Description
H&H Classic Auction @ National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
3rd July, 2024 13:00
1952 Vincent Black Shadow Series C
20 year ownership
Estimate
£28, 000 - £32, 000
Registration No: EJD 726
Frame No: RC10845B
MOT: Exempt
Owned for the last 20 years
An original matching numbers Black Shadow
Confirmed by the Vincent owners club
An old style V5C on file
Vincent Motorcycles, "the makers of the world's fastest motorcycles", was established in 1928 when the wealthy Anglo-Argentinian Phil Vincent bought the rights to HRD Motors Ltd after it had gone into voluntary liquidation. With the financial backing of his family, Vincent acquired the trademark, goodwill and remaining components for £450, renaming the new company Vincent HRD. Initially, motorcycles were sold under the HRD brand name, using their own chassis with propiatory engines but in 1934 two new engines were developed, a 500cc single and a 1, 000cc V-twin. Always the innovator, Vincent now had full control over his products and began introducing many design features that proved to be way ahead of their time such as cantilever rear suspension. In 1949, in order to stop any confusion with Harley Davidson (HD) in the USA, they began to use simply the 'Vincent' name on their products. The 1000cc V-twin was the fastest motorcycle in the world at the time and with some astute marketing become the bike everyone aspired to own, the Rapides and the Black Shadows have become some of the most desirable and iconic bikes of the era.
This 1952 Vincent Black Shadow Series C was sold by Franklins in London on 26/ 05/ 1952 as a standard Black Shadow. There is no history of the machine until a continuation logbook in 1961, which shows a Mr Ronald Dewing of 22 Broomstick Hall Road Waltham Abbey. It was sold a short time later in 1961 to Mr Jack Edward Baldwin Hazelcroft, Maresfield, Sussex who had it until at least 1983 when there is a DVLA slip from the new V5 of the day, Mr. Baldwin had moved to Headington, Oxford. It was purchased by the late vendor in 2004 in its current condition and with lightning brakes and Amal Mk2 Concentric carburettors for his collection of British motorcycles. It has not been used for many years but is turned over regularly. The Vincent Owner’s Club has confirmed the Black Shadow has the correct factory stampings and that it left the factory as a standard machine. It is offered with an old style V5, previous V5 slips, some old MOT certificates, and a continuation logbook.
