Jēkabs Bukses’ Machine Shop in Riga
Jēkabs Bukse (1979–1942), a renowned Baltic champion and holder of other prestigious cycling titles, founded the “Merkur” bicycle repair shop at 144 Aleksandra Street in Riga in 1912, after retiring from competitive cycling. at 144 Aleksandra Street, founded the “Merkur” bicycle workshop. However, bicycle production was soon halted because World War I broke out, and J. Bukse’s workshop had to be evacuated.
1921. In [year], after returning from Russia, he set up his workshop at a new location—83/85 Elizabetes Street. As a forward-thinking man, J. Bukse placed particular value on technological innovations. One such innovation was motorcycles. The workshop repaired motorcycles and served as a sales representative for the famous English BSA motorcycles and bicycles.
Although there were no foreign company representatives and there was a shortage of raw materials, J. Bukse also resumed manufacturing bicycles based on pre-war designs, as contacts with foreign parts suppliers were reestablished.
In contrast to products from other workshops, which were assembled primarily from parts manufactured in Germany, J. Bukses’ “Merkur” bicycles were designed in the English style. Their construction made extensive use of products from the British companies “BSA,” “Eadie,” “Perry,” “Renold,” and “Brooks.” For several models, only the main components were from BSA, while the frames were manufactured in-house. J. Bukses’s workshop produced bicycles in small batches until 1940.
