Solved: Wendax 1238 - Thouvenin

[Wendax]

No, this is not a repost.

For one point, please respond and identify this little van.

[Wendax]

up

[Wendax]

up again

[4popoid]

I'll try the obvious, which probably means I'm wrong.  Is this a BEF postal van (about 1912) from Berlin?

[Wendax]

I know that it looks like a BEF and I don't know how this one is connected to the BEF, but it isn't one. That's why I wrote "No, this is not a repost" in the initial post. 

[4popoid]

Yes, I thought this would be your answer, but I was hoping that you said "No, this is not a repost" because the previous BEF was steered by a wheel instead of a tiller.

So is this one even from Germany?

[Wendax]

Not from Germany.

[4popoid]

From Switzerland?

[Wendax]

No

[4popoid]

Is it from Europe at all?

[Wendax]

Yes

[4popoid]

Italian from about 1910?

[Wendax]

Not Italian and a few years off

[4popoid]

French from about 1914?

[Wendax]

French, but not from 1914

[4popoid]

Extreme frustration! After hours of searching, I think I have discovered a photograph of the puzzle vehicle.  Unfortunately all the information given is the caption: "Electric tricycle at the Louvre department store. Paris, 1912.", and the Photographer's name: "Jacques Boyer".  The photograph is from a front three quarter angle, instead of the profile shown in the puzzle, but it sure looks like the same vehicle.  It even looks like the same driver, in the same uniform.  There is wording on the side of the seat support (battery box?) that says "No. 114", which may match that on your unaltered photograph, and would confirm that it is indeed the same vehicle. 

Unfortunately I have been completely unable to link the photograph to any information regarding the name of the manufacturer of the vehicle.  I'll keep at it, but at this point I'm not very hopeful.  Do you you know if your photograph appears on the internet, my only source of information; or is it only available from print media, in which case I am wasting my efforts?

[Wendax]

You found the right vehicle. The picture you probably found appears several times on the net. At least once connected with the maker's name. You already have the basic information to find it.

Locked for you.

[4popoid]

Thanks for the lock Gerd.  I didn't have much time to work on AutoPuzzles today, but the results of what I did do do not look terribly promising.  I have only been able to find the name of one manufacturer which I could even remotely tie to the photograph.  A manufacturer's name is mentioned in a blog that contains the photograph that I found, but the name may only directly refers to pedal powered commercial tricycles (triporteurs), which are also pictured in the blog.  Googling the name produces a couple of ads for the firm which indicate that both pedal and petrol powered triporteurs were produced, but no mention was made of electric powered triporteurs.  I was thinking that perhaps the firm was an importer, or licensee, of the BEF, as they appear Identical, and produced at the same time as BEF.  I can't imagine that BEF would allow another firm to manufacture an identical product without collecting royalties.

Anyway the only name of a period triporteur manufacturer that I have found (so far) is: Alexandre & Juéry of Paris (some ads just say E. Juéry). 

[Wendax]

That's not the name, sorry.

Unlocked and open for all.

[4popoid]

Anderson Electric?

[Wendax]

No

[4popoid]

Thouvenin, Paris, 1912?

[Wendax]

Yes, well found!

[grobmotorix]

I found another nice 1912 photo:

[Wendax]