I am pretty certain the change from oval to parallelogram logo came in 1955.
Brooks produced two versions of the B17 with keyhole cutouts in the tops in the early 50s. These were directed at hard core racers who had been modifying their saddles. Both were only made in small numbers for a short period of time.
The B17F launched I think at the November 1952 cycle show and the B17 Special appears to have been made in 1953 and 1954 They were superseded by the Competition model in 1955 which was announced at the November 1954 Earls Court Cycle show.
You can see a pic of a B17 Special at:
http://i141.photobucket.com/
and a B17F at:
http://i141.photobucket.com/
This B17F I think has also possibly been modded...
The B17 Competition Campagnolo is in the 1959 Holdsworthy Aids catalogue for the first time - I do not know for certain whether Campy did steel seatposts with the narrow fittings but recently I bought a steel Campy seatpost with the narrow fittings and Brooks Campagnolo saddle...
Hilary Stone, Bristol, British Isles
Edward Albert wrote:
> Not to muddy any waters but, before Brooks took down their catalog scans,
> one could go through and see the changes that occurred to the badges over
> the years. One of the bike I own reliably dates to 1957. In, trying to
> determine if both the saddle and the saddle bag were correct and original to
> the bike, I went through their scans for that period while they were still
> up and available. It seemed to me with little question that the oval badge
> changed to the badge with tabs on the side in 1957. And this both for the
> saddle bag and for the saddle.
> Edward Albert
> Chappaqua, New York, U.S.A.
>
> On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 1:00 PM, Via Bicycle <viabicycle@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Jaouen,
>> Here in the US, it was a practice by some shops to modify saddles-
>> adding keyholes and shaving the excess leather off the back, along
>> with the badge. I have a catalog describing prices to do such
>> modifications.
>> I did not look at your other auctions to see that you were selling a
>> lot of 1950s saddles. I just looked at the one and drew a conclusion
>> from that. I am sorry. I retract my statement. I did not know they
>> came from the Ideale factory, there was no mention of it's
>> provenance, and the oval Brooks badge was found on 1950s saddles, and
>> before. Seems like a transition saddle.
>>
>> The saddle is the real deal. I am sorry if I in any way affected the
>> auction. I guess talking it out is only bringing more attention to the
>> auction.
>>
>> joel flood
>> philadelphia, PA
>>
>> On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 12:42 PM, jaouen BAZIN <jaouenbazin@free.fr>
>> wrote:
>>> Hello Joel,
>>> i'm the seller of the saddle
>>>
>> http://ebay.com/
>>> temZ370292084084QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item563720cd74
>>>
>>> you said "the other saddle is nice, but not 1950s, and keyhole looks not
>>> factory
>>> done, as the earlier keyholes were. plus the later stamping. It has
>>> obviously been "hotrodded," because the back leather has been trimmed
>>> as well."
>>>
>>> First you can ask me before, i never sold junk items or if i do i ask on
>>> auction
>>> This saddle from a lot of saddle i bougth several years at Ideale
>> factory.
>>> of course lot of ideale saddle and beautiful protopye as 53 "loch ness"
>> 57
>>> "criteriumdes alpes" etc
>>> and lot of other saddle Brooks,AM etc This other saddle was stock for
>>> concurence.
>>> So you can be sure this is new and absolutly not "hotrodded".
>>> For date in this stock not any saddle up to 1960, and this brooks was
>> with
>>> other saddle date 50's
>>> you'll be sure Ideale factory have the saddle before every people.
>>>
>>> you can see the same on velobase
>>>
>> http://www.velobase.com/
>>> 0AF44D888C67&Enum=106&AbsPos=6
>>>
>>> Regards
>>> Jaouen BAZIN
>>> Wissous, France
>>> sceno234