Hello ODK history lovers

In late 1957 a small classified advertisement appeared in the Canberra Times.
About a decade ago, when I found this ad, I distinctly remember being baffled by it.

I mean, “DESIGNED by German specialists” …

[Linked Image]

Of course, the reference was to Pope’s first rotary lawnmower –
the 320-01 of 1957-58. This was a pretty radical machine for the
1950s, and a rare machine today. The 320-01 has been written
about on these great forums, and a History Record is HERE.

Here’s a factory ad from the lawnmower’s introduction...

[Linked Image]

ODK’s Global Mod Gadge gave me the much-needed ‘tip-off’ last year.
He directed me to an article about an important Australian motorcycle
designer, Rex Patterson Tillbrook.

I came to see that “DESIGNED by German specialists” was such a red herring.
I mean that this way: -

Like the apparitions in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, I came to see that “DESIGNED
by German specialists” was equivocal – a sort of half-truth.

TO BE CONTINUED …