L'Aster, Aster, Ateliers de Construction Mecanique l'Aster, was a French manufacturer of automobiles and the leading supplier of engines to other manufacturers from the late 1890s until circa 1910/12. Although primarily known as an engine mass manufacturer the company also produced chassis for coach-works and a complete range of components.Grace's Guide, British Industrial History, Profile of Aster
Aster produced a range of engines including: stationary motors; electricity generators; automobile motors; marine engines and aero engines. There were air-cooled and water cooled Gasoline motors, Kerosene motors, and Gas Motors. Among the companies for which Aster produced engines and other parts were Ache Frères, Achilles, Argyll, Ariès, Aster-Newey, Automobiles Barré, Bolide, Belhaven,Grace's Guide, British Industrial History, Profile of BelhavenGrace's Guide, British Industrial History, Profile of Belhaven Engineering and Motors Bij 't Vuur, Century,Graces Guide, British Industrial History, Profile of Century Engineering and Motor Co Clément, Darracq, Dennis, Durham-Churchill,Graces Guide, British Industrial History, Profile of Durham, Churchill and Co Ernst, Excelsior, Gladiator, Hanzer, Hoflack, Hurtu, Korn et Latil, Lacoste & Battmann, La Torpille, Lucerna, Newey Aster, Société Parisienne, Passy-Thellier, Pearson,Graces Guide, British Industrial History, Profile of Pearson Prunel, Rochet, Rouxel, Reyrol, Sage, Siddeley-Deasy, Simplicia, Singer,Graces Guide, British Industrial History, Profile of Singer Swift, Vulcan,Graces Guide, British Industrial History, Profile of Vulcan Motor and Engineering Co West-Aster,Graces Guide, British Industrial History, Profile of West-Aster Whippet,Graces Guide, British Industrial History, Profile of Whippet Motor and Cycle Co Whitlock.Graces Guide, British Industrial History, Profile of Whitlock Automobile Co and Le Zèbre. By 1906 Aster was able to claim over 11,000 users of their engines.
From the mid-1900s 'Aster-Wembley' manufactured engines under license in Wembley (London) UK. In 1913 this became the 'Aster Engineering Co' which produced aircraft engines during the First World War, and then in 1922 started production of Aster cars. By 1927 it had been absorbed into Arrol Johnston. In Italy, the Aster Società Italiana Motori supplied and built both cars and engines under licence from 1906-1908.
In 1904 the Parisian newspaper Le Petit Journal stated that Aster monopolised the mass manufacture of engines in France, and had a 'universal reputation' and success shown by innumerable users. By 1912 they claimed to cater for over 130 makes.
History
Aster was a French manufacturer of automobiles and the leading supplier of engines to other manufacturers from 1900 to 1910. Although primarily known as an engine mass manufacturer the company also produced chassis for coachworks.
In 1878 the Aster company was established at 102 rue de Paris, Saint-Denis.Passion Automobiles. Constructeurs automobiles - A.C.M. Atelier de Construction Mécanique Aster 1896 / 1909 Engine id plates stated 'Ateliers de Construction Mécanique l'Aster. 74, Rue de la Victoire, Paris (the registered office), Usines à St Denis (Seine) (The factory).
At the 1900 'Salon de l'Auto' in Paris Aster exhibited a motor quadricycle equipped with their own 3.5 HP, single cylinder engine.Bonhams Auction House, Profile of 1904 Aster 16/20hp The expanding range included : stationary motors; electricity generator; automobile motors and marine launch motors. There were air-cooled and water cooled Gasoline motors, Kerosene motors, and Gas Motors.Aster brochure of Myers, New York, 1900s. Listing Stationary motors; Electricity generator; Air cooled range; Water cooled range; and listing Gasoline motors, Kerosene motors and Gas Motors for Automobiles, launches, Electric generators and stationary work. Distributed in the USA by 'A J Myers', New York.
A 12 h.p. Aster was exhibited at the 1903 Crystal Palace Motor Show and a range of Aster cars was sold in Britain between 1905 and 1907.
In Italy the Aster Società Italiana Motori supplied cars and engines from 1906-1908 under licence.
