It is believed that the Elvish company started out in England, with the company closing in WW1 and resuming in France under different ownership.
The Elvish shop pictured above was located on the corner of Rue François Legallais and Cours Lamarque. The manager was G. Hargues.
The Elvish Bicycle company joined the champion cyclist Victor Fontan to create the team ‘Elvish Fontan’ and they took part in the Tour de France in 1928 and 1929. Later the team became Elvish-Fontan-Wolber, with racing successes in 1948, 1949 and 1950. Here is their resumee:
1904 Elvish Soly Team 3-runners. Jean-Baptiste Dortignacq finished 2nd in the Tour de France.
1913: Emile Friol is France champion speed.
1928 Elvish-Wolber fielding a team of 4 riders at the start of the Tour. Victor Fontan finished 7th and won 2 stages. The shirt is green and yellow.
Fontan-Wolber fielding a team of 4 riders at the start of the Tour. Jean Mouveroux finished 21st.
1929 Wolber Elvish-aligns a team of 4 riders at the start of the Tour. Charles Govaert finished 18th.
Victor Fontan, crashed in the Pyrenees must abandon while wearing the yellow jersey. The green jersey of the team always wears a red band
Fontan-Wolber fielding a team of 4 riders at the start of the Tour. Salvator Cardona finished 4th.
Jean Aerts wins the small tour of the Southwest. Victor Fontan wins the small tour Southeast.
1930: Fontan-Wolber. Jean Aerts finished 6th in Paris-Roubaix. Victor Fontan wins the Tour de Corrèze. The jersey is green water with a white stripe.
1931-Wolber Elvish. Hubert Oppermann wins Paris-Brest-Paris.
1947: Elvish-Fontan.
1948: Elvish-Fontan-Wolber. Albert wins Dolhats Bordeaux-Saintes.
1949: Albert Dolhats wins Bordeaux Cognac.
1950: Fermo Camellini win in Pau.
1950s Elvish Tourer
Randonneur Style
Martele Aluminium Mudguards
Mafac Brakes
Simplex Derailleur
Ideale Saddle
Frame 55cm
Wheels 650B (26″)
(Now sold)
This Elvish Randonneur is in excellent preserved condition, with original paintwork and transfers. It is 100% complete and correct.
CYCLEMOTORS ELVISH
Bordeaux, France
With an enviable reputation for reliability, manufacturers in various countries bought in Italian Cucciolo engines to power their mopeds. As it was a top-of-the-range 4-stroke unit, it was reserved for upmarket machines, and many French cycle shops created special frames to house the Cucciolo engine. The Elvish Cucciolo was the most glamorous of all of them.
The Elvish is the perfect example of a ‘rich person’s moped.’ Not only is the engine top-of-the-range, but little expense has been spared in the design and manufacture of the machine. Look at those crazy handlebars! This is not a cyclomoteur you would expect to see laden with goods in a Paris market, but one to poodle around on your way to the Cannes Film Festival, or something to be parked on your yacht …though, with its delightfully magical elf-like name, I wouldn’t be surprised to come across one in a wooded glade while out mushrooming in the forest.
I owned the Elvish Cyclemotor pictured above for many years, (regrettably) selling it in 2011 to concentrate on bicycles.
