Maruishi Fender Ornament (Kangaroo) Part 2

次回この記事の日本語版を投稿します。

In the previous post Maruishi Fender Ornament （Kangaroo）Part 1 we took a look at Premier Cycle Co, Ltd., which I surmise is the origin of the kangaroo trademark used by Maruishi.  As we shall see in the next couple of installments, this appears to be correct.

Here we have two very similar Premier Cycle guarantee medals.

1. Premier Cycle, manufactured by A.J.C. Mfg. Co.

2. Premier Cycle, manufactured by Maruishi Co.
Very similar indeed, but besides the obvious shape and materials there are a couple of subtle differences.

In the first the kangaroo is poised with its arms out in front as if boxing.

In the second, the kangaroo is standing more upright with arms at its sides as if standing at attention.

The second also has a Greek olive wreath, also known as a kotinos.  In modern Olympic Games, medals are awarded to winners; however, in ancient Olympic Games winners were awarded a kotinos.  So the olive wreath is synonymous with champion.

Keep in mind, my theory is that the origin of the kangaroo trademark dates back to 1884 when Hillman Herbert & Cooper, a company in Coventry England, made a dwarf ordinary and named it the Kangaroo.  In 1892 the company changed its name to Premier Cycle Co. Ltd., but retained the kangaroo as its logo.  Now, Maruishi Shokai's roots date back to 1907.  The company manufactured Premier models using a kangaroo as its trademark. Thus, I surmise that at some point in the early part of Maruishi's long history it likely dealt with Premier Cycle Co. Ltd., as both companies use a similar kangaroo standing erect. And, as we shall see in the next post, that point in time was when A.J.C. Mfg. Co. imported and later manufactured Premier models here in Japan.

丸石風切（カンガルー）第1回

I'll be back with another English post soon until then stay trued and happy wheels.

前々回「マヤム風切」と前回「月キリンの風切」と同様に、今回も風切を見てみたいと思います。

丸石の風切です。

丸石のシンボルはカンガルーです。

 
しかし、自転車とカンガルーにどのような関連があるのかピンときません。
調べに調べましたが、まだ具体的な理由に辿り着いていませんので、これはあくまで個人的な推測になります。

1884年、イギリスのコベントリーにHillman Herbert & Cooperという会社がやや小さ目のオーディナリ自転車を作って、カンガルーと名付けました。

(写真提供 ONLINE BICYCLE MUSEUM)

1892年に同社は社名をPremier Cycle Co. Ltd.に変更しましたが、ロゴとしてカンガルーをそのまま使用。
丸石商会の沿革は1907年に遡って、カンガルーを商標としてプりミアモデルを製造していました。
したがって、両社が同様の立っているカンガルーを使用しているため、丸石商会の長い歴史で初期のある時点で、Premier Cycle Co. Ltd.と何らかの形で手を組んだ可能性が高いと推測されます。


(写真提供 ONLINE BICYCLE MUSEUM)

Tさんが送って下さいました傑出した丸石自転車のプレミア自転車の写真をご覧ください。
昭和20年代後半~30年代前半国産自転車の典型であり、商標（カンガルー）の刻印だらけです。

 
 





 

 

 


 



Tさん、写真を送って下さいましてありがとうございました。

Premier Cycle Co. Ltd.や丸石商会のカンガルーのルーツについて情報がありましたら、連絡してください。
showajitensha@hotmail.co.jp

Maruishi Fender Ornament （Kangaroo）Part 1

次回この記事の日本語版を投稿します。

As was the case in the previous two posts, "Mayam Fender Ornament" and "Moon Phoenix Fender Ornament", we shall examine another fender ornament.

Here is a Maruishi fender ornament.

Maruishi used the kangaroo as its symbol.

 
But why a kangaroo?
I have yet to uncover creditable information on the specific reason why; however, here is my hypothesis.
In 1884 Hillman Herbert & Cooper, a company in Coventry England, made a dwarf ordinary and named it the Kangaroo. 

(Photo property of ONLINE BICYCLE MUSEUM)

In 1892 the company changed its name to Premier Cycle Co. Ltd., but retained the kangaroo as its logo.  Now, Maruishi Shokai's roots date back to 1907.  The company manufactured Premier models using a kangaroo as its trademark. Thus, I surmise that at some point in the early part of Maruishi's long history it likely dealt with Premier Cycle Co., as both companies use a similar kangaroo standing erect.

(Photo property of ONLINE BICYCLE MUSEUM)

Feast your eyes on the following photos from T-san of his outstanding Maruishi Co., Premier.  Typical of the bicycles produced in Japan in the early to mid-1950s, it is literally loaded with the company's trademark, kangaroos!
 
 





 

 

 


 




A great big thank you goes out to T-san, again, for sharing his photos with us.
If you have any information pertaining to Premier Cycle Co. Ltd., or the origin of the Maruishi kangaroo, kindly contact me showajitensha@hotmail.co.jp