Aster had manufacturing capabilities in Wembley, North London, UK which both traded and stamped the engines as Aster-Wembley. Begbie Manufacturing of Wembley was founded in 1899 by Sydney D Begbie (A.M.I.M.E.) and in the mid-1900s became British licensees of Aster, making mainly stationary engines. In 1913 they became Aster Engineering Co (1913) Ltd and during the First World War made aircraft engines. In 1922 they began producing Aster automobiles. From 1927 they were absorbed into Arrol Johnston & Aster Eng, Dumfries Scotland GB. The last Aster engines were made in 1930 by Meadows. Shire album "proprietary Engines for Vehicles" (Nick Baldwin)
Sydney D Begbie (A.M.I.M.E.) worked as the 'Resident Engineer' of Aster, St. Denis, in Paris during the 1900s. He was an early cyclist, world record holder, and pioneer in the motor engineering business. He was Managing Director of the Begbie Manufacturing Co., Ltd of Wembley, which became the British licensee of Aster. Begbie also worked as Consulting Engineer to Henry Whitlock, Ltd. and The West London Motor Co. Ltd, both of whom were users of Aster engines.graces Guide - British Industrial History. - Profile of Sydney D BegbieMotoring Annual and Motorist’s Year Book 1904
Automobiles At the 1900 'Salon de l'Auto' in Paris Aster exhibited a motor quadricycle equipped with their own 3.5 HP, single cylinder engine. Engine sizes and multi-cylinder engines were progressively developed.
A 12 h.p. Aster was exhibited at the 1903 Crystal Palace Motor Show and a range of Aster cars was sold in Britain between 1905 and 1907.
In 1904 Aster produced a 16/20 h.p. four-cylinder, five seat automobile with rear-entrance and Tonneau, with a Type 43 JS engine.
In Italy, the Aster Società Italiana Motori supplied cars and engines from 1906-1908 under licence.
The 'Ateliers de Construction Mecanique l'Aster' from St. Denis (Seine) exhibited a four-cylinder chassis at the 1907 Paris Salon.
Engines
Aster produced a range of engines including: stationary motors; electricity generators; automobile motors, heavy duty motors, marine launch motors and aero engines. There were air-cooled and water cooled options plus Gasoline motors, Kerosene motors, and Gas Motors.
This list is provisional and may contain overlapping data. You can help to rationalise it with fully sourced information
PowerTypeCapacityBore / StrokeNameVehicle Four cylinders 3,054 cc 1904 Argyll Four cylinders 4,849 cc. 1904 Argyll 16,000 cc Aster-Wembley, circa 1907 four cylinder 3.5 h.p. Air cooled Type E 1900 Aster; 1901 Korn et Latil; 1903 Whippet;Described in New York brochure 3.5 h.p. Air cooled Type F Described in New York brochure 1.5 h.p. Air cooled Type H Described in New York brochure 4 h.p. 1904 Pearson motorcycle; 5 h.p. Single cylinderAir-cooled 84 x 90, 499cc Type J 1904 Century Tandem forecar; 12 h.p. Water cooled Stationary motor. Described in New York brochure 4 h.p. Water cooled Type 2 L Described in New York brochure . Water cooled 5 K.W. Electric group. Described in New York brochure 4 h.p. Single cylinderWater cooled 80 x 90 452cc Type 2 I without regulator, 1,000-1,500 rpm, 500 francs, Described in New York brochureDescribed in 1908 French brochure; 6.5 h.p. Single cylinderWater cooled 88 x 110 669cc Type 3 K with regulator, 1,000-1,500 rpm, 750 francs,1904 Century Tandem forecar with 'Begbie Audin' radiator; Described in New York brochureDescribed in 1908 French brochure 8 h.p. Achilles; 9 h.p. Achilles; 1902 Bij 't Vuur; 9 h.p. Single cylinderWater cooled 105 x 120 1,039cc Type 4 N with regulator, 1,000-1,500 rpm, 900 francs, Described in New York brochure Described in 1908 French brochure 8/10 h.p. Two cylinders,twin castingWater cooled 88 x 120 1,460cc Type 21 K, with regulator, 1,500 francs, Described in 1908 French brochure 10 h.p. 1904 Argyll 10/12 h.p. Two cylinders,twin castingWater cooled poppet valves 88 x 140 1,703cc