Daniel Rebour - Illustrator. Who's your favourite cycling illustrator/Cartoonist?

[Old Ned]

A couple more for your delectation (whatever that means! )







A couple of interesting (to me anyway) points in the above -

The prices of the Lejeune bikes - fitted with Campag not Simplex etc..

The 'interesting' BB cable guide and the fuel cap drawing (seems Daniel would draw anything for a fee!)

The weights quoted for a frame (Vitus tubing of course) - and no mention of angles in the design only seat tube 'layback'.

More to come

 

[s.e.charles]

if anyone can figure how to turn these into wallpaper, i have a powder room off the loggia which needs freshening-up.

 

[RobLoasby]

That 1740FFr for the Campag-equipped Lejeune equates to £1630/€1975 in current values.

 

[HeikoS69]

That's nice! It was a monthly magazine for mostly cycle tourists and randoneeurs. They featured race bikes also but their focus was predominantly touring and fast tourers. Rebour was initially employed just as a lowly, badly paid illustrator but became I suppose a sort of partner in the business because of the quality of his work (and the necessity).

"monthly magazine": 25 or 24 editions per year in the 1940s and 50s, 11 per year in the 1960s, 10 per year 1970s

"focus touring bikes": First and foremost, it was an trade magazine, it reported what the trade was interested in. Reporting on developments in bicycle technology was only one part, albeit an important one. Focus was on cycletouring in the 1940s, motorized twowheelers in the 1950s (from about 1953) and race bike technology from 1960s onwards.

"badly paid" I am really really interested in a reference to this factual assertion. I have spent hundreds of hours researching Rebour's life and work. Nowhere could I find any indication that his work was “lowly, badly paid” after the war.
The only thing that can be found is a guess by Raimond Henry 1995 “His salery could not have been much, though, during the period straight after the war” Just a guess, not a fact. But facts can be found elsewhere, in Heine's Herse book: Rebour bought 6 Rene Herse bicycles within 3 years at the end of the 1940s. Everyone can draw their own conclusions about his salary at the time.

"Employed as a illustrator" He was employed as an editor. His first work were articles and some humourous drawings, technical illustrations started little later. From 1960 onwards he was editor in chief, never publisher or partner of "Le Cycle".

Van der Plas' Rebour book is sort of a mediocre reference. It has too many errors, still after the fifth or so revised edition.

 

[Canuk]

"monthly magazine": 25 or 24 editions per year in the 1940s and 50s, 11 per year in the 1960s, 10 per year 1970s

"focus touring bikes": First and foremost, it was an trade magazine, it reported what the trade was interested in. Reporting on developments in bicycle technology was only one part, albeit an important one. Focus was on cycletouring in the 1940s, motorized twowheelers in the 1950s (from about 1953) and race bike technology from 1960s onwards.

"badly paid" I am really really interested in a reference to this factual assertion. I have spent hundreds of hours researching Rebour's life and work. Nowhere could I find any indication that his work was “lowly, badly paid” after the war.
The only thing that can be found is a guess by Raimond Henry 1995 “His salery could not have been much, though, during the period straight after the war” Just a guess, not a fact. But facts can be found elsewhere, in Heine's Herse book: Rebour bought 6 Rene Herse bicycles within 3 years at the end of the 1940s. Everyone can draw their own conclusions about his salary at the time.

"Employed as a illustrator" He was employed as an editor. His first work were articles and some humourous drawings, technical illustrations started little later. From 1960 onwards he was editor in chief, never publisher or partner of "Le Cycle".

Van der Plas' Rebour book is sort of a mediocre reference. It has too many errors, still after the fifth or so revised edition.

Why don't you write your own 'Rebour' book? Rebour illustrations seem to sell pretty well in coffee table book format. Van Der Plas book sells well in the US and Japan, and it's even popular here in France at $200....

 

[s.e.charles]

Why don't you write your own 'Rebour' book? . . .

not the worst suggestion i've heard.

 

[Canuk]

From reading (in the original French) numerous articles about Rebour (and other French illustrators) it's clear that he took a good while to 'get going' in the trade before he was established. Illustration in general was never a well paid job before the big advertising agencies got going in the mid 50's, even then 'cest pas grand chose'. French poster design and advertising is a passion of mine (I have a nice collection of both) especially aerospace and travel publicite.

'Pub' as it is known in France is pretty much frowned upon as an artistic endeavour, and hated by people with smaller post boxes (if you live or have lived in France you'll know exactly what I'm talking about). I'm glad Rebours contribution has been recognised. But like I said above, if you've done so much research and don't like the current edition of the Rebour book, write your own.

Of course, it takes more than a bit of research to become a biographer of a well known artist...

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

I would be interested in your sources of information as I enjoy french stuff very much.

 

[Old Ned]

A couple (4 actually) more Le Cycle pages.



I love the bike drawings. Almost feels as if you could pick them up off the page.

That's all for now folks! Hope you've enjoyed seeing them.

 

[s.e.charles]

. . . he took a good while to 'get going' in the trade. . .

immediately after WWII i imagine wheelbarrow pushers, farmers, & construction workers were much more in demand.