shop is still in existence and now run by F. R. Russells son. I did get in touch with him and basically his father built the frames in the shop. He was well regarded locally in Walsall as a builder. I think the shop started in the 1930s. If I remember rightly there were no frame numbers or at best intermittent ones and certainly no records. I don't think he built for long and mainly through the 50s, so there's a fair chance yours is from that period.

Here's the post I had on mine viewtopic.php?f=23&t=242941

There are pretty rare and don't turn up very often. I think I've seen 3 in total, yours being the 4th! :)
 
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