Type 26 K Automatic regulator, 1,200 rpm, 1,800 francs, 1905 Whippet; 1906 Durham-Churchill; Described in 1908 French brochure 1912 Vulcan 12 h.p. Achilles; 1902 Bij 't Vuur; 1903-1907 Aster; 1905 Whippet; 14 h.p. Two cylinders,twin castingWater cooled poppet valves 105 x 140 2,424cc Type 26 NF automatic regulator, 1,200 rpm, 2,200 francs, Described in 1908 French brochure 12-14 h.p. 1905 twin cylinder Whippet; 12-14 h.p. four-cylinders 2.4 litre 1906 Durham-Churchill; 1906 2.4 litre Singer; 12/14 h.p. Two cylinders,separate castingsWater cooled poppet valves 95 x 110 1,559cc Type 26 LS 1,200 rpm, 2,650 francs, Described in 1908 French brochure - for automobiles 12/16 h.p. (and 16/20) Four cylinders,separate castingsWater cooled poppet valves 81 x 110 2,267cc Type 43 JS 1,200 rpm, 4,000 francs, Described in 1908 French brochure - for automobiles 1904 Aster 16/20 h.p. five seat automobilewith rear-entrance and Tonneau. 18 h.p. 1905 Whippet; 20/22 h.p. Four cylinders,separate castingsWater cooled poppet valves 95 x 130 3,686cc Type 45 LS 1,100 rpm, 4,800 francs 1904 Argyll 1906 Durham-Churchill, 24 seater; Described in 1908 French brochure - for automobiles 24/30 h.p. Four cylinders,separate castingsWater cooled poppet valves 105 x 110 3,810cc Type 46 NS 1,100 rpm, 5,800 francs, Described in 1908 French brochure - for automobiles 30 h.p. 1908 Durham-Churchill, 26 seater 20 h.p. Two cylinders,separate castingsWater cooled poppet valves 160 x 160 6,434cc Type 28 S 1,000 rpm, 4,000 francs, Described in 1908 French brochure - for Heavy Loads 24 h.p. four-cylinders 1905 Durham-Churchill; 1905 Whippet; 40 h.p. Four cylinders,integrated castingWater cooled poppet valves 130 x 140 7,433cc Type 46 P 1,000 rpm, 7,500 francs, Described in 1908 French brochure - for Heavy Loads 80 h.p. Four cylinders,separate castingsWater cooled poppet valves 160 x 186 14,959cc Type 410 S 900 rpm, 10,000 francs, Described in 1908 French brochure - for Heavy Loads 50 h.p. Four cylindersWater cooled 70 kg aero engineShown at 1909 Paris Flight Show
Note : The Type letters are an Aster code: I = 80mm cylinder bore, J = 84mm cylinder bore, K = 88mm cylinder bore, L = 95mm cylinder bore, N = 105mm cylinder bore, S = separate cylinders,
Components Aster was a major supplier of automobile components to both vehicle manufacturers and end users. As shown in its advertising and exhibition stands, both the French parent and the English associate were suppliers of : engines, gear boxes, gears, chassis, steering gear, radiators, spark plugs, magnetos, coils, accumulators, Oleo plugs, C.M.F. and lubricators.Official Aster advertising images and posters displayed on this page.
Partners
On 11 July 1904 the Parisian newspaper Le Petit Journal stated that the mass manufacture of engines was monopolised in France by Aster, the only brand specialising in manufacturing engines, and which had a 'universal reputation' and success shown by innumerable users.Le Petit Journal (11 July 1904, page 5) stated that : Motoring - The mass manufacture of engines is monopolised in France by Aster, the only brand specialising in this manufacture in which it has acquired a 'universal reputation' and success shown by innumerable users. Automobilisme - La construction des moteurs en très grande série est, pour ainsi dire, monopolisée en France par la marque Aster, la seule marque spécialisée en cette fabrication, dans laquelle elle a acquis une reputation universelle. Les succès des moteurs Aster ne se comptent plus.
In 1912 the French and English Aster factories claimed that they catered for over 130 vehicle makes.Prewar cars, over 130(!) marques used Aster engines
Achilles A range of Achilles cars were advertised, mostly with single-cylinder engines by Aster and De Dion. At least 5 different models were produced including the 8 h.p., 9 h.p. and 12 h.p.The Motor-Car Journal, Volume 8, October 1906
Argyll