Burgers ENR (this means Eerste Nederlandsche Rijwielfabriek, First Dutch Bicycle factory) started building boneshakers in 1869. The factory was based in Deventer until closure in 1961.
Being the first, they remained the only serious bicycle factory in the Netherlands until the late 1880's, when others entered the market.
A remarkable number of Burgers boneshakers is still in existance. They have a characteristic small mudguard, attached to the front fork.
Click here to see a typical Burgers around 1871-1874, a transitional boneshaker with large front wheel.
The earliest Burgers catalogue known dates from 1889. It shows a complete collection of safeties and some high class penny farthings.
But: it is not sure if Burgers built all the bicycles themselves. It is likely they were reseller of Hillman, Herbert & Cooper and other British bicycles. They may even have badged those bicycles with their own name - we just don't know.
When it comes to safeties, we know some remaining bicycles and we have catalogues.
But when it comes to ordinaries from the 1880's, there are no bicycles 100 % sure built by Burgers. However: the bicycle you see here in the pictures is attributed to Burgers. Most characteristic is the small mudguard, seen so often on the boneshakers. Then, there is the construction of the spring, stretched forward. This is a French construction, that Burgers already used on their late boneshakers. Strange enough, this 1870's construction is combined with quite modern wheels with direct spokes. There is no brake: in the flat country of Holland cyclists could do without.
Handlebars may have been changed, but the backbone, with a very clear seam in the tube, looks very authentic. I guess Burgers made some parts themselves and bought pieces (like hubs) in England. This is an explanation for the unbalanced quality of the parts of this bicycle, and the combination of 1870 and 1880's constructions. I found no serial number on this bicycle, but I guess it was built around 1881-1882. Front wheel measures 54 inch, rear wheel 20 inch.
